MikroTik CRS326-24G-2S+RM 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 CRS326-24G-2S+RM scores 7.4/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch at 6.1/10.

The MikroTik CRS326-24G-2S+RM leads on port speeds, management, port count and uplinks and 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 TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop 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

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

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 CRS326-24G-2S+RM	TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop 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	5/10
Overall		7.4/10	6.1/10

Specifications

Spec	MikroTik CRS326-24G-2S+RM	TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch
Ports	24 x 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports, 2 x SFP+ ports, serial console RJ45	5× 10/100/1000 Mbps Auto-Negotiation RJ45 ports supporting Auto-MDI/MDIX
Port speeds	Copper ports 1 GbE; SFP cages support 1.25 Gb SFP and 10 Gb SFP+ modules	10/100/1000 Mbps, auto-negotiation, auto-MDI/MDIX
Management	Dual-boot SwOS/RouterOS; configurable VLANs, port mirroring, MAC filter, bandwidth limitation	Unmanaged
PoE budget	not listed	No
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)	2 x SFP+	not listed
Switching capacity	Non-blocking Layer 2 capacity 86,855.7 Mbps at 1518-byte packets; 88,000 Mbps at Layer 1	10 Gbit/s switching capacity
Cooling	Passive	Durable metal casing, desktop/wall-mounting options, and a fanless design

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 ›

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 ›

More comparisons

Compare all network switches · Best network switches