Switches - What do you have running?

[StephenPink]

I'm looking at Ruckus very closely now (and about to install some ICX7850s as a core) having always used HP Procurve/Aruba previously. Price factor - specifically the ongoing licensing costs - a big deciding factor

[k-strider]

4 hours ago, StephenPink said:

I'm looking at Ruckus very closely now (and about to install some ICX7850s as a core) having always used HP Procurve/Aruba previously. Price factor - specifically the ongoing licensing costs - a big deciding factor

Ive been impressed with my ICX8200s just got the core to do I used this company  https://renovotec.com/ - because before then i was dealing with digital-air who installed my Ruckus WiFi many years ago and subsequent updates to it and they are now part of this company ...  who are very good.... I went with Ruckus switches to keep all the networking together WiFi and wired in one smartzone controller. 

[newpersn]

We've now gone down the Unifi Enterprise switches root. Got a delivery of 5 already with another 5 hopefully due later this week.

 

 

 

[tdawson]

We're running UniFi - Network, Protect, Access and Drive.
I'm currently evaluating the EFG against our Smoothwall and although it's not entirely there yet I think it will be soon.

Issues that spring to mind at the moment are -

• logging by IP/MAC not user. We have to go to Impero for the last leg of enquiry when the EFG spots a bad actor on-site. This is potentially a problem as the DfE says Firewalls must log user activity. I have seen some reports that people are expecting user based logging in UniFi soon.
• UniFi aren't (as of posting) on the UK Safer Internet Centre Accredited filtering systems scheme. https://saferinternet.org.uk/guide-and-resource/teachers-and-school-staff/appropriate-filtering-and-monitoring/appropriate-filtering/filtering-accreditation-scheme-for-uk-schools

[CHiLL]

Which networking equipment is the most cost effective solution these days? I've taken over a school that has managed TP-Link TL-SG3424P switches (but in an unmanaged state), with 1Gb uplinks. These need replacing, along with the ancient Xirrus Wi-Fi 5 network, which I have no admin credentials for. Everything is running on one flat VLAN.

 

I'm seeing Ubiquity and Ruckus mentioned a lot more in recent months/years for wired networking, especially with the cost of HP/Aruba going up and on-going subscriptions. Overall cost is going to a bigger factor than it would normally be, for reasons.

[FN-GM]

9 minutes ago, CHiLL said:

Which networking equipment is the most cost effective solution these days?

 

What features do you need? For example, if you require stacking, Ubiquity wouldn't be an option.

[DalekSec]

2 minutes ago, FN-GM said:

 

What features do you need? For example, if you require stacking, Ubiquity wouldn't be an option.

 

Depends, we use the enterprise switches and they do stack

[CHiLL]

6 minutes ago, FN-GM said:

 

What features do you need? For example, if you require stacking, Ubiquity wouldn't be an option.

 

2 minutes ago, DalekSec said:

 

Depends, we use the enterprise switches and they do stack

There are a lot of variables at play and I'm not even sure where I want to start. We are two sites, with one in a gradual closure for another two years, consolidating onto the one site, including server relocation. I'm only going to be able to get money for the site that will stay open, but I do have to keep that site operational.

 

Site 1

Wired network: 4x TP-Link TL-SG3424P switches spread across two cabinets (2x in each, on different floors) with 1Gb links between the switches. Ground floor cabinet located in a cupboard in the main admin office. This area will be being developed and they would like it moved. Given that the site is physically small with no run to exceed 100m, I do not see why I cannot consolidate them into one central cabinet, aside from cabling costs.

Wi-Fi network: Xirrus 620 APs, presumably with one acting as a controller, but I have no access to it and likely never will.

Internet connectivity: 1Gb down/300Mb up, Sophos XGS

 

Site 2:

Wired network: 4x TP-Link TL-SG3424P switches spread across two cabinets, across different floors.

Wi-Fi network: Ruckus (unsure what model), but it's certainly not modern, presumably also Wi-Fi 5.

Internet connectivity: 1Gb down/300Mb up, Sophos XGS.

 

Server: We are mostly Entra first, with one single local server, running 1x DC and 2x Windows VMs for local services, such as Papercut MF, Paxton, etc. This is currently located at site 2 and will need relocating to site 1.

