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Cisco Ethernet Switches vs D-Link Ethernet Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 12, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
133
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
D-Link Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
11th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
28
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Ethernet Switches is 16.8%, down from 18.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of D-Link Ethernet Switches is 6.3%, up from 5.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Q&A Highlights

MW
May 02, 2021
 

Featured Reviews

Pradeep Adhav - PeerSpot reviewer
Network security enhancement with sturdy switches despite high costs
The Cisco Ethernet switches are primarily used as regular core switches for networking, distribution, and access levels. We also utilize Cisco Wi-Fi, VPN, and Wi-Fi controllers The Cisco Ethernet switches have improved our network's security, ensuring it is 100% secure by not allowing any…
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.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The tool is easy to use, offering numerous options in terms of server connection."
"The queue functionality is the solution's most valuable feature, specifically because we are delivering a lot of Layer 2 services. Layer 2 protocol tunnels work well on Cisco switches."
"The Cisco Ethernet switches are sturdy products that do not require any kind of maintenance."
"The features that I have found most valuable with Cisco switches are that once you get your configuration you can rest assured that it will work. The OS is not going to be failing intermittently or anything like that. Once you get your configuration end-goal right, the firmware and the OS are usually very stable enough to work a long time without support. Support is needed once in a while. My experience is that the Cisco switches are usually rocket."
"Good and stable operational experience with nearly no loss of hardware and very few software bugs."
"The solution offers great bandwidth and speed."
"I'd rate the solution ten out of ten."
"Remote access is a valuable feature."
"The switches have a graphical user interface that makes configuration good, easy, and straightforward."
"D-Link has a graphical interface that is easy to use. It is simple enough that our junior technicians can configure the switches."
"There are many good points about this product. Number one, they are very stable, and easy to configure and manage."
"It is very stable and reliable."
"It's plug-and-play. There is no configuration necessary."
"The management interface makes network management very easy."
"It is a stable solution."
"Its integration is the most valuable."
 

Cons

"There are instances where the commands you are familiar with might change or be replaced with newer syntax."
"The technical support could improve, they are about average quality."
"Cisco is not user-friendly. It would be best if you had a technical expert. The graphical user interface is more like a command line, and most functionalities are on the command line."
"I think the price should be cheaper to be able to afford more."
"In terms of features, they tick all the boxes as of now. That could be because we tailor the solution around the product. I have not seen anything that pulls me back or is not working well for me. However, there could be better integration with the network monitoring systems. It doesn't mean it is currently not there, but there could be better discoverability with some of the network monitoring systems to be able to have more visibility. When you're setting up a control room, you can have more visibility into what is going on in the network. It has been doing that, but it can do that more."
"We need more management tools for the solution."
"Switches should be made stackable, even if they are not of the same model."
"Cisco Ethernet Switches is a very expensive solution."
"The solution needs to improve layer 2 switches."
"In future releases, I would like to see improved security and an improved CLI (Command-Line Interface)."
"It should be more stable, and it should have good integration with the cloud. It should support configuration, supervision, and control through the cloud."
"In a future release, the solution could improve by being more secure and allowing the configuration of each port."
"It could be easier to scale on managed devices."
"They could be more stable. They were not as resistant as Cisco. After some time, some of them failed. This could be because we import quite a lot of products from different horizons, so there is no guarantee of quality. In Africa, these products don't always directly come from the manufacturer. We get these products from the Middle East or Asia. Therefore, you cannot be sure that the quality is exactly similar to what you have in Europe or America."
"We have issues with the stability."
"Its security features need improvement."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There are different licensing based on the model of the solution."
"When we want an extra feature then we need to purchase another license bundle."
"Price-wise, Cisco Ethernet Switches is a product that falls a little bit on the expensive side."
"Cisco Ethernet Switches are more expensive than Huawei Ethernet Switches."
"In some of the latest switches, the warranty is not included in the pricing and we have to purchase it separately."
"The pricing is reasonable, and for small business it is acceptable."
"The solution is not too expensive."
"It is an expensive product since it is used in a large network where you cannot rely on some cheaply priced solution."
"D-Link Ethernet Switches' price is good."
"D-Link Ethernet Switches are cheap products for homes and small offices."
"The solution is budget-friendly"
"This product is very affordable, especially compared to Cisco."
"They were cheap. We were not paying for any license."
"The price of D-Link Ethernet Switches is in the 4,000 to 5,000 rupees or 65 to 100 USD range. The price of the solution is not expensive."
"The solution's pricing is reasonable."
"It is an affordable solution."
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Comparison Review

it_user82779 - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 29, 2014
Benefits of Juniper vs Cisco
Both are decent products. I prefer Juniper for the following reasons: 1) Cleaner separation of data plane from control plane. Higher end Cisco devices are better at this but most of the lower end products still seem to be more integrated than I like. 2) The Hierarchical config design means I can…
 

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
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
8%
Computer Software Company
16%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Healthcare Company
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 ...
Which would you choose - Fortinet Fortiswitch secure access or Cisco Ethernet Switches?
We researched Cisco but ultimately chose Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access, mostly because of the price. Fortinet FortiSwitch is an ethernet switch solution that provides security and performance...
In terms of ethernet switches, would you go with Cisco or Juniper?
Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether Cisco or Juniper Ethernet switches were the better fit for us. We decided to go with Juniper. Juniper ethernet switches are a lesser-known...
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?
The pricing of D-Link Ethernet Switches is cost-effective. For small data centers, it is good to have D-Link switches as the cost is less compared to other features.
What needs improvement with D-Link Ethernet Switches?
Areas of the solution that have room for improvement include scalability, as it should improve both scaling and security. Currently, D-Link Ethernet Switches are often not used in large data center...
 

Also Known As

Cisco Industrial Ethernet Switches
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Linz AG
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 Ethernet Switches vs. D-Link Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
832,460 professionals have used our research since 2012.