TP-Link LS108GP review

The TP-Link LS108GP is an eight-port gigabit switch with PoE on every port. Ports 1 to 8 all support 802.3af/at, so any of them can power a compatible device. It is unmanaged and plug-and-play, and TP-Link lists no VLAN support.

That makes it a simple add-on for a small network. Plug in an access point, a camera or a VoIP handset, and the switch supplies data and power over the same cable. It does not ask for configuration, and the research shows no web interface or controller.

All eight RJ45 ports run at 10/100/1000 Mbps with auto-negotiation and auto MDI/MDIX. There is nothing faster listed and no SFP slot. If you want to move large files between machines at more than gigabit speed, this switch won't do it.

The switching capacity is 16 Gbps, with a forwarding rate of 11.9 Mpps. The MAC table holds 4K entries, and jumbo frames up to 16 KB are supported. The capacity figure matches eight gigabit ports running in both directions. The 4K MAC table suits a small network of a few dozen devices rather than a large one.

With no VLAN support listed, you can't split the network into segments on this switch. That rules it out where you want to isolate cameras or guest traffic at the switch level.

TP-Link does list some traffic features. IGMP snooping, 802.1p/DSCP QoS and flow control are all supported. These give the switch a little more control than the plug-and-play label suggests, though the research doesn't say how they are configured on an unmanaged unit.

The switch also has an Extend Mode, which runs ports at 10 Mbps for up to 250 m. That matters only if a device sits a long way from the switch and needs little bandwidth, such as a camera at the far end of a building. The research doesn't say which ports support it.

The PoE budget is the main constraint. The switch has 62 W in total, shared across all ports, with up to 30 W available on a single port. The 30 W per-port limit covers PoE+ devices, but the shared pool is what you hit first.

When total draw goes over 62 W, power management cuts lower-priority ports. TP-Link also says the budget is based on lab testing and isn't guaranteed. Treat 62 W as a ceiling to stay under, not a figure to plan right up to.

Owner feedback agrees. The recurring complaint is that the shared budget limits use with high-draw devices. With PoE on all eight ports but only 62 W to share, the switch suits a handful of low-power devices better than eight power-hungry ones. Add up your devices' rated draw before you buy.

The LS108GP is fanless, in a metal casing. Owners praise the silent operation and say the metal case feels solid. A fanless design has no moving parts to make noise, so the switch suits a desk, a living room or a bedroom cupboard. That makes it a sensible choice for a homelab that shares space with people.

The research gives no release date and no firmware update history, so there is nothing to say about how often it is updated. Retailer listings state a three-year warranty, but the UK warranty term isn't confirmed. Check the terms with your UK seller before relying on that period.

The LS108GP suits a small network that needs a quiet unmanaged switch and a few PoE devices at gigabit speed. The silent operation and solid case are the strengths owners mention. The limits are the shared 62 W PoE budget, the lack of VLAN support and the absence of uplink or faster ports in the specifications. If those match your needs, it is a straightforward fit. If they don't, look at a managed switch or one with a bigger PoE budget.