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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs D-Link Ethernet Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
9.0
Cisco Catalyst Switches support receives mixed reviews, ranging from efficient and expert service to dissatisfaction with delays and support inefficiencies.
Sentiment score
5.5
D-Link Ethernet Switches are reliable, yet regional support varies, with users often relying on online resources and importers.
Cisco's support is good, one of the best supports that you will get.
Whenever there is an issue, the local technical team supports us, whether through physical presence or remotely.
 

Room For Improvement

Sentiment score
4.5
Cisco Catalyst Switches require better pricing, user-friendly interfaces, third-party compatibility, enhanced security, adaptability, and faster delivery.
Sentiment score
4.4
D-Link Ethernet Switches require upgrades for stability, security, manageability, port options, and improved pricing compared to competitors like Cisco.
Cisco Catalyst Switches could be a little bit cheaper as they are very costly.
Improvements in the voltage facility, like increasing from 360 watts to 400 or 450 watts, would make them more competitive with other vendors.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.8
Cisco Catalyst Switches offer scalability and performance, making them a popular choice for medium to large enterprises despite challenges.
Sentiment score
7.2
D-Link Ethernet Switches offer flexibility and scalability for various businesses, accommodating hundreds with competitive pricing and reliable performance.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are scalable, and I would rate them eight to nine out of ten for scalability.
The pricing is competitive in the market, making D-Link Ethernet switches a good option for both middle-end and high-end brands.
 

Setup Cost

No sentiment score available
Cisco Catalyst Switches are costly but valued for quality, reliability, support, with complex licensing and potential cost-saving subscriptions.
Sentiment score
8.3
D-Link Ethernet Switches offer cost-effective, one-time purchase solutions without recurring fees, appealing to budget-conscious enterprise buyers.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are quite pricey.
High-end switches should be slightly cheaper.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
Cisco Catalyst Switches are renowned for long-term reliability, with improvements addressing earlier hardware issues and minimal maintenance needs.
Sentiment score
8.4
D-Link Ethernet Switches receive mixed stability feedback, with praise for reliability but issues like hanging, heat, and mounting options.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are stable.
There are no stability issues with D-Link Ethernet switches.
 

Valuable Features

Sentiment score
8.0
Cisco Catalyst Switches are renowned for their security, reliability, performance, and manageability, with excellent support and extensive documentation.
Sentiment score
8.4
D-Link Ethernet Switches offer cost-effective, energy-efficient, reliable solutions with flexible ports, comprehensive management, and strong security features.
The most beneficial features for our network management are their stability and good customer support.
It's especially valuable because Cisco and other products function similarly, but for smaller networks where high transfer rates aren't necessary.
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
173
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
D-Link Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
11th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
27
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Q&A Highlights

MW
May 02, 2021
 

Featured Reviews

SameerBali - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable and stable catalyst switch; can be easily installed
I like Cisco Catalyst Switches because most of the time, we can do what we want with the product. Cisco has good guidelines that enable us to implement anything, so we can have a multiple ability product on most of the network equipment worldwide. Cisco has communities or forums that help us implement more complicated areas in terms of network, so in addition, Cisco is not just a network equipment company, because they provide us most of the solutions, development, protocols, and new technologies, more than any other company in the world. I also like the availability of Cisco Catalyst Switches, including scalability and reliability. You can find all these in this product.
MichaelNdwiga - PeerSpot reviewer
Enhanced network efficiency through features and demonstrate minimal downtime
One of the issues is the range of their products. They need to increase it. For example, if I want a 12-port switch that is fully managed, it's not easy to find. So, I have to opt for a 24-port switch that is fully managed, which might not be necessary as I only need 12 ports. So if they could increase the range of the switches in regards to the features, and the number of ports, that would be beneficial. So, that's the only potential improvement. The switches are perfect otherwise. Ideally, I'd like to see a central management system included as part of their license, not as a separate purchase. Currently, we have to manage switches independently. A central portal for managing all switches and providing visibility would be great.
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Answers from the Community

MW
May 2, 2021
May 2, 2021
Hello Mesfin It depends on the real scenario, the cisco 2960 is a very good device and they usually have routing functions but there are many different models within the same 2960 line, and on the other hand, which model of the Dlink brand do you want to use?1) is equivalent in functions?2) are all the functions of the Cisco equipment used?3) Do you already have the IT expert to install and con...
2 out of 5 answers
EB
Apr 28, 2021
Hi @Manish Nalawade , @Phillip Peerman ​and @Devanand PR. Could you assist @Mesfin Workneh?
Luis Apodaca - PeerSpot reviewer
Apr 28, 2021
Hello Mesfin It depends on the real scenario, the cisco 2960 is a very good device and they usually have routing functions but there are many different models within the same 2960 line, and on the other hand, which model of the Dlink brand do you want to use?1) is equivalent in functions?2) are all the functions of the Cisco equipment used?3) Do you already have the IT expert to install and configure it?4) Will the new equipment suggested in Dlink use all the functions you need?Most of the time, the consideration of changing the equipment is because its useful life has come to an end, the technology is no longer the best available, or it broke down due to some overload, in these cases the first criterion to decide is always the cost economic, but the ideal is to see the big picture and look at the overall cost-benefitIt does not matter that the Dlink equipment is more economical, in these times many brands have economic equipment and that rival in capabilities with the leading brands you can have confidence in itAs a result of this, the same Cisco brand already has a line (Catalyst 1000) that presents the same cost benefit as the equipment of the others with lower price rangesfinally my personal recommendation is any brand of the followinga) Ubiquiti Edge or ubiquiti Unifib) Cisco Catalyst 1000c) TPLink Omadad) Aruba instant onGood luck.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
61%
Computer Software Company
8%
Government
3%
Financial Services Firm
3%
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Healthcare Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

Would you recommend replacing a Cisco Catalyst Switch by a D-link one?
Hello Mesfin It depends on the real scenario, the cisco 2960 is a very good device and they usually have routing functions but there are many different models within the same 2960 line, and on the ...
What do you like most about Cisco Catalyst Switches?
We are a vendor for the healthcare sector, especially hospitals, and normally, we use a full Cisco solution for stability, especially for the stability of the Access Points and the security of swit...
What do you like most about D-Link Ethernet Switches?
D-Link has a good VPN feature and quality of service.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for D-Link Ethernet Switches?
People do not like paying for licenses on such a device. I don't know what the tech world thinks around the world, but it's good to have a perpetual license. People like that, especially on switche...
What needs improvement with D-Link Ethernet Switches?
In future releases, I would like to see improved security, an improved CLI (Command-Line Interface), and switches that have support for PoE, PoE+, and PoE++ (Power over Ethernet). I'd also like to ...
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
No data available
 

Learn More

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Afni, Anilana Hotels and Resorts, Baylor Scott & White Health, Beachbody, Bellevue, Del Papa Distributing, Explorer Pipeline, Mindtree, Omaha World Herald, Radio 538, Sony Corporation, Telecom Italia, Telenor Arena
George Mason University, Somerville House, Hiperwall, New Brunswick School District 16, The Fulcrum Group, Bremond Independent School District, University of Texas Health Science Center, Grand Canyon Skywalk, SUN Area Career & Technology Center, Abington Senior High School
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. D-Link Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: October 2024.
816,636 professionals have used our research since 2012.