MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN vs TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch

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 TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch at 6.1/10.

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

The TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch leads on noise and efficiency.

They score the same on poE.

The biggest difference is port speeds, where the MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN scores 9/10 to the TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch's 6/10.

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

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TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch

6.1/10verdict: good, not the best

The TL-SG105S is for anyone who needs four or five extra wired gigabit ports without any setup. It suits desks, benches and small home networks where traffic does not need segmenting on the switch. It does not suit buyers who need VLANs, PoE or faster-than-gigabit links.

Typically about £13.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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

Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN	TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch
Port speeds	30%	9/10	6/10
Management	20%	9/10	6/10
Port count and uplinks	15%	6/10	5/10
Noise and efficiency	15%	8/10	9/10
PoE	10%	5/10	5/10
Firmware and support	10%	7/10	5/10
Overall		7.8/10	6.1/10

Specifications

Spec	MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN	TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch
Ports	Four SFP+ ports plus one 10/100/1000 Ethernet port	5× 10/100/1000 Mbps Auto-Negotiation RJ45 ports supporting Auto-MDI/MDIX
Port speeds	Gigabit copper port; SFP+ cages support up to 10 Gbit per port; 1.25 Gbit SFP modules also supported	10/100/1000 Mbps, auto-negotiation, auto-MDI/MDIX
Management	RouterOS or SwitchOS selectable via dual boot; configurable through WebFig or WinBox	Unmanaged
PoE budget	No 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	No
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)	Four SFP+ cages; modules not included	not listed
Switching capacity	82 Gbps switching capacity; 41 Gbps non-blocking throughput	10 Gbit/s switching capacity
Cooling	Passive, fanless, metal case	Durable metal casing, desktop/wall-mounting options, and a fanless design

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch

+ Fanless design with a 3.1 W maximum power draw
+ Plug-and-play with no configuration needed
+ Metal casing with desktop or wall-mount options
− Gigabit only, with no SFP or SFP+ uplink listed
− Manufacturer page does not list VLAN support
− No PoE on any port

Skip it if:

Buyers who need VLANs to segment traffic on the switch
Anyone powering access points or cameras over Ethernet
Buyers who want 2.5GbE ports or an SFP uplink

Read the full TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch review ›

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