Zyxel launched the brand new XMG1915 sequence switches at CES 2024 again in January. These are value efficiencies Nebula cloud-managed multi-gig switches designed for small companies {and professional} house customers which are perfect for the most recent WiFi 7 entry factors which have lately launched and are simply able to exceeding gigabit speeds.
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XMG1915 Sequence Fashions
The XMG1915 sequence consists of three fashions: two 8-port switches, one in all which has POE++, which I’m reviewing as we speak, and the XMG1915-18EP, a 16-port mannequin with 8 ports with POE++ and eight non-POE ports.
All fashions additionally characteristic two 10GbE SPF+ ports, preferrred for uplinks.
Each the 8-port fashions are fanless, however the 16-port mannequin requires a fan.
XMG1915 Sequence Options
- Enhanced 2.5G Multi-Gig Speeds: The XMG1915 Sequence change is designed with Ethernet ports that every supply 2.5G speeds, boosting the efficiency of networks to cater to the rising calls for of contemporary enterprise operations. This enhancement ensures swift information switch charges that assist each present and rising bandwidth-intensive purposes.
- Superior 10G SFP+ Ports: These switches are outfitted with 10G SFP+ ports to accommodate the increasing requirement for greater community speeds inside skilled settings. This characteristic is especially important for organisations that deal with massive volumes of knowledge or require quick information switch charges throughout a community.
- Versatile PoE Choices: The sequence contains fashions that both assist or don’t assist Energy over Ethernet (PoE). This flexibility permits companies to decide on fashions based mostly on their particular wants for powering units resembling IP cameras, VoIP telephones, and wi-fi entry factors instantly by the community cables.
- NebulaFlex Integration: The XMG1915 Sequence helps NebulaFlex, providing a flexible Multi-Gig hybrid change answer that balances efficiency and affordability. This compatibility is particularly useful for organisations on the lookout for scalable networking options with out substantial preliminary investments.
- Deal with Small and Medium-Sized Companies: Particularly engineered for the small and medium-sized enterprise market, the XMG1915 Sequence addresses the distinctive community challenges confronted by these entities. The sequence offers strong, but easy-to-manage, networking options that assist companies optimise their operations and connectivity.
- Intuitive Internet-Based mostly GUI: Configuration and administration of the XMG1915 Sequence are simplified by a user-friendly Internet Graphical Consumer Interface (GUI). This intuitive interface permits even customers with restricted technical experience to arrange and handle their community settings successfully.
- Cloud-Based mostly Unified Community Administration: The sequence integrates seamlessly with the Nebula Management Heart, enabling cloud-based unified administration of community infrastructures. This integration permits for streamlined administration throughout a number of units and places, enhancing operational effectivity and lowering IT workload.
- Versatile Configuration Choices: The XMG1915 Sequence provides configurational flexibility, permitting customers to decide on between managing their community settings through the native Internet GUI or the cloud-based Nebula Management Heart. This flexibility caters to diverse consumer preferences and operational necessities, making certain a tailor-made networking expertise.
- Price-Effectivity in Community Growth: The XMG1915 Sequence is an economical answer designed to handle fast information progress effectively. By providing superior networking capabilities at a aggressive worth, the sequence ensures that companies can develop their community capability with out incurring extreme prices, thereby supporting sustainable progress.
