Netgear ProSafe Ethernet Switches Review

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We recently got a chance to look at a few models from the Netgear ProSafe line, a business-oriented line of Ethernet switches. It’s not every day that we take a look at the professional side of networking, but this is an exception. Let’s be honest. I can guarantee that many of our readers can agree with one of these two statements: 1) “I work in network administration and am always looking for better and more efficient networking solutions.” or more commonly 2) “I have more network devices than Ethernet jacks on my router…”

In either case, the ProSafe series from Netgear offers solutions to these situations. I personally got my hands on both the JGS516 and the JFS524E, both unmanaged network switches. Both are Ethernet switches featuring the ability to be rackmounted, minimum of 10/100 Mbps speed, and low power consumption. The JGS516 features 16 Gigabit ports while the JFS524E features 24 fast Ethernet ports. To really see what makes these switches unique, let’s take a look at each separately.

Firstly, the JFS524E ProSafe Plus switch. Released earlier this year, the ProSafe Plus line features more advanced packet switching than the JGS516. Featuring advanced QoS (quality of service) configuration, the JFS524E allows for prioritizing certain port ranges and applications above others to guarantee that mission-critical services aren’t interfered with. In testing, this works relatively well for prioritizing, for example, web traffic over BitTorrent data. In addition, the ProSafe Plus series features Virtual LAN support to separate network traffic into smaller more easily manageable network segments. As a note, the device’s maximum bandwidth throughput is 4.8 Gbps, which is equal to every one of the 24 ports transmitting at 200 Mbps.

Beyond packet and bandwidth management, the JFS524E is marketed as a “green” network appliance. Using 63% less power than other similar unmanaged devices, the ProSafe Plus series does prove to be a more energy-efficient solution for switching. By determining the length of the attached Ethernet cable, power is reduced based on the energy required to efficiently transmit the data. Simply put, this means less power usage for devices attached with shorter cables. No fans are needed to cool the device, leading to a further decrease in power consumption. Even the package it’s shipped in is made from recycled goods.

The only drawback would we could find is that the ProSafe Plus series is only available in 10/100 Mbps options. In a world where Gigabit connections will be coming to the home, this seems a bit odd. At any rate, this brings us to the JGS516 ProSafe series, a true Gigabit switch.

While slightly less power-efficient than the JFS524E series, the JGS516 offers full Gigabit switching with slightly fewer ports (16) than the JFS524E. However, being a somewhat older product, the JGS516 doesn’t offer the same level of traffic shaping and management as its newer cousin the JFS524E. While this won’t necessarily be a problem for most users, some might be disappointed that these advanced features are missing. We didn’t find it a major drawback in our testing, but built-in support for QoS and VLANs is not something included.

Setup was not a problem on either of the devices. Both the JFS524E and the JGS516 plugged into our network and began switching seamlessly without any configuration on our end. The JFS524E comes with a configuration CD for managing its traffic shaping capabilities if you desire to take advantage of them. Otherwise, plug them in and you’re ready to route.

In the end, we would definitely recommend either switch to either the professional or prosumer looking for server grade switches. Priced at $115 for the JFS524E and $190 for the JGS516, both are great switches that performed extremely well in our testing. They feel solid, are made to last (estimated in the decades / centuries before need for replacement), and are a power and cost-effective solution for small business or home networking.

Pros