What to consider when buying an Ethernet switch for your home network

The right Ethernet switch can add ports without slowing your network or saddling you with features you don't need.

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If you're running out of Ethernet ports, that doesn't mean you need another router. If your Wi-Fi coverage is already working well, an Ethernet switch is the simpler option to connect additional PCs, game consoles, TVs, network-attached storage and other wired devices.

However, shopping for an Ethernet switch gets complicated quickly. There are five-port and eight-port models, Gigabit and multi-gig options, and managed switches with settings that most people will never use. Buying the one with the most numbers on the box doesn't mean it will be the best for you. The best approach is picking a switch that will accommodate your existing network and leave room for future devices.

Start with the number of Ethernet ports and their speed

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The port count is the simple part, though there is a catch. Typically, you'll use one port to connect the switch to your router, leaving four ports for other devices on a five-port switch. If you need four more ports right now, an eight-port switch (with room for seven devices) gives more breathing room for future devices.

Speed takes a little more thought. If your internet connection, router and wired devices all max out at Gigabit speeds, then a 1GbE switch is perfectly reasonable. If you have multi-gig internet, a newer PC with 2.5GbE or a fast NAS with multi-gig networking, then a 2.5GbE switch makes more sense. It also avoids jumping up to pricier 10GbE hardware if you don't really need that.

What's vital is that the switch shouldn't become the bottleneck. If the router has a 2.5Gbps port and the switch is limited to 1GbE, the traffic between the router and switch will be limited to 1GbE. The same applies at the other end: plugging a device with a 1GbE port into a 2.5GbE switch doesn't magically make it faster.

Internet speed isn't the whole story, either. Two 10GbE-capable devices connected to the same 10GbE switch can move files across your local network much faster than your internet plan allows, which can matter for large NAS backups or video files. And 2.5GBASE-T can run over existing Cat5e cabling, so moving beyond Gigabit doesn't necessarily mean rewiring the house.

Most homes don't need a fully managed switch

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For a lot of homes, an unmanaged switch is all you need. These add more ports without requiring any configuration. Just plug one into your router, hook up your devices and get on with your life. You can even use methods to wire in more devices without Ethernet.

Managed and smart switches typically cost more and provide you with greater control. Features can include virtual LANs (VLANs), traffic monitoring, quality-of-service controls and other device separation or management tools. These can be useful if you're creating a complex home network. But if you don't need these features, there's no reason to pay extra for a settings page you never visit.

Another feature to consider is Power over Ethernet (PoE). PoE can transmit power and data over the same Ethernet cable, which is especially helpful for security cameras and Wi-Fi access points. But you have to do more than only counting the PoE ports. Switches have an overall PoE power budget, meaning that a model with multiple PoE ports may not have sufficient wattage to operate all devices at their maximum power simultaneously. Check what your devices need, what each port can provide and the total budget available across the switch.

The boring physical details matter as well. A small fanless switch will blend in next to a TV or on a desk, while larger models with active cooling make more sense tucked away with the rest of your networking gear.