Wi-Fi & Networking · Switching
Does a Small Business Need a Managed Switch?
If all you need is extra Ethernet ports, unmanaged can work. If the switch is powering APs or separating business traffic, managed is usually worth it.
Managed switches become useful for
- VLANs
- PoE monitoring and power control
- Port statistics and troubleshooting
- Link aggregation and other advanced features
- Consistent configuration as the office grows
Our fit rule
For a new small-business network with multiple APs, we would usually buy a managed PoE switch rather than save a little upfront on an unmanaged model.