XMG1915-10EP Specs
| Class | Specification |
| Description | |
| Product Identify | 8-port 2.5GbE Sensible Managed PoE Change with 2 SFP+ Uplink |
| Change Class | Sensible Managed |
| Port Density | |
| Whole Port Depend | 10 |
| Ethernet Ports | 8 ports of 100M/1G/2.5G (RJ-45) |
| SFP/SFP+ Ports | 2 ports of 1G/10G SFP+ |
| PoE Options | |
| IEEE Customary | 802.3bt (PoE++, 60 W) |
| Whole PoE Price range | 130 watts |
| Efficiency | |
| Switching Capability | 80 Gbps |
| Forwarding Charge | 59.5 Mpps |
| Packet Buffer | 1.5 MB |
| MAC Deal with Desk | 16 Ok entries |
| Jumbo Body Dimension | 12 Ok bytes |
| L3 Forwarding Desk | 128 IPv4 entries; 128 IPv6 entries |
| Routing Desk Entries | 8 |
| VLAN Routing | Sure |
| IP Interfaces | 8 IPv4 and eight IPv6 |
| Flash/RAM | 32 MB / 256 MB |
| Energy Specs | |
| Enter Voltage | 100 – 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz |
| Max. Energy Consumption | 150 watts |
| Min. Energy Consumption | 7.75 watts |
| Bodily Specs | |
| Dimensions | 250 x 104 x 27 mm (9.84 x 4.09 x 1.06 in.) |
| Weight | 0.78 kg (1.72 lb.) |
| Included Equipment | Energy wire, Energy adapter, Wall mount equipment |
| Inexperienced Options | |
| Fanless | Sure |
| ESD/Surge Protections | |
| Ethernet Port Surge Safety | 2 KV |
| Energy Provide Surge Safety | Line-GND: 2 KV, Line-Line: 1 KV |
| Ethernet Port ESD Safety | 8 KV (air), 4 KV (contact) |
| Environmental Specs | |
| Working Circumstances | Temp: 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F), Humidity: 5% to 95% non-condensing |
| Storage Circumstances | Temp: -40°C to 70°C (-40°F to 158°F), Humidity: 5% to 95% non-condensing |
| MTBF | 394,499 hours |
| Warmth Dissipation | 575.18 BTU/hr |
| Acoustic Noise | 0 dBA at 25°C (min/max) |
Unboxing
The XMG1915-10EP is just like many different switches by way of the general design. With this being a smaller fanless change, it has an exterior energy brick with a DC port enter on the rear of the change.
The perimeters have air vents to facilitate cooling.
The LEDs are situated on the left facet of the change and point out each the POE standing and Ethernet speeds. There are additionally LEDs to point energy and the connection to the cloud.
The 2 SFP+ cages are on the precise of the change.
Set up with Zyxel Nebula App
This can be a NebulaFlex change, which implies you should utilize it as a standalone regionally managed change or through the cloud-managed Nebula platform, which is free to make use of however has some restricted options.
As I’ve used Nebula extensively through the years, I shortly set this up utilizing the Nebula app. You simply scan the QR and add it to the organisation/web site.
The Nebula app offers a simple technique to handle your community away out of your PC and I additionally discover that it’s nice for sending me notifications when a networking system loses connectivity, permitting me to diagnose the issue as quickly because it occurs.
Nebula Interface & Settings
I’ve reviewed the Nebula cloud administration system a number of occasions, together with a number of of the Zyxel POE switches. This change is usually the identical because the others. I’m an enormous fan of cloud-managed networking because it brings all of your networking {hardware} into one easy-to-manage system with network-wide insights.
The primary screens are:
Dashboard: Offers site-wide insights you can customise with completely different widgets.
Topology: That is self-explanatory; it offers a community topology of your Zyxel units. You may also develop this to point out all of the purchasers related to the units. Gadgets will be listed by MAC tackle, however you possibly can then click on on the system and provides it a pleasant identify, offering simpler community administration.
Abstract Report: Offers a report on energy consumption and port utilization.
Change Overview: Offers vital data on the IP tackle, location, CPU utilization, reminiscence utilization, ports in use, uplink utilization and energy utilization. From hear you too can click on to view the occasion log and generate a change desk to view all of the units by MAC tackle related to witch port and VLAN.
Configure Change Ports: Lets you management every change port, together with POE settings, RSTP, LLDP, port isolation, bandwidth management, loop guard, movement management, and extra. In my screenshot, it reveals a CRC error, which is probably going as a result of my poor try at terminating cables.
Occasion Log: Offers an in depth log of all of the occasions, which will be helpful for troubleshooting.
Beneath the configuration pages, you even have further settings that may be configured. Many of those, like superior IGMP snooping, require a Nebula Professional licence.
Efficiency
I’ve a horrible mishmash of networking elements. My first 2.5GbE POE change was the EnGenius ECS2512FP, which retails for over £800 and has been my most important change for multi-gig connectivity. Then the reasonably priced Zyxel GS1920-8HPv2 gigabit POE change which is offered for round £200.
