REVIEW – I am excited!! In case you are wondering why, I am a huge fan of Engenius networking equipment, and I am pursuing my goal of having a 100% Engenius network infrastructure. As I continue to add modern technology, having switches that can handle a minimum of 2.5Gb bandwidth, which is my ISP speed, and 10Gb, which is part of my Local Area Network speed, is key to my success. In addition, I prefer switches that incorporate POE capability, which adds versatility and more options for the devices I choose and install. Enter the ECS2528FP: Cloud Managed Multi-Gigabit 410W PoE+ 24 Port Switch with 4 SFP+ Ports.
⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $599
Where to buy: EnGenius website and Amazon
What is it?
The ECS2528FP is a cloud-managed, multi-gigabit Ethernet switch built by EnGenius, offering advanced features for modern enterprise networks, particularly those supporting surveillance systems, IP phones, and wireless access points.
What’s included?
- 1 x ECS2528FP: Cloud Managed Multi-Gigabit 410W PoE+ 24 Port Switch with 4 SFP+ Ports
- 1 x AC Power Cord
- 1 x Rack Mount Brackets
- 1 x Console Data Cable
- 4 x Rubber Feet
- 1 x Hardware Kit
Tech specs
- Ports: 24 total (16 × 10/100/1000 Mbps + 8 × 100/1000/2500 Mbps RJ45); 4 × 10-Gigabit SFP+ uplinks
- PoE Standard: 802.3af/at (PoE+) with 410W total power budget
- Cloud Management: Supported via EnGenius Cloud portal & app
- Switching Capacity: 152Gbps
- Layer Support: Layer 2+ (VLAN, QoS, Access Control, Link Aggregation)
- Extended PoE Mode: Up to 250m PoE delivery
- Jumbo Frame Support: 10K
- Security Features: 802.1X, SSH, Telnet, SSL, ACL
- Physical Dimensions: 17.32” × 10.24” × 1.73” (440mm × 260mm × 44mm)
- Weight: 4.08kg
- Management Features: Continuous PoE, PD Lifeguard, Real-time Analytics
- IPv4/IPv6 Support: Yes
- Mounting: Rack-mountable
Design and features
- Cloud managed for easy network configuration, monitoring, and management via EnGenius Cloud portal and app
- 24 multi-gigabit PoE+ ports: 16 × 10/100/1000 Mbps + 8 × 100/1000/2500 Mbps
- 4 × 10-Gigabit SFP+ fiber uplink ports
- 410W total PoE+ power budget for powering IP cameras, VoIP phones, and wireless access points
- Extended PoE mode enables PoE delivery up to 250 meters
- PD Lifeguard feature automatically reboots connected devices to maximize uptime
- Continuous PoE power supply during switch firmware upgrades and reboots
- Switching capacity of 152 Gbps for high-throughput performance
- Layer 2+ features including VLAN, QoS, link aggregation, access control lists (ACLs), spanning tree, multicast filtering, IGMP/MLD snooping
- Security features such as 802.1X authentication, SSH, Telnet, SSL encryption, ARP inspection, DHCP snooping, and voice VLAN support
- Jumbo frame support up to 10K bytes
- Dual IPv4/IPv6 support with static routing and ARP management
- 512MB SDRAM and 128MB flash memory
- LED indicators for power, fault, PoE max, LAN mode, PoE mode, and port status
- Rack-mountable design with dimensions approximately 17.32” × 10.24” × 1.73” and a weight of 4.08 kg
- Operating temperature range 0°C to 50°C, humidity 5% – 95% non-condensing
- 2-year manufacturer warranty
The EnGenius ECS2528FP: Cloud Managed Multi-Gigabit 410W PoE+ 24-Port Switch with 4 SFP+ Ports features their usual robust and heavy-duty, yet minimalist design that incorporates the ability to rack-mount the device. The switch measures 17.32 inches (440 mm) in length, 10.24 inches (260 mm) in width, and 1.73 inches (44 mm) in height, occupying 2U of space in a network rack. It weighs approximately 8.99 pounds. The connectivity features 24 multi-gigabit Ethernet ports, supporting both standard and multi-gigabit speeds, and 4 SFP+ ports. On the front are multiple LED indicators for power status, fault alerts, PoE operation, and link/activity/speed on each port.
Performance
The EnGenius ECS2528FP is a 24-port, cloud-managed, multi-gigabit L2+ PoE+ switch that can be used for both residential and business applications. It provides excellent performance, and the design that includes 2.5GB ports, POE, and SFP+ adds amazing versatility. In addition, the switch has enough power to simultaneously handle high-demand devices like cameras, Access Points, etc. The 4 SFP+ ports support 10G uplinks and provide ample bandwidth for network aggregation.
I particularly like Cloud Management via the EnGenius Cloud that allows remote, real-time monitoring, analytics, configuration backups, and troubleshooting. For my application, I also have a Blackmagic Design NAS, a UGreen NAS, and several other devices for podcasting and content creation.
Overall, the ECS2528FP offers excellent performance and can be used for many various scenarios.
Cloud dashboard:
Final thoughts
The EnGenius ECS2528FP: Cloud Managed Multi-Gigabit 410W PoE+ 24-Port Switch with 4 SFP+ Ports is a perfect addition to my network. I have it installed in my new office/studio, where I have several mini PCs with 2.5GB Ethernet as well as several POE cameras. Just like the rest of my Engenius gear, it works perfectly.
What I like about the EnGenius ECS2528FP: Cloud Managed Multi-Gigabit 410W PoE+ 24 Port Switch with 4 SFP+ Ports
- It is built like a tank
- Its connectivity offers versatility
- The built-in POE
- The rack mount option
- The ability to manage via the EnGenius cloud
What needs to be improved?
- Nothing so far
Price: $599.00
Where to buy: EnGenius website and Amazon
Source: Engenius provided a free sample for this review. EnGenius did not have a final say on the review and did not preview it before it was published.
Check out these other reviews!
- EnGenius ECS1528P Cloud Managed 24-Port Gigabit PoE+ Switch review
- EnGenius Cloud 10 Gigabit ECS5512FP 8-Port PoE++ Switch review