For home use, a simple unmanaged Gigabit switch is all you need to expand your router's ports. Buy a managed switch or a switch with PoE only if you are running security cameras, access points, or complex VLAN setups.
Updated Apr 6, 2026
Basic unmanaged network switches use negligible power and have zero maintenance costs. PoE (Power over Ethernet) and large managed switches use more electricity but are still relatively cheap to run.
Common Failure Modes
Switches are solid-state devices with high reliability. When they fail, it is usually due to lightning strikes/power surges blowing individual ports or the internal power supply dying.
For home use, a simple unmanaged Gigabit switch is all you need to expand your router's ports. Buy a managed switch or a switch with PoE only if you are running security cameras, access points, or complex VLAN setups.
Network switches are extremely reliable solid-state devices. They are usually replaced because networking speed standards outgrow them, rather than due to hardware failure.
Top-rated network switches brands include NETGEAR, TP-Link, TRENDnet, Ubiquiti, Cisco and more. Covala Shopping tracks 890 network switches from 72+ brands.
Basic unmanaged network switches use negligible power and have zero maintenance costs. PoE (Power over Ethernet) and large managed switches use more electricity but are still relatively cheap to run.
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