TP-Link TL-SG1016PE | 16 Port Gigabit PoE Switch | Easy Smart Managed | 8 PoE+ Ports @150W | Plug & Play | Sturdy Metal w/ Shielded Ports | QoS, Vlan, IGMP & LAG, Free Expert Help

Use Case I crawled around and put about 6000ft of Cat5E witing into my old house, but there was one attic that I only ran two lines to. As a temporary measure I put an 8 port switch up there and used a bunch of individual PoE injectors. The purchase of the TL-SG1016PE is meant to replace all of that, and act as a more permanent solution. Build Quality The TL-SG1016PE is standard fare when it comes to SOHO networking products. It's in a metal housing that seems durable enough. The unit it 1U in height, and includes flanges to mount into a 19" rack. The case has hexagonal perforations for ventilation, along with 40mm fans. Thankfully, the power supply is internal, and the power hookup is a standard C13 jack. A straight C13 cable is included. Setup/Performance I bought a cheap 4U 19" bracket to mount to a stud in the attic, but it's one of the shallow wiring type brackets for punchdowns. The TL-SG1016PE's mounting brackets support the switch being mounted vertically (where the flanges are rotated 90 degrees). I mounted the switch in the lowest U position, and a punchdown block will go in the top position. The fit is good, and there were no surprises. I think this is a really good mounting option for newer homes that have structured wiring coming back to a closet (usually a master bedroom closet), as it can significantly reduce the practical space/footprint consumed. The PoE ports of the device work fine, but it's worth noting that the total power budget of the device is 110W. While I will not end up using anywhere near this, it's still good for you to know that the limitation exists. This switch supports 802.3at-2009, which can max out the power budget at 4 devices (even though there are 8 ports). For reference, the 5 cameras that I have on the switch consume about 24W total (and that's at night when the IR consumes more power). When I have the full complement of 8 cameras on the device, I still won't be anywhere near the power budget. There isn't much to the setup of the hardware portion of the switch, but that still leaves the configuration of the "smart" management of the switch. While the TL-SG1016PE is not a full L2/L3 managed switch, it does have some limited extra functions. In order to access the switch, you can use a TP-Link software application to set the IP address of the switch - it's included on CD, but you can use the one you have installed already if you have any other TP-Link switched already. I prefer to assign static addresses, but DHCP is available, too. Once you've assigned the IP, you can access the web management interface. While I was able to log in with Microsoft Edge, I wasn't able to change the device password unless I used Chrome; Edge seemed to work for all other functions. The first thing I did was change the device password. I then created a link aggregation group (LAG) for the two lines that I'd run to the attic, which creates a higher bandwidth connection back to a switch (or computer) on the other end, provided that the other end supports it as well. The last thing I did was to create a VLAN for the cameras, which I think is a smart idea for anyone that has externally mounted cameras. Some of my cameras are mounted high up on the house, but others are low enough that someone could access the ethernet cabling with a stepladder... if they do, the VLAN limits the LAN access that the person would have. The web management includes PoE configuration and usage details. You can set a switch-wide power limit, as well as per-port power policy. I just left everything at auto. The usage details are comprehensive, displaying exactly what the negotiated power level was, along with the instantaneous usage. Something worth noting is that the TL-SG1016PE, like the switch I was using before it, will be operating in environmental conditions that are out of spec for the unit. The switch has an operating temperature limit of 40C, and the attic routinely gets hotter than that. The robust cooling of the unit, along with the relatively low power draw I will have (compared to the 110W max), should give me at least a few good years of operation. I'd consider that to be a great result. Conclusion There are a few things I would change about the TL-SG1016PE: 1. It would be nice if the unit shipped with the current firmware (it doesn't). There are a couple notable differences between the 5/18 firmware and the 5/17 firmware that ships on the device. I recommend loading the new one ASAP 2. I would prefer foam filters on the vents. This is not something that most people wouldn't want or need, but I've got my unit in an attic... 3. It would be nice if the unit (which uses temp-controlled fans, I think) would have hall-effect RPM monitoring of the 40mm fans, and could notify the admin of fan failure 4. It would be nice if there was some syslog or SNMP support Ok, so that's out of the way... none of the items above are absolutely necessary. As it is, the TL-SG1016PE is performing flawlessly. The VLAN and LAG are functioning correctly, and the PoE hasn't had any faults with my cameras. I highly recommend this item.

Very reliable switch. I have purchased two and they are functioning well. I have five Omada TP-Link WiFi POE access points connected to them and I like the fact that I can log into the switch and shut down the POE devices. I have also connected two POE cctv cameras and all devices are working perfectly. The web based admin interface is well laid out and easy to navigate and understand.

The TP-Link TL-SG1016PE is an excellent choice for anyone looking for an affordable managed PoE switch, especially when building or expanding a home lab. At its price point, it offers significant value with 16 Gigabit ports, 8 of which support PoE+, being able to use just an Ethernet cable for POE+ devices like access points, cameras, and single board PCs really does make things less cluttered and convenient for troubleshooting. The TL-SG1016PE comes with several management features, such as VLAN, QoS, and link aggregation. Note that these features are often better handled on a router with these features, if your router doesn't have these features, then it's nice that this switch has you covered. For home labs flexibility are key, this switch stands out as a reliable and affordable piece of equipment. It offers the necessary features to optimize your network without breaking the bank, making it an ideal choice for networking enthusiasts or those starting out building out home lab environments.

I bought this to increase port availability on an existing 8 port 10/100 switch that was full. The original 4 POE ports were not GB and was causing lagging and stutters in my NVR recording with the attached cameras and IP phone. I also had been adding other hardware requiring hardwire connections and needed the extra ports. This gave me the extra ports and the GB speed to help smooth out my NVR recording/viewing. My previous switch was fanless and I was concerned about this unit being too loud for my small office where half of my IT equipment is located. The switch is now mounted 12" behind my monitors on the wall and with the house quiet, I can barely notice the fan running. It is audible but not enough to cause disruption while working or during video meetings. If I ever feel that the fan gets louder, there is a quiet fan direct replacement that can be easily swapped out for under $20. I like that fact that I was initially able to just plug and play with the switch. My router auto assigned an address and everything was up and running. Later I found the new address, logged in, changed the PW, and updated the software. Easy Peasy. I like that I have options with the switch if I choose to or I can just run with it as is. Power draw is minimal with the cameras and phone and the switch never gets warm. So far I am very happy with the purchase and will buy another when the time comes for the other side of the house.

Great switch, POE is enough to provide power to any POE equipment I’ve needed it to, and the plug and play is awesome and a good time saver.

This switch is replacing a different brand 8-port POE switch that died during a thunderstorm despite being plugged into a power conditioner. Nice to have some extra ports as the previous one was maxed out. After 2 weeks it is not possible to rate durability. Planning to use some of the management features along with our OMADA wifi mesh system, but have not got to that yet. Plug and play worked as expected. Some have complained about fan noise. Maybe that is an issue if you get close to the 150 watt power limit, but so far there has been no noticeable noise. It is powering 3 video cameras and a high power wifi access point.

Great value for money and keeps any small installation tidy. I used for a small home cinema and Sonos project with ubiquiti APs and it worked a treat.

Works well. Easy to use.

good product and ontime delivery

No problems at all. Super easy to set up and manage through the web UI.