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TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch vs TP-Link TL-SG108E

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The TP-Link TL-SG108E scores 6.2/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch at 6.1/10.

The TP-Link TL-SG108E leads on firmware and support.

They score the same on port speeds, management, port count and uplinks, noise and efficiency and poE.

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

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 (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

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

TP-Link TL-SG108E

TP-Link TL-SG108E

6.2/10verdict: good, not the best

The TL-SG108E is for home and homelab users who want a small, silent eight-port gigabit switch with basic VLAN support. It suits setups that need a few separate networks, not strict isolation. It is a poor fit if you need PoE, fibre uplinks, faster-than-gigabit ports or Spanning Tree.

Typically about £45 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 TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop SwitchTP-Link TL-SG108E
Port speeds30%6/106/10
Management20%6/106/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/105/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/109/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%5/106/10
Overall6.1/106.2/10

Specifications

SpecTP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop SwitchTP-Link TL-SG108E
Ports5× 10/100/1000 Mbps Auto-Negotiation RJ45 ports supporting Auto-MDI/MDIX8 x 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 ports
Port speeds10/100/1000 Mbps, auto-negotiation, auto-MDI/MDIX10/100/1000 Mbps
ManagementUnmanagedEasy Smart; web user interface and Windows management utility; port-based, 802.1Q and MTU VLAN (32 VLANs active out of 4K IDs), port mirroring, loop prevention, IGMP snooping, cable diagnostics
PoE budgetNonot listed
Switching capacity10 Gbit/s switching capacity16 Gbps switching capacity; 11.9 Mpps forwarding rate; 4K MAC table
CoolingDurable metal casing, desktop/wall-mounting options, and a fanless designFanless, metal casing

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

TP-Link TL-SG108E

  • + Fanless metal casing, so no fan noise
  • + 802.1Q VLANs and port mirroring on a web UI
  • + Owners report VLANs working on current firmware
  • − Gigabit only, with no SFP/SFP+ uplink published
  • − VLAN 1 cannot be removed and no Spanning Tree
  • − Owners describe VLAN setup as fiddly

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need PoE for access points, cameras or phones
  • Anyone who needs strict VLAN isolation, Spanning Tree or a management interface off the user ports
  • Users who want 2.5GbE, 10GbE or SFP/SFP+ uplinks
Read the full TP-Link TL-SG108E review ›

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