Table of Contents
Introduction
As digital transformation accelerates, enterprise networks are facing unprecedented bandwidth demands. The widespread adoption of Wi-Fi 6/7, 4K/8K video streaming, and large-scale cloud applications is putting traditional Gigabit networks under pressure.
2.5G Ethernet technology and 2.5G Ethernet Switches have emerged as a cost-effective upgrade, rapidly gaining popularity.
With a wide variety of 2.5G Ethernet switches available on the market, how can organizations make the right choice? This article breaks down the decision into five key factors and highlights how Asterfusion delivers an ideal solution for enterprises.
Ⅰ. Five Essential Factors to Choose Suitable 2.5G Ethernet Switches
To ensure you select the right switch for your network, carefully evaluate the following five critical factors.
Assess Your Port Requirements for 2.5G Ethernet Switches
- Number of 2.5G Access Ports：
When selecting a switch, the first factor to consider is the number of ports, or port density.
Generally, small offices or departments may only require an 8-port configuration, while medium-sized enterprises or large offices typically need 24- or even 48-port switches.
In addition to accounting for the current number of connected devices, it is common in real-world deployments to reserve 20–30% additional capacity for future growth.
- High-Speed Uplinks (10G/25G SFP+/SFP28)
Uplink bandwidth is critical for preventing network bottlenecks.
Think of it this way: a 2.5G access port is like a four-lane highway—if your uplink is only 1G, it becomes a bottleneck. Upgrading to a 10G uplink ensures smooth traffic.
For a small SOHO setup (three PCs, a NAS, a printer), an 8-port switch with a 10G uplink is enough. Medium-sized enterprises should use 24- or 48-port switches with four to six 10G or 25G uplinks to handle aggregated traffic without congestion.
Evaluate Power over Ethernet (PoE/PoE+/PoE++) Needs
Power over Ethernet (PoE) is a technology that allows both data and electrical power to be transmitted over a single network cable, greatly simplifying device deployment.
One key concept to pay attention to is the total PoE budget. The total PoE budget refers to the maximum power (in watts) that a switch can provide to all connected devices. To plan appropriately, calculate the maximum power consumption of all your PoE devices and ensure the switch’s budget exceeds this number.
For example, five Wi-Fi 6 APs (30W each) plus ten PTZ cameras (20W each) result in a total demand of 350W. You should select a switch with a total PoE budget exceeding this value.
When choosing a PoE switch, it’s also important to ensure that each port can provide sufficient power for its connected device, and that the total PoE budget includes a 20% reserve to accommodate future growth or peak loads.
For more detailed guidance, you can refer to: Do You Know How To Choose Right PoE, PoE+, and PoE++ Switches ?
Management & Software Capabilities of 2.5G Switches
An unmanaged switch is plug-and-play—it works right out of the box with no configuration required. It doesn’t support advanced features like VLANs, QoS, or port aggregation, so it’s best for simple network setups.
Fully managed switches give you full control. They support VLAN segmentation, QoS policies, port aggregation, and other advanced features, making them ideal for more complex environments.
If you run a small office or SOHO setup without dedicated IT staff, an unmanaged switch is usually sufficient. Businesses with IT resources, however, benefit from fully managed switches, which enable remote monitoring, automation via APIs, and advanced redundancy like MLAG or ERPS—essential for 24/7 operations in retail stores, data centers, or other mission-critical environments.
Form Factor and Cooling Considerations
Chassis vs. Fixed (Box) SwitchesTraditional chassis switches are large and heavy, making them the mainstream choice for data centers where centralized management is important. Fixed, or “box,” switches offer more flexibility for small offices or temporary setups.
When it comes to cooling, switches can be either fan-cooled or fanless. Fan-cooled models provide active cooling, supporting long periods of high load and ensuring hardware stability. Fanless switches rely on passive cooling, running completely silently, which makes them ideal for offices, meeting rooms, or SOHO environments. However, their cooling capacity is limited, so careful consideration is needed when choosing them.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for 2.5G Networks
When selecting a switch, the initial purchase price shouldn’t be the only factor. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is equally, if not more, important. TCO includes:
- Energy consumption: PoE budgets and switch efficiency directly affect electricity costs.
- Maintenance and downtime: Reliable hardware minimizes network interruptions and reduces business losses.
- Technical support: Access to expert support helps resolve issues quickly, cutting downtime.
- Future-Proof: Switches that scale with your business growth, protecting your investment.
Ⅱ. Why Asterfusion 2.5G Ethernet Switches Are the Ideal Choice
In the previous section, we explained from five aspects how to choose the best 2.5G Ethernet switches. In this section, let’s explore why Asterfusion’s 2.5G Ethernet switches are worth your choice.
Cover Port Needs
Whether you need 8, 24, or even 48 ports, Asterfusion has you covered. And when it’s time to scale up, they offer uplinks in 10G or even 25G. Some models even pack 4 or 6 uplinks—great for keeping up with growing bandwidth demands.
