User Manual

Does Your Business Need an

Unmanaged Switch, a Smart Switch,

or a Managed Switch?

When it comes to your business network, switches are the backbone. While your mobile devices are capable of

connecting to your network wirelessly, switches connect the multiple core components — desktop PCs, printers,

routers, and other hardware — so you can send information and access shared resources much more efﬁciently.

But as the number of connected components increases, the complexity of your network does as well.

To address these growing needs, it might be necessary to deploy a new type of switch to better regulate

your business network. But of the three major categories of switches — unmanaged, smart, and managed —

which is best for your needs?

Prioritizing Trafﬁc

Data is the name of the game in business networking, but not all data is created equal, especially when it comes

to how quickly it travels from one device to another.

On a small network, lack of prioritization is not as evident, since the amount of trafﬁc present in a small ofﬁce

stays pretty minimal. Compare that to a larger network that has multiple devices pulling from available bandwidth

simultaneously, and you’re bound to notice a problem. Sure, you might not catch the slight delays when emailing

attachments or managing the company's Twitter feed, but you won’t be as forgiving with faulty video streaming or

dropped web conferences. Trafﬁc prioritization ensures that these types of time-sensitive data move as smoothly

and quickly as possible, while less-bandwidth-heavy data waits its turn. It’s an important consideration to make

when deciding which switch to purchase.

Unmanaged Switches

For the least expensive of the three contenders, unmanaged switches also win the award for the simplest setup.

There are, quite literally, no options to conﬁgure before they're up and running. While these switches offer your

network no prioritization of data, they are well-suited for scenarios in which there aren't advanced applications

running and trafﬁc is light — like small ofﬁces with 10 or fewer simultaneous users. In these situations, data

congestion (and the need for data prioritization) is less of an issue. All that is required is a method of passing data

from one device to another over your network.

For that type of scenario, unmanaged switches will ﬁt the bill, typically featuring anywhere from ﬁve to 26

available ports, each of which share equal access to available network bandwidth. These switches are great for

ofﬁces that lack extensive IT support, since they're essentially plug and play, offering near-instant functionality

with little to no user interaction required.

Smart Switches

As the number of devices increases, so does the need for data prioritization. For slightly larger business networks

that don’t require overly comprehensive control or ﬁne-tuning, a smart switch makes an excellent transition

from an unmanaged solution. While their conﬁguration options are more limited in comparison to their managed

counterparts, smart switches support some of the basic features at a much more accessible price point.

Business Solutions

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Does Your Business Need an Unmanaged Switch, a Smart Switch, or a Managed Switch? Business Solutions When it comes to your business network, switches are the backbone. While your mobile devices are capable of connecting to your network wirelessly, switches connect the multiple core components — desktop PCs, printers, routers, and other hardware — so you can send information and access shared resources much more efficiently.
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Further, they include some basic configuration features that small businesses can use to optimize the performance, reliability, and security of their network. With a smart switch, you can: • Configure basic settings, like MAC address binding and rate limits (a simple interface makes it less intimidating for novice users).