Review: EnGenius ECS1008P is a reliable, affordable 8-port network switch
You cannot overstate the importance of a network switch in a work or home environment where there are numerous wired devices to connect together. Investing in a capable, yet affordable switch allows you to transform your home or office into a smart hub, connecting a whole host of hardware, from security cameras to printers.
EnGenius makes some compelling hardware in this space with a catalog of network switches and access points for the creation of fast local area networks (LAN) with the added bonus of cloud functionality. The EnGenius ECS1008P is a prime example, rocking eight ethernet ports at 1Gbps and support for external access. Is this one of the best-managed switches you can buy for your money?
Smart Networking
EnGenius ECS1008P
Pros:
- PoE with 55W
- Eight 1Gb ports
- Great value
- Cloud support
- Easy to administrate
Cons:
- Somewhat low traffic capacity
What you’ll love about the EnGenius ECS1008P
Category | EnGenius ECS1008P |
---|---|
Type | Managed |
Ports | 8x 1 Gbps |
PoE | 802.3af (max 55 W) |
RAM | 256 MB |
Storage | 32 MB |
Capacity | 16 Gbps |
Web support | ✓ |
App support | ✓ |
The ECS1008P itself is a cloud-supported managed 8-port switch with power-over-ethernet (PoE) support for up to 55W. That’s quite the jargon to break down. Being a managed switch means you’re able to dive in and alter a whole host of settings with the web admin panel, as well as official EnGenius mobile apps.
There are eight 1Gb ports that allow up to a maximum of 100MB/s of throughput per port, though this is limited to 16Gbps overall. You could hook up your router or external-facing modem to this switch and have a further seven devices (PCs, printers, etc.) connected with full access between them. You can think of a switch like an extension lead, but with a focus on data instead of power.
The EnGenius ECS1008P switch is packed full of powerful features.
For administrating the managed switch, the ECS1008P comes with a few neat tricks. Firstly, you can choose to take advantage of local management or the cloud-based backend from EnGenius. Opting to use EnGenius will unlock a host of tools and analytics to see how your network is performing.
Source: EnGenius
Things I disliked about the EnGenius ECS1008P
Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Central
Should you buy EnGenius ECS1008P?
Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Central
There’s really not much to dislike about the ECS1008P. Whether you plan on using local management or cloud-based, this is an excellent network hub for homes and small offices. If you manage to throw in a few more switches or access points and you can easily deploy highly capable, yet easy-to-manage networking infrastructure.
Smart Networking
EnGenius ECS1008P
Cloud-supported switch
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