MikroTik CRS326-24G-2S+RM vs NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The MikroTik CRS326-24G-2S+RM scores 7.4/10 overall, ahead of the NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch at 6.3/10.

The MikroTik CRS326-24G-2S+RM leads on port speeds, management and port count and uplinks.

The NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch leads on firmware and support.

They score the same on noise and efficiency and poE.

The biggest difference is port count and uplinks, where the MikroTik CRS326-24G-2S+RM scores 8/10 to the NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch's 5/10.

MikroTik CRS326-24G-2S+RM

7.4/10verdict: buy

This is for sysadmins and homelabbers who want a managed 24-port gigabit switch with two 10Gb SFP+ uplinks for a rack. It suits anyone who wants VLANs and a silent, passively cooled switch. It is a poor fit for buyers who need PoE or who plan to use it as a busy router.

Typically about £175.32 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK

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NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS108)

NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch

6.3/10verdict: good, not the best

The NETGEAR GS108 is for anyone who needs eight more wired Gigabit ports with no configuration. It suits a desk, a media cabinet or a small lab where quiet running matters. It does not suit buyers who need VLANs, PoE or ports faster than Gigabit.

Typically about £24.99 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 CRS326-24G-2S+RM	NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch
Port speeds	30%	7/10	6/10
Management	20%	8/10	6/10
Port count and uplinks	15%	8/10	5/10
Noise and efficiency	15%	9/10	9/10
PoE	10%	5/10	5/10
Firmware and support	10%	6/10	7/10
Overall		7.4/10	6.3/10

Specifications

Spec	MikroTik CRS326-24G-2S+RM	NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch
Ports	24 x 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports, 2 x SFP+ ports, serial console RJ45	8 Gigabit RJ-45 copper ports
Port speeds	Copper ports 1 GbE; SFP cages support 1.25 Gb SFP and 10 Gb SFP+ modules	10/100/1000 Mbps on each port
Management	Dual-boot SwOS/RouterOS; configurable VLANs, port mirroring, MAC filter, bandwidth limitation	Unmanaged, no VLANs
PoE budget	not listed	None (PoE ports n/a, PoE budget n/a)
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)	2 x SFP+	None listed; Gigabit copper only, no SFP or SFP+ port
Switching capacity	Non-blocking Layer 2 capacity 86,855.7 Mbps at 1518-byte packets; 88,000 Mbps at Layer 1	16 Gbps
Cooling	Passive	Fanless

Strengths and weaknesses

MikroTik CRS326-24G-2S+RM

+ Passive cooling, praised by owners as quiet and fanless
+ Two SFP+ cages for 1.25Gb and 10Gb modules
+ Dual-boot SwOS/RouterOS with VLANs and port mirroring
− Routing is slow, according to owners
− No PoE listed in the specifications
− Warranty is only 1 year

Skip it if:

Buyers who need PoE ports to power access points or cameras
Anyone wanting 2.5GbE or 10GbE copper ports on every port
People planning to use the switch as their main router

Read the full MikroTik CRS326-24G-2S+RM review ›

NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch

+ Fanless, with acoustic noise listed as 0
+ Plug-and-play setup with nothing to configure
+ Limited lifetime warranty and 90 days of support
− Gigabit only, with no 2.5GbE, 10GbE or SFP uplink
− Unmanaged, so no VLANs
− Owners report failures in older revisions after a few years

Skip it if:

Buyers who need VLANs or any switch management
Anyone powering access points or cameras who needs PoE
Users with 2.5GbE or 10GbE devices, or who want an SFP uplink

Read the full NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch review ›

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