TP-Link TL-SG108S-M2 8-Port Multi-Gigabit 2.5G Ethernet Switch

Caffeineman

Jun 28, 2026 7:49 PM

996 Comments

Joined Dec 2020

CaffeinemanJun 28, 2026 7:49 PM

996 Comments

Quote from Ride_The_Sky

:

I have 2.5gbps fiber so this is perfect. Finally price is coming down. Now waiting for deal on 2.5 + POE combo. Smilie

asking too much, I know. It's 120 right now not bad.

My first thought too but after thinking about it i don't have any poe that does 2.5. What are you using it for? I am waiting for 2.5 managed.

Ride_The_Sky

Jun 28, 2026 7:56 PM

15.9K Comments

Joined Jan 2010

Ride_The_SkyJun 28, 2026 7:56 PM

15.9K Comments

Quote from Caffeineman

:

My first thought too but after thinking about it i don't have any poe that does 2.5. What are you using it for? I am waiting for 2.5 managed.

I don't either but this way I can avoid having to use 2 different switches. Now I have 1 for devices and I have POE for the outdoor access point.

1

Techotech

Jun 28, 2026 8:00 PM

126 Comments

Joined Nov 2013

TechotechJun 28, 2026 8:00 PM

126 Comments

Quote from starwalls

:

2.5 is a game changer..I never had 1 but I changed my setup a bit and 2.5 makes it all the more usable.

Can you give a use case where the made a difference? I run a homelab and trying to see if the upgrade has benefits. Thanks!

1

ltj

Jun 28, 2026 8:32 PM

196 Comments

Joined Oct 2017

ltjJun 28, 2026 8:32 PM

196 Comments

Quote from Techotech

:

Can you give a use case where the made a difference? I run a homelab and trying to see if the upgrade has benefits. Thanks!

My use case is transfering big files between my computer and NAS. I do numerical simulations and dozens or even hundreds of very large result files (hundreds of MB each) are saved on NAS in one batch runs. These numerical simulations themselvs are usually slow and data saving through 1 Gbps or 2.5 Gbps network doesn't make big differences. However, the game changer part is when I need to post-process all the results afterwards. All those saved large data files need to be loaded from the NAS to my computer one by one and data transfer is usually the bottle neck in the whole process.

3

dhau001

Jun 28, 2026 8:37 PM

124 Comments

Joined Aug 2013

dhau001Jun 28, 2026 8:37 PM

124 Comments

Quote from glanwin

:

I only have 1 Gig internet, but this is perfect for my homelab. btw, most people do not have to upgrade their ethernet to get 2.5 Gig speed. Cat 6 cable is running fine with this speed.

I'm running at 2.5G speed using 25 year old cat5 cabling. Surprised, but very happy.

1

Azrael_the_Cat

Jun 28, 2026 8:57 PM

5.2K Comments

Joined Feb 2006

Azrael_the_CatJun 28, 2026 8:57 PM

5.2K Comments

Quote from Routefinder

:

1. Bandwidth Bottlenecks (The Primary Reason)In many routers, the internal switching chipset shares the overall CPU and bandwidth with the rest of the router's functions.- Router Limitations: Many routers only feature one or two 2.5Gbps ports. When multiple ports handle massive data transfers simultaneously (e.g., NAS backups or large file transfers between PCs), it overloads the router's CPU. This often leads to network drops or severe slowdowns in the internet connection itself.- Dedicated Switch Advantage: Managed switches are equipped with dedicated switching chipsets (ASICs) designed to handle full line-rate traffic across all ports simultaneously without breaking a sweat. This allows you to run a high-speed internal network with zero impact on the router's performance.2. Absence of 'Managed' FeaturesWhat you are referring to is not just a simple switch, but a 'Managed' switch. Standard routers completely lack or have very rudimentary support for the following advanced control features:- VLAN (Virtual LAN) Deployment: For security purposes, it is often necessary to completely isolate networks for IoT devices, work PCs, guest Wi-Fi, and NAS units. While standard routers cannot do this, managed switches allow you to segment the network port by port.- LACP / Link Aggregation: This feature allows you to combine two 2.5Gbps ports on a NAS or server into a single 5Gbps pipe. This is an advanced feature not supported by standard routers.- QoS (Quality of Service) and Traffic Control: You can prioritize or cap bandwidth for specific ports, such as a streaming PC or a critical NAS server.3. Absolute Lack of Physical PortsEven though recent Wi-Fi 7 or high-end routers come with 2.5Gbps ports, they usually only offer one WAN port and one or two LAN ports at that speed. The remaining ports are still standard 1Gbps (Gigabit).- If you have three or more devices that require 2.5Gbps speeds—such as a main PC, a NAS, a secondary PC, or a work laptop—the router's built-in ports simply won't suffice. Ultimately, a dedicated 2.5Gbps switching hub becomes essential.4. Heat Dissipation and Network StabilityRouters already handle an enormous workload, including Wi-Fi signal processing, NAT translation, firewall management, and DHCP assignment, which generates significant heat. Piling heavy 2.5Gbps internal traffic on top of that frequently causes the router to overheat and crash.- Offloading heavy internal traffic (like PC-to-NAS workloads) to a dedicated switch while leaving the router to handle only the internet gateway role is far better for overall ping stability and the lifespan of your hardware.and a lot more.However, I do not recommend a 2.5Gbps switch. It is unnecessary for home use except in very specific cases. Beginners and casual users do not need a managed switch. In fact, it can actually make the network state unstable.Very Specific Cases:1. You are using a 2.5Gbps internet plan.2. You frequently transfer files over the local network (LAN): Provided that both the sending and receiving devices support speeds of 2.5Gbps or higher.Do you have SG108S-M2?Yes. And I have 10gb switches and ethernet cards.Is it good?No.Why not good?sooooooooooooooooo HOT and unstable.