I’ve now swapped out the GS1920 for this XMG1915, permitting my total community to run on 2.5GbE or greater.
Efficiency has been flawless in a SOHO surroundings. There have been no disconnects, and throughput is as marketed.
Utilizing the Zyxel XMG1915-10EP with Zyxel NWA130BE WiFi 7 Entry Level
One of many most important causes for this change is to drive next-generation WiFi 7 entry factors. I beforehand examined the Zyxel NWA130BE with my EnGenius change powering it, however I can’t run it at full velocity with the Zyxel change.
The efficiency is equivalent to that of my earlier exams, with me capable of nearly saturate the two.5GbE connection when utilizing 6GHz with 320MHz channel width at shut vary.
Energy Utilization
The XMG1915-10EP is listed as having a minimal energy consumption of seven.75W and a most of 150W. The whole POE funds is 130W, and POE++ (802.3bt Sort 3) is able to 60W per port, which is vital as some WiFi 7 entry factors have excessive energy necessities. The Zyxel WBE660S BE22000 requires as much as 41W.
In my case, I solely have the Zyxel NWA130BE and a single Reolink POE surveillance digital camera connected for POE. Then an extra 5 ports are in use, 4 of that are working at 2.5GbE.
The POE utilization is reported at 13.5W, and my TP-Hyperlink sensible plug experiences 20W utilization.
Worth and Various Choices
The value of the three fashions within the UK is:
- Zyxel XMG1915-18EP 16-Port: £464.90
- Zyxel XMG1915-10EP 8-Port: £276.90
- Zyxel XMG1915-10E 8-Port (not POE): £219.90
These are all out there from Broadbandbuyer.com
For Ubuiqiti, the Professional Max 16 PoE prices round £383; it has 4x 2.5 GbE PoE++ ports and 12 GbE POE++ ports. In addition they have the Enterprise 24 PoE, which has 12×2.5GbE and 12xGbE POE++ ports and prices £767.
EnGenius has the ECS2510FP, which is an 8-port multi-gigabit (2.5G) layer 2+ PoE+ (802.3at/af) change with a 240W funds and a pair of SFP+ (10G) and is priced at $565 with no present UK availability.
TP-Hyperlink has the TL-SG3210XHP-M2 8-Port L2+ Managed 2.5GbE PoE+ for £347.
House customers wanting 2.5GbE POE can choose up unmanaged choices from Amazon for below £100, which I wouldn’t actually suggest for any enterprise use.
TP-Hyperlink has the TL-SG105PP-M2 for simply £152, which is nice worth for cash, however I really feel that Zyxel simply justifies the additional £120 for the cloud administration, further 3 POE ports and the two SFP+ cages.
Total
The Zyxel XMG1915-10EP is an outstanding, comparatively reasonably priced 2.5GbE POE cloud-managed Layer 2 change that completely enhances the lately launched Zyxel NWA130BE WiFi 7 entry level.
Whereas Ubiquiti might dominate the prosumer and small enterprise area (from what I can inform), Zyxel seems to be making vital strikes to compete.
If you wish to use each this change and the NWA130BE WiFi 7 entry level, the mixture is extra reasonably priced than what Ubiquiti provides.
As at all times, Zyxel prices for among the Nebula options, however I’d say most small companies/SOHOs and shoppers could be positive with the free tier of Nebula.
Zyxel XMG1915-10EP Evaluate
95%
Abstract
The Zyxel XMG1915-10EP is an outstanding addition to the Zyxel Nebula vary of cloud-managed networking {hardware}.
It’s a excellent possibility for anybody already invested in Zyxel Nebula, and essentially the most attractively priced managed 2.5GbE POE++ change I can discover. Mixed with the reasonably priced NWA130BE, this combo is a superb reasonably priced various to Ubiquiti and likewise nicely value contemplating over costly WiFi 7 client mesh programs (if you happen to don’t thoughts working some Ethernet).
Professionals
- Very reasonably priced for a cloud-managed 2.5GbE POE++ change
- Fanless design preferrred for SOHO/prosumers
- Wonderful options and efficiency
- Nebula is free to make use of however with some options restricted
Cons
- Superior Nebula options require a subscription, whereas Unifi is absolutely accessible with a UniFi Cloud Key
