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Cisco Ethernet Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch 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:
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
134
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
22nd
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
21
Ranking in other categories
Routers (5th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Ethernet Switches is 16.3%, down from 18.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is 1.2%, down from 1.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

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…
Josephat Magesa - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy to set up, user-friendly, and reliable
I'm also familiar with Cisco which I used at another company. Cisco is a little bit expensive to acquire. With MikroTik, came with the same solution and you can use so many features. In MikroTik, you can use maybe two routers or one router to cover all your requirements, which you can also do on Cisco. This product is also cheaper than Cisco. Cisco has a lot of complications even with the configurations. On the price issues or even support issues, you may need to have so many routers when using Cisco for a simple solution. If you can use only one switch to clear your solution, why don't you use MikroTik? You don't have to use Cisco to have more than one switch to solve your problem.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We have found it to be scalable. We have approximately three million subscribers."
"The most valuable aspect of the solution is the ability to manage the switches and the ability to have a certain level of familiarity with setting up and configuring the switches."
"We can expect Cisco Ethernet Switches to last for years without issue."
"The features that I have found most valuable are that it is easy to use and it has good technical support."
"The power stacking feature in Cisco Ethernet Switches can be considered the most valuable."
"Cisco Ethernet Switches are very reliable and work like a clock once configured."
"Cisco Ethernet Switches are stable."
"What I like the most is the performance and the latency that Cisco provides."
"The wiki page that describes the scripting and other features is very good."
"The interface management and the user access management is pretty good."
"The router power is the most valuable aspect."
"It is easy to set up the solution."
"The technical support for MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is superb."
"The tool has impacted our company's network costs and productivity in a perfect manner and percentage-wise, I can say it is 120 percent."
"The initial setup is easy."
"I like that it's quite flexible and addresses different issues. It's quite easy to use, and the pricing is great. We find them to be very capable switches."
 

Cons

"Cisco has a lot of propriety protocols compared to other products, such as Arista Networks."
"The technical support could improve, they are about average quality."
"The solution's reliability should be improved."
"The technical support should be improved."
"There is a need for improvement on the ordering and delivery side for Cisco Ethernet switches."
"AI technology must be involved in the future."
"If Cisco Ethernet Switches can work both on-prem and in the cloud, it would be an advantage."
"The installation is difficult and requires further training documentations."
"There has to be more development in the OS. It's complex for this switch as compared to others like Cisco. For NetGear and Cisco, it's easy to adapt the VLAN concept but it should be simplified for MikroTik."
"Stuff that I'd like to be improved is really just training and documentation because I think the feature set is full. Another improvement I'd suggest is that their new, bigger releases should be a bit more stable."
"The user interface could improve and they should allow a license for IBS."
"The port isolation and VLAN need to be improved."
"If MikroTik had a marketing team and support team in India then it would be much easier for us to get the product, as well as support."
"Antispam and antivirus features should be included in the future."
"MikroTik is mostly used by medium and small businesses, so the security is not as robust as Cisco."
"It would be even better with a centralized management platform."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Cisco products are not cheap, which is something that can be improved."
"The price of Cisco Ethernet Switches here in India is too high. There are other cheaper solutions available."
"Customers have to pay for some of the L3 switches licenses, which are expensive."
"The cost of the solution is by unit."
"We get the SMARTnet and one of the switches has that Cisco ONE licensing. It's probably running about $12,000 a year right now."
"It's a little expensive."
"Price-wise, Cisco Ethernet Switches is a product that falls a little bit on the expensive side."
"When you compare with other products, they are more or less the same price."
"In Pakistan, if you buy this cloud router, it's approximately $700 for the device."
"The price of the solution is fair and there is a one-time license purchase only."
"They came with the licensing when we purchased them."
"The price is competitive."
"The licensing for MikroTik is great. It's easy to enter, especially for small businesses. Their model is great."
"I consider it to be a cost-effective solution."
"I believe the price of the tool is high, but it is okay for the services we get from it."
"This product has a one-time cost and there is no licensing fee."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
842,592 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

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…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
14%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Educational Organization
8%
Hospitality 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 MikroTik Cloud Router Switch?
The tool has impacted our company's network costs and productivity in a perfect manner and percentage-wise, I can say it is 120 percent.
What needs improvement with MikroTik Cloud Router Switch?
I have not tried AppSec. Everything, I do on my own with Sage or something similar. I do not rely on technical support.
 

Also Known As

Cisco Industrial Ethernet Switches
MikroTik CRS Series
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Linz AG
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
842,592 professionals have used our research since 2012.