Thanks AI

1

stopspazzing

Jun 28, 2026 9:12 PM

629 Comments

Joined Mar 2012

stopspazzingJun 28, 2026 9:12 PM

629 Comments

Quote from Tweakophyte

:

Would this help negotiate 2.5gig throughput over old (in-wall) Cat 5?

Needs 5e minimum.

1

dhau001

Jun 28, 2026 9:43 PM

124 Comments

Joined Aug 2013

dhau001Jun 28, 2026 9:43 PM

124 Comments

Quote from stopspazzing

:

Needs 5e minimum.

I'm running it on Cat5 very old cables. Transfer speed is about 270-280MBps.

hallucinate

Jun 28, 2026 10:02 PM

341 Comments

Joined Sep 2003

hallucinateJun 28, 2026 10:02 PM

341 Comments

Personally I'd go for a Flex Mini 2.5G x 5 ports from Unifi; $49 is the normal price. Unifi makes excellent devices and worth a bit more.

1

Square008

Jun 28, 2026 11:13 PM

354 Comments

Joined Feb 2015

Square008Jun 28, 2026 11:13 PM

354 Comments

Can I connect this to a 1Gb router, and so long as my computers are directly connected to this switch and have 2.5Gb network I'd have the higher speeds and not be throttled by the router due to IP address? Or will I need to connect the router to one LAN port and the switch to another LAN port to get faster speed.

Last edited by Square008 June 28, 2026 at 04:16 PM.

av911

Jun 28, 2026 11:19 PM

1.9K Comments

Joined Dec 2010

av911Jun 28, 2026 11:19 PM

1.9K Comments

Quote from square008

:

can i connect this to a 1gb router, and so long as my computers are directly connected to this switch and have 2.5gb network i'd have the higher speeds and not be throttled by the router due to ip address? or will i need to connect the router to one lan port and the switch to another lan port to get faster speed.

modem <-- router <-- 2.5gb switch <-- computers

(Dumb site doesn't allow typing in all caps)

Last edited by av911 June 29, 2026 at 10:55 AM.

ltj

Jun 28, 2026 11:38 PM

196 Comments

Joined Oct 2017

ltjJun 28, 2026 11:38 PM

196 Comments

Quote from Square008

:

Can I connect this to a 1Gb router, and so long as my computers are directly connected to this switch and have 2.5Gb network I'd have the higher speeds and not be throttled by the router due to IP address? Or will I need to connect the router to one LAN port and the switch to another LAN port to get faster speed.

Yes you can. Communications between computers connected to the same 2.5G switch are not directed back to the 1G router.

Square008

Jun 29, 2026 2:53 AM

354 Comments

Joined Feb 2015

Square008Jun 29, 2026 2:53 AM

354 Comments

Quote from zeeeter

:

Genuine question here, I'm no networking guru. Why would you want a managed switch? Is there something you can do via a managed switch that you cannot do on the router? Not being a jerk here, interested . . .

I've been investigating this because I manage laptops and desktops remotely and experimenting with VPNs and tailscale as well. I am thinking it's just a simpler all in one solution for the user to gain access directly to that switch and more remote control or diagnostics over devices connected to that switch. Ideally I'd prefer completely separate physical lines from the wall but this is pretty close. Now to upgrade laptops to 2.5Gbp while keeping my hardware mac addresses ...

Last edited by Square008 June 28, 2026 at 08:09 PM.

HansGruber

Jun 29, 2026 3:37 AM

1.7K Comments

Joined Jun 2010

HansGruberJun 29, 2026 3:37 AM

1.7K Comments

Quote from Tweakophyte

:

Would this help negotiate 2.5gig throughput over old (in-wall) Cat 5?

I will help you negotiate your Cat 5 dilemma. You get what you get via Cat 5. If it's a short run you should get well over 1gbps using the old Cat 5.

1

TP-Link TL-SG108S-M2 8-Port Multi-Gigabit 2.5G Ethernet Switch

$50

$130

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