 

At site 1, I want to replace the switches with ones that I can configure VLANs, allow inter-VLAN routing and have 10Gb links between the other switches. I also want a Wi-Fi 6E or 7 wireless replacement, also VLAN aware.

 

At site 2, I want to keep the existing network as is, but implement VLANs, so that I the VLANs can be the same across both sites. For example, putting staff devices on xx VLAN, regardless of which site they are on.

 

I know that's too much information, but it's the only way I can portray what I am attempting to achieve.

[tdawson]

We transitioned from CLI based Layer 3 HP switches to fully UniFi over 3 years and it has been a very positive experience.

There were a few issues at the very beginning of our UniFi move as we moved WAPS over first and there were a couple of years when UniFI seemed to be finding it's feet and had software/hardware blips (eg PTZ cameras that couldn't follow people or do patrols) but they seem to have their stuff together now and I find it hard to fault them on pricing, company direction or user interface.

We've got an EFG controller, 3 Pro Aggregators, 37 Pro 48 POE switches and 3 Flexes and have had one duff port in 4 years which was RMAed with no query.

I particularly like the single pane of glass interface with integration between devices such as clickable shortcuts to open doors showing on live CCTV feeds.

[Koldov]

As there is a lot of love here for Ubiquiti, has anyone moved to UniFi, but been hampered doing Layer 3 by their closed system (transit VLAN (VLAN 4040) with a default subnet of 10.255.253.0/24) and the constraints of an MSP Router/Firewall config that is equally unchangeable...?

 

Not sure if I'm just pulling up old problems in my research that are fixed now they're a more mature product, or most of you using it have free reign on your Router/Firewall connections?

[Aprice]

2 hours ago, Koldov said:

As there is a lot of love here for Ubiquiti, has anyone moved to UniFi, but been hampered doing Layer 3 by their closed system (transit VLAN (VLAN 4040) with a default subnet of 10.255.253.0/24) and the constraints of an MSP Router/Firewall config that is equally unchangeable...?

 

Not sure if I'm just pulling up old problems in my research that are fixed now they're a more mature product, or most of you using it have free reign on your Router/Firewall connections?

I'm getting near to going in for Unifi with one of our customers. Years ago we had loads of PSUs failing in the Gen1 switches, but now looks like we're through with those issues on the newer models.

I'm really waiting for the Enterprise Aggregation switches to support VRRP. At the moment our only option would be to go router on a stick which I'd rather not do at bigger sites.

 

[Chris_Cook]

I think if you are using a Unifi gateway, that's not a big issue. I think that VL4040 is for if you use the switches themselves for L3 routing and trunk through to a non-unifi gateway. 

 

The documentation on that isn't very clear I find.

 

You would be dependant on your ISP forwarding on the traffic to your gateway and letting you route it on your gateway however. I think this is going to vary a lot by ISP/MSP.

 

I've not fully transitioned to our EFG yet, so I'm not an expert. The vlans we have got routing don't use VL4040.

[RedwayNetworks_Michael]

On 03/02/2026 at 12:39, CHiLL said:

Which networking equipment is the most cost effective solution these days? I've taken over a school that has managed TP-Link TL-SG3424P switches (but in an unmanaged state), with 1Gb uplinks. These need replacing, along with the ancient Xirrus Wi-Fi 5 network, which I have no admin credentials for. Everything is running on one flat VLAN.

 

I'm seeing Ubiquity and Ruckus mentioned a lot more in recent months/years for wired networking, especially with the cost of HP/Aruba going up and on-going subscriptions. Overall cost is going to a bigger factor than it would normally be, for reasons.

If they use Xirrus already then upgrading that to Cambium might be a good option. No stacking unfortunately but would tick pretty much all other boxes and can have switches with the wireless on one dashboard. 

Let me know if want me to speak to Cambium to get you onto the ancient Xirrus platform happy to introduce you to someone there that should be able to help you get access again.

 

I believe the Xirrus platform is coming to an end in May (dont hold me to this date but im sure its May)

[midweek]

Probably should be in the "what will you admit to" thread but we are full Unifi here and I misconfigured a VLAN profile a few weeks back. As all the switches were assigned static IPs from the fortress gateway they all rushed back to their default IP when they lost sight of the network. So all our switches had the same IP and wouldn't budge until I manually factory reset all 35 of them.

 

Other than that, thumbs up for Unifi!