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D-Link Ethernet Switches vs Meraki MS 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:
 

Categories and Ranking

D-Link Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
11th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
29
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Meraki MS Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
8th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
95
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of D-Link Ethernet Switches is 6.0%, up from 5.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 3.9%, down from 4.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

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.
MajidKhan - PeerSpot reviewer
Remote access enhances troubleshooting with potential for more intuitive interface
We are working with Citrix and router, but in Cisco for Cisco vendor only. We are taking from them since 2015.  The main use case involves some small business customers needing one router, one switch, and two to three access points. It is easy to handle the devices with just a small knowledge of…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Its integration is the most valuable."
"The initial setup was very easy and user-friendly."
"The solution is user-friendly."
"The initial setup is straightforward."
"These switches are simple and easy to configure."
"D-Link has a graphical interface that is easy to use. It is simple enough that our junior technicians can configure the switches."
"The switches have a graphical user interface that makes configuration good, easy, and straightforward."
"It's plug-and-play. There is no configuration necessary."
"The solution is very stable."
"Quality of Service is easy to deploy. The ease of deployment, in general, is valuable. It is easy to do port configuration and VLAN assignments."
"The product provides a single-pane-of-glass in for management of wireless, security, and switching from multiple devices."
"It is easy to configure and provides complete visibility of the graphic end point."
"One of the most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches is its precise traffic analytics capabilities, allowing us to query the system for any place at any time."
"Meraki does support CLI, but the GUI is purely GUI, which is very easy to access."
"The product offered a lower CapEx cost for the appliance."
"I have found the solution to be stable."
 

Cons

"The solution needs better local support."
"For high-end switches, the price could be 5% to 10% cheaper."
"Its security features need improvement."
"The solution could be cheaper."
"They need to have some more high-end switches."
"For high-end switches, the price could be 5% to 10% cheaper. Improvements in the voltage facility, like increasing from 360 watts to 400 or 450 watts, would make them more competitive with other vendors."
"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."
"Areas of the solution that have room for improvement include scalability, as it should improve both scaling and security."
"In reference to an area of improvement sometimes the switch does not connect to the internet initially."
"Tracking native ports with IP addresses is not currently possible in Meraki. This is a potential area of improvement."
"Better alerting capabilities are needed because they do not provide enough notification or detail about events."
"The pricing can be made cheaper."
"The throughputs, especially the throughput path, can be improved on the core switches. I think they should improve the throughput in the core switches to enable higher throughputs."
"Sometimes there's a problem with the pricing model they use. They should work to fix this."
"The traffic reporting should be better in Meraki MS Switches. We want to be able to see all the traffic and where it is going. Additionally, detailed device utilization information would be very helpful for the security personnel."
"The documentation could be more extensive. For example, it could describe more scenarios. It would be great if they could incorporate AI engines into the switching infrastructure and firewall so you can configure it to prevent intrusion. They have intrusion prevention and detection, but they could enhance it by incorporating AI into their firewall."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This product is very affordable, especially compared to Cisco."
"There is not a license required for this solution and it is priced well."
"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."
"They were cheap. We were not paying for any license."
"It is an affordable solution."
"It has a good return on investment. It has indeed saved us resources significantly."
"These units vary in price from $200 to one thousand dollars. They're available for a one-time purchase."
"The D-Link Switches are cheaper than Cisco."
"The pricing is very expensive."
"The price of the solution has room for improvement."
"Extreme switches are more cost-effective than Cisco Meraki Switches."
"The solution is a bit on the pricey side."
"We paid for our switches outright, at a cost of between $15,000 USD and $18,000 USD."
"One key challenge often encountered is the perception that strategic products like Cisco and Meraki tend to be more expensive than alternatives like Aruba."
"We don't use standard licensing. Most of the time, we use the advanced security model. If there is a drawback to Meraki, it is the cost, but you also have to evaluate it based upon the other factors that you do get. Their support is really good; their hardware is really good. The ease of configuration and deployment is really good, but it is more expensive than most."
"The tool is expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Healthcare Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Computer Software Company
17%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
6%
Educational Organization
6%
 

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 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?
D-Link Ethernet Switches are 30% cheaper than Cisco switches. Pricing has not been a concern since it is already included in the capex.
What do you like most about Meraki MS Switches?
The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are their reliability and simplicity.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Meraki MS Switches?
Meraki MS Switches, including their licensing, are somewhat expensive, particularly when compared with competitor solutions like HP.
What needs improvement with Meraki MS Switches?
The prices are a little higher than other vendors. However, within the Cisco customer segment, customers mostly recommend it because they are existing users, and they are satisfied with their curre...
 

Also Known As

No data available
MS220, MS320, MS420
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

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
Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
Find out what your peers are saying about D-Link Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
848,396 professionals have used our research since 2012.