Netgear PoE Switches Compared: 5, 8, 16, 24 and 48-Port

Netgear PoE switches at a glance

Our pick in each size, chosen from models we normally hold in Australian stock. Every size has more options in the full table below.

Netgear PoE switches by port count

Every Netgear PoE switch ARC IP Networks lists, smallest to largest. The PoE budget is the total for the whole switch, not per port.

Swipe the table sideways to compare all models →

Sources: Netgear datasheets and Australian product pages for each SKU. "Up to" budgets need extra Netgear power supplies; the GS108LP reaches 83W or 123W with a larger Netgear external adapter (FlexPoE). Some sizes may be on order: check each product page.

PoE, PoE+ and PoE++: which standard do your devices need?

Netgear's datasheets give the per-port maximum for each standard:

• PoE (IEEE 802.3af): up to 15.4W per port.
• PoE+ (IEEE 802.3at): up to 30W per port. Almost every switch in this guide is PoE+.
• PoE++ (IEEE 802.3bt): Netgear Ultra60 ports deliver up to 60W (MS108UP, MS108EUP, MS510TXUP) and Ultra90 ports up to 90W (M4250 GSM4212UX and GSM4248UX, and the Multi-Gig M4350 models).

PoE+ ports also power 802.3af devices. Check the datasheet of each access point, camera or phone for its PoE class and maximum draw: newer Wi-Fi access points and PTZ cameras often need more than basic PoE, and displays or high-power PTZ cameras may need PoE++.

How to size the PoE budget

The budget is shared. The GS308EP has 8 PoE+ ports, each able to deliver up to 30W, but only 62W in total, so it suits desk phones and low-power devices. The GS308EPP has the same ports with 123W. At the top end, Netgear notes the 960W GSM4248PX can deliver the full 30W on all 40 PoE+ ports at once.

1. List every powered device and its maximum draw from its own datasheet.
2. Add them up and allow headroom for the devices you will add later.
3. Pick a switch whose total budget covers that sum, and whose per-port standard covers your hungriest device.

Two ways to grow later: the GS108LP uses Netgear FlexPoE, so its 60W budget rises to 83W or 123W with a larger external adapter, and the M4350 GSM4352 starts at 236W from its internal power supply and scales up to 1,440W with modular power supplies in its two slots. For a step-by-step method, read what PoE switch do I need.

Unmanaged, Plus, Smart or fully managed PoE?

Unmanaged PoE switches (GS305P, GS108PP, GS316PP, GS524PP) are plug-and-play and balance power automatically to each device. Nothing to configure, and nothing to secure.

Plus (Easy Smart) models such as the GS305EP, GS308EPP and GS316EPP add a web interface with VLANs, QoS and per-port PoE control: switch a port off, set priority and power limits, and power-cycle a frozen camera or access point remotely. Uninterrupted PoE keeps devices running while the switch updates firmware or reboots. The 16-port GS316EP and GS316EPP also add PoE scheduling, handy for turning off access points overnight.

Smart switches (GS724TP, GS728TPP, GS752TP) add SFP fibre uplinks, 256 VLANs, ACLs, 802.1X, LACP and PoE scheduling, managed from a web GUI, Lite CLI or Netgear Insight in the cloud. See Netgear Insight explained.

Fully managed M4250 and M4350 switches add Layer 3 routing, multicast tuning for AV over IP and, on the M4350, stacking. If you are running Dante audio, NDI video or AV over IP, read our M4250 AV Line guide.

Fanless or rack: where will it live?

The 5, 8 and 16-port desktop models are fanless, so they suit a reception desk, a home office or a classroom. The M4250 GSM4210PD is a fully managed 10-port switch that is totally fanless and designed to sit in a meeting room or behind a screen. Larger 24 and 48-port switches mount in a comms rack; Netgear lists the GS724TP at 26.1 dBA with its fans, and the M4250 models offer selectable fan modes (the desktop GSM4210PX can run fanless at up to 180W of PoE). For a camera system, also size the recorder: see how much storage you need for security cameras.

Which Netgear PoE switch for which Australian site

ARC IP Networks suggestions, based on Netgear's specifications.

Related guides

• Netgear switch buying guide for Australia
• Netgear GS105 vs GS108 vs GS305P compared
• Netgear M4250 AV Line for AV over IP
• What PoE Switch Do I Need in Australia? PoE Budgets, 2.5G and Port Types Explained
• Wi-Fi Between Buildings in Australia: How to Get Internet to a Shed, Granny Flat or Across the Farm
• Netgear Australia hub
• Shop Netgear managed switches