Flexible PoE
The PoE options range widely—from 150W to 740W, 820W, and even up to 1440W — so you can confidently power IP phones, wireless APs, cameras, or anything else that needs juice.
Advanced Management & Smart Software
Asterfusion offers a free Network Controller based on OpenWiFi and OpenLAN, allowing you to manage both wired and wireless devices intelligently from a single platform and to support auto-deployment and configuration using ZTP.
Based on the enterprise SONiC NOS, Asterfusion switches eliminate vendor lock-in while delivering comprehensive features across management, Layer 2, Layer 3, security and so on. They support jumbo frames up to 10218 bytes for high-performance packet transmission. Layer 2 capabilities include basic and flexible QinQ, port mirroring, and multiple hash methods. At Layer 3, features such as NDP, VXLAN, EVPN-based static and dynamic tunnels, DHCPv4/v6 Relay, and DHCP Failover are provided. Security is strengthened through ACL, port isolation, DHCP Snooping, and CoPP (CPU Protection Policy) against traffic-based CPU overuse. High availability is ensured via MLAG and Layer 3 ECMP.
These robust functionalities can fully meet your networking requirements.
Compact Design & Efficient Cooling
All Asterfusion’s products come as compact box-style switches—ideal for both SOHO setups and enterprise racks, saving space without sacrificing performance. They rely on active, fan-based cooling (either built-in or hot-swappable), so your switch stays cool under load.
Lower TCO
Asterfusion’s energy-efficient design, high-quality components, and Enterprise SONiC software all work together to reduce power bills, decrease downtime, and limit errors—especially critical as your network scales. The streamlined configuration and maintenance also lower overhead, giving you superior long-term value and a lighter operational burden.
Ⅲ. Asterfusion 2.5G Ethernet Switches Product Portfolio
Currently, Asterfusion offers a full range of 2.5G Ethernet switches. The following tables show 2.5G Ethernet switches with and without PoE support.
Table 1 PoE Access Switches
| Product Model | CX102S-8MT-M-SWP | CX204Y-24MT-M-SPW4 | CX206Y-24MT-M-HPW6 | CX206Y-48MT-M-HPW8 |
| Network Interface | 8 x 2.5G RJ45 2 x 10G SFP+ | 24*2.5GE/1GE RJ454*25GE/10GE SFP28/SFP+ | 24*2.5GE/1GE RJ456*25GE/10GE SFP28/SFP+ | 48*2.5GE/1GE RJ456*25GE/10GE SFP28/SFP+ |
| PoE/PoE+ | 1 to 8 | 1 to 24 | 1 to 24 | 1 to 48 |
| PoE++ | 1 to 8 | |||
| PoE Budget | 150W | 740W | 820W | 1440W |
| Dimensions (WxHxD mm) | 44 x 215 x 310mm | 440mm*44mm*470mm | ||
| Power Supply | 100W | 880W | 920W | 1600W |
| Power | 1 Built-in Power | 1 fixed power module | 1+1 power modulehot-pluggable | 1+1 power modulehot-pluggable |
| Fan | 2 Built-in Fans | 3 fixed fan modules | 2+1 fan moduleshot-pluggable | 2+1 fan moduleshot-pluggable |
| airflow | side-to-side airflow | side-to-side airflow | front-to-rear airflow | front-to-rear airflow |
Table 2 Access Switches Without PoE
| Product Model | CX102S-8MT-M-S | CX204Y-24MT-M-S | CX206Y-24MT-M-H | CX206Y-48MT-M-H |
| Network Interface | 8 x 2.5G RJ45, 2 x 10G SFP+ | 24*2.5GE/1GE RJ454*25GE/10GE SFP28/SFP+ | 24*2.5GE/1GE RJ456*25GE/10GE SFP28/SFP+ | 48*2.5GE/1GE RJ456*25GE/10GE SFP28/SFP+ |
| Dimensions (WxHxD mm) | 44 x 215 x 310mm | 440mm*44mm*470mm | ||
| Weight | 2.2kg | 3.6kg | 7.5kg | 8.3kg |
| Power Supply | 100W | 100W | 550W | 550W |
| Power | 1 Built-in Power | 1 fixed power module | 1+1 power modulehot-pluggable | 1+1 power modulehot-pluggable |
| Fan | 2 Built-in Fans | 2 fixed fan modules | 2+1 fan moduleshot-pluggable | 2+1 fan moduleshot-pluggable |
| airflow | side-to-side airflow | side-to-side airflow | front-to-rear airflow | front-to-rear airflow |
Conclusion
Asterfusion’s 2.5G Ethernet switches combine performance, openness, and cost-effectiveness, making them a strong choice for enterprise access, SMBs, and SOHO networks. With rising demands from video conferencing, cloud apps, and IoT devices, they offer a flexible solution that’s ready for today’s needs and tomorrow’s growth.
Looking for the best 2.5G Ethernet switch for your business? Explore Asterfusion’s full product portfolio here.
