EnGenius ECS2512FP. 8-port 2.5G Cloud Switch review - Introduction

EnGenius ECS2512FP 8-Port 2.5G / 4x SFP+ PoE++ Switch
A cloud managed (layer 2) 8 port 10/100/1000/2500 Mbit/s Fast Ethernet Desktop Switch

We review the ECS2512FP switch from EnGenius. We've been evangelizing for years now to achieve faster Ethernet. That trend has started towards PC motherboards, NAS units, and routers; but lagging behind are affordable multi GigE switches, and yeah we're not sure why? The switch as tested today features multi-gigabit connections on each port, it is cloud-based but can be managed either remotely or locally, and it has a rather large power budget of 240W as the unit offers PoE 8x RJ-45 PoE++ (8x 60W), for an entire 240W if needed. 

The device is available for purchase on Amazon in the United States for $800 and can be spotted here in the EU for just above 700 EUR. The non-POE version can even be found at 600 EUR. And though we fully understand that the ordinary gamer/hardware enthusiast does not have that kind of money or willingness to spend on a switch, you need to realize this is a very high-end product, sometimes money does not matter when quality and proper infrastructure is required, which certainly is the case with this device.

Although it is quite expensive to do so, we have already begun to make the transition to 10 GigE in my workplace. Switches, however, remain the primary stumbling block. Older model 10 GigE switches are entirely optically or fiber-connected. As a result, the shift to RJ45 was mandated, and it is now slowly but surely making its way onto the market for your home-based business.

Today we test an EnGenius ECS2512FP 8-Port 2.5 GigE. While still expensive and not up there matching 10G speeds, this might be a nice alternative as next to the eight 2.5G RJ45 jacks you also get 4x SFP+ And that means that if you install transposer modules this switch can end up being 8x 2.5G as well as 4x 10G. And that pains a different picture. The eight ports offer full-duplex 2.5G RJ-45 jacks. And that means your traditional CAT5E and better cabling will support these speeds just fine. The current 1 Gigabit standard has a throughput of a maximum of 128 MB/sec minus fault tolerance and things like QoS. This year it seems motherboards and NAS units all are fitted with 2.5G connectors. And that means this could be a sweet spot switch as all connectors offer 2.5G connectivity, bringing your throughput towards 312 MB/sec minus fault tolerances and the rest.

A further feature of the ECS2512FP is its compatibility for IEEE 802.3bt Power-over-Ethernet, which enables the switch to transfer 60W of power to each port (from a total of 240W) for devices that consume a lot of power, such as Wi-Fi access points. The household in 2021 has changed quite a bit. Everything is connected, lots of folks have a NAS at home as centralized energy-friendly storage for all their file and locally stored streaming activity. Copying ask an MKV file towards your NAS typically yielded 120 MB/sec right? Well with a compatible PC and NAS properly you can now reach that 300 MB/sec marker. And while I would have liked 5G to become the standard, 2.5G already is a massive improvement.  Granted, we do have a slight fetish for network equipment. When you take that freshly painted hot-rod game machine you've spent dozens of hours building to a LAN party, you have to hook it up to a? LAN. Yup. It's hard to play games these days without a network of some kind.

The EnGenius ECS2512FP is your usual thin, square metal box that one imagines when you think about network equipment. The switch BTW can be used in the data-center as well, it's 1U rack-mountable and brackets are included. For SOHO usage we recommend installing it into a cabinet, as sitting next to you in a gaming room, it's a bit too noisy.