

Cisco Linksys and NETGEAR Ethernet Switches are prominent competitors in the networking market. Cisco Linksys seems to have the upper hand due to its advanced features and reliability, appealing to larger enterprises, whereas NETGEAR attracts smaller businesses with its cost-effective, easy-to-deploy solutions.
Features: Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches are known for robust networking capabilities, offering stability, security, and seamless integration, making them suitable for a range of enterprise sizes. NETGEAR Switches excel in affordability, user-friendly setup, remote management tools, and low power consumption, ideal for smaller businesses focusing on cost-saving measures.
Room for Improvement: Cisco Linksys faces criticism for high pricing and limited warranty, with calls for easier manageability and improved configuration. NETGEAR, while affordable, lacks advanced security features and comprehensive functionalities, with suggestions for better firmware and documentation enhancements.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Linksys provides enterprise-level support but often requires certified expertise during setup, and some third-party integration issues are noted. NETGEAR stands out for its simple deployment process, favorable customer support though its advanced features can be complex to manage.
Pricing and ROI: Cisco Linksys is premium-priced but offers value in complex, large-scale deployments due to its reliability and extensive support. NETGEAR is striking for its affordability and good price-to-performance ratio, benefiting smaller enterprises with cost-effective deployments.
They've integrated it over the last few years, and they don't differentiate with the support as far as the Linksys versus the full-blown Cisco switches.
They were easily reachable for technical support in our last project.
I rate Cisco's technical support at eight out of ten.
There are issues distinguishing which switches support cloud features.
The scalability of NETGEAR Switches is easy and very beneficial for us.
NETGEAR's scalability through its Insight Cloud system is on par with Ubiquiti's, although it must offer features beyond its competitors.
I haven't experienced any problems with latency or other issues.
The Linksys depends on the environment; if it's an easy-going environment, they're pretty stable, but in more complex network environments, Cisco is definitely a lot more stable.
We've experienced failures such as a 16-port dying after three to four years.
The reason for improvement is that we have some projects related to the segregation of the LAN and the establishment of a matrix of traffic.
Having tools that allow for easier management and configuration would benefit the Cisco switches because the Linksys switches are easier to manage, set up, configure, and get up and running than doing configs on Cisco switches.
There should be an improvement in Cisco's response time and overall competence.
They should introduce features like dual firmware or dual boot that allow systems to be updated without downtime.
They can improve on the commercial part, specifically the cost, as it is higher than other brands.
Pricing can be high when compared to other solutions in the market.
Some high-end switches required for specific advanced features, like precision time protocols, can be more expensive.
Cisco is trusted by most broadcast customers for data centers due to their experience and knowledge.
The best feature I use the most is the 2950, which has served my needs excellently.
Some of the most valuable features of Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches include their security features.
The precision time protocol feature caught our interest for future use in specific settings like churches, where low latency is required.
The most valuable features are routing and access control.
| Product | Market Share (%) |
|---|---|
| NETGEAR Switches | 8.0% |
| Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches | 1.9% |
| Other | 90.1% |

| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 42 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 13 |
| Large Enterprise | 24 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 41 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 4 |
| Large Enterprise | 11 |
NETGEAR Ethernet Switches is an Ethernet solution that offers businesses of all sizes the ability to easily set up secure and highly scalable networks. Small to medium-sized companies have the option to choose from three different switching options. The three options that are most appropriate for businesses of this size are the NETGEAR Unmanaged, Plus, and Smart Switch solutions. If you're managing a large enterprise network or a campus network, then NETGEAR Fully Managed Infrastructures is the solution for you. All the NETGEAR Ethernet Switches and solutions are innovative, easy to install and use, reliable, and very cost-effective.
NETGEAR Ethernet Switches have many features that make them a most effective product. Included in these is the ability to virtually stack IP addresses in such a way that users can scale their network up with ease. These IP addresses are grouped together. Once additional data ports are connected, you have only a single switch to manage and you gain both a much higher level availability of data and a greater level of network resilience.
Benefits of NETGEAR Ethernet Switches
Some of the benefits of using NETGEAR Ethernet Switches include:
Reviews from Real Users
There are a number of characteristics that make NETGEAR Ethernet Switches extremely effective. Two major ones are its inherent flexibility and its user-friendly nature.
PeerSpot user Kevin W., a network delivery architect at a tech-services company, notes that NETGEAR Ethernet Switches gives users the ability to tailor the switches to fit their needs. He writes, "The big winner for NETGEAR is their modular switch: the 96X version. That is something that you don't see in the market anywhere else, except for Cisco who has it at a high level for a high expense. The ability to customize your own switch with their modules is a big plus for what we do in the market right now. Instead of having to piece together standardized switches, trying to make something work, or fitting the design into the mold, the modular switches are aware that you can make a mark in the industry because you purchased one switch and design with different modules added and removed later on for functionality."
PeerSpot user Chris W., a system engineer at Diversified, notes just how easy they are to use when he writes, "The ease of use of these switches is very good because of the Cisco CLI. If you are familiar with CLI, then you can configure the switch that way. It also has a relatively straightforward web interface. Using the web interface is good for beginners or people who aren't familiar with Cisco CLI. However, having a common command line interface method is great for some of our more advanced guys who are familiar with it."
We monitor all Ethernet Switches reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.