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TP-Link LS108GP vs MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN scores 7.8/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link LS108GP at 6.0/10.

The TP-Link LS108GP leads on noise and efficiency and poE.

The MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN leads on port speeds, management, port count and uplinks and firmware and support.

The biggest difference is management, where the MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN scores 9/10 to the TP-Link LS108GP's 5/10.

LS108GP

TP-Link LS108GP

6.0/10verdict: good, not the best

The LS108GP is for anyone who wants a small, silent, plug-and-play switch that also powers a few PoE devices such as access points or cameras. It suits desks, shelves and quiet rooms where a fan would be a nuisance. It doesn't suit buyers who need VLANs, faster-than-gigabit ports or a large PoE budget.

Typically about £39.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN

MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN

7.8/10verdict: buy

The MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN is for homelabbers and sysadmins who need a few 10G SFP+ links on a small, silent switch. It suits anyone who wants to link a server, NAS or workstation at 10G and is happy to configure RouterOS or SwitchOS. It is not aimed at buyers who need many ports, PoE output or fast routing for a gigabit internet connection.

Typically about £121.19 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightTP-Link LS108GPMikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN
Port speeds30%6/109/10
Management20%5/109/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/106/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/108/10
PoE10%6/105/10
Firmware and support10%5/107/10
Overall6.0/107.8/10

Specifications

SpecTP-Link LS108GPMikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN
Ports8x 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 ports (ports 1-8 support 802.3af/at PoE+)Four SFP+ ports plus one 10/100/1000 Ethernet port
Port speeds10/100/1000 Mbps auto-negotiation, auto MDI/MDIXGigabit copper port; SFP+ cages support up to 10 Gbit per port; 1.25 Gbit SFP modules also supported
ManagementUnmanaged, plug-and-play; no VLAN support listedRouterOS or SwitchOS selectable via dual boot; configurable through WebFig or WinBox
PoE budget62 W total PoE budget, up to 30 W per port, 802.3af/atNo published PoE output budget; accepts PoE (802.3af/at) input on its Gigabit port with 12–57 V input; maximum consumption 18 W, or 10 W without attachments
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)not listedFour SFP+ cages; modules not included
Switching capacity16 Gbps switching capacity, 11.9 Mpps forwarding rate, 4K MAC table, 16 KB jumbo frames82 Gbps switching capacity; 41 Gbps non-blocking throughput
CoolingFanless, metal casingPassive, fanless, metal case

Strengths and weaknesses

TP-Link LS108GP

  • + Fanless metal case; owners praise silent operation
  • + All eight gigabit ports support 802.3af/at PoE
  • + Plug-and-play setup with IGMP snooping and QoS
  • − Shared 62 W PoE budget limits high-draw devices
  • − Unmanaged, with no VLAN support listed
  • − No SFP uplink or faster-than-gigabit ports listed

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need VLANs or other managed-switch features
  • Anyone powering several high-draw PoE devices from one switch
  • Users who want 2.5GbE, 10GbE or SFP uplinks
Read the full TP-Link LS108GP review ›

MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN

  • + Four SFP+ cages with up to 10 Gbit per port
  • + Fanless metal case; owners praise silent, low-power running
  • + Choice of RouterOS or SwitchOS via dual boot
  • − Only five ports, and SFP+ modules are not included
  • − Owners report weak routing for gigabit internet
  • − Copper SFP+ modules reportedly run hot in the fanless case

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need PoE output to power cameras or access points
  • Anyone who wants to route a gigabit internet connection
  • Buyers who need many ports or copper multi-gig without SFP+ modules
Read the full MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN review ›

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