MikroTik CRS310-8G+2S+IN review

The CRS310-8G+2S+IN has eight 2.5GbE RJ45 ports and two SFP+ cages, plus one USB type-A port. The RJ45 ports run at 2.5G. The SFP+ cages support 1G, 2.5G and 10G. That layout suits a network where several machines have 2.5GbE network cards and a server, NAS or another switch connects over SFP+.

The port mix is the main draw. Every copper port is 2.5G, and the two uplinks accept 10G, 2.5G or 1G modules. The manufacturer lists non-blocking Layer 1 capacity of 80000 Mbps. Layer 2 throughput is about 78,959.7 Mbps at 1518-byte frames.

Owner reports add a caution on the copper side. One owner says the switch fails at 2.5Gbps where a direct PC connection works. Another reports an uplink that negotiated at 100Mbps Half Duplex. They are still worth knowing about if your plan depends on every port holding 2.5G.

The switch runs RouterOS v7 or SwitchOS. On RouterOS, the listed features are VLANs, link aggregation and ACL rules.

With VLANs, link aggregation and ACLs all available on RouterOS, the switch suits people who want to segment a homelab or small office and are comfortable with a configuration-heavy interface. It is less suited to anyone who wants a plug-in switch with minimal setup.

Ten network ports in total, with two of them SFP+. Eight 2.5GbE ports cover a modest set of wired devices. The two SFP+ cages are the listed uplinks, and they support 1G, 2.5G and 10G.

This is the weaker area. The switch has one fan. The manufacturer lists a maximum of 34 W and a DC power input of 18–57 V. The spec sheet gives no noise figure, so how loud the fan is cannot be stated here.

Owner feedback points to power draw being higher than expected. A forum owner reports about 15W at the wall after booting to RouterOS. ServeTheHome says it draws considerably more than some other solutions. With a fan and that reported draw, it is a poorer match for a quiet room or a switch that runs around the clock on a tight power budget.

The environmental spec is broad. The operating range is -40°C to +60°C. The rating is IP20, so there is no water protection. The wide DC input range and temperature range suggest flexibility in where it can be powered and placed, within those limits.

There's no PoE listed. If you need to power access points, cameras or phones over the network cable, check MikroTik's documentation before buying.

The spec sheet gives no release date, firmware update history or warranty terms. Those are worth checking with the retailer and on MikroTik's site before buying.

With eight 2.5GbE ports, two SFP+ cages that accept 10G, and RouterOS features like VLANs, link aggregation and ACLs, it suits a multi-gig homelab or small office where you want control over traffic. The fan, the manufacturer's 34 W maximum and owner reports of higher-than-expected draw count against it for quiet or low-power setups. The owner reports of 2.5G negotiation problems are a reason to check each link once it is in place.