Ask Our Experts
Project Solutions & Tech.
Get Advice: Live Chat | +852-63593631

How to Choose the Best Gigabit Switch for SMBs in 2025 – Ruijie vs Huawei vs Cisco

author
Network Switches
IT Hardware Experts
author https://network-switch.com/pages/about-us

For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), the Ethernet switch is no longer a commodity box—it’s the backbone of productivity. From Wi-Fi 7 access points and VoIP phones to cloud applications and IP surveillance, every device depends on a reliable Gigabit switch.

In 2025, choosing the right switch means balancing port density, PoE capacity, uplink flexibility, security, and long-term cost efficiency. With dozens of brands competing, IT managers often ask: Which switch family delivers the best value for SMBs today?

In this guide, we compare three popular Gigabit switch families—Ruijie S5350, Huawei S5720, and Cisco Business 350—and also briefly review alternatives like Juniper, HPE, and Dell. By the end, you’ll have a clear roadmap for selecting the best switch for your SMB in 2025.

How to choose best smb switch in 2025

Who Should Read This Guide?

  • SMB IT managers upgrading from legacy Fast Ethernet to Gigabit with PoE
  • Education networks deploying campus-wide wired access for classrooms, labs, and dormitories
  • Government branch offices requiring secure and redundant switching infrastructure
  • System integrators evaluating product families for customer deployments
  • Business owners seeking clear guidance on which switch delivers the best ROI

Key Considerations When Choosing a Gigabit Switch

When evaluating Gigabit switches in 2025, keep these factors at the top of your checklist:

Factor Why It Matters What to Look For
Port Density Determines device capacity 24–48 GE ports for SMB offices; 12-port for branch sites
PoE / PoE+ Powers APs, IP phones, cameras PoE+ (30W) or higher, with enough total budget
Uplink Speed Prevents bottlenecks to core At least 2 × 10G SFP+; ideally 4 uplinks
Layer 3 Features Enables inter-VLAN routing and IPv6 Static routing, OSPF, VRRP support
Stacking Expands and simplifies management True stacking, VSU, or iStack
Resiliency Avoids downtime Surge protection, redundant PSU/fans
Management SMB IT teams are lean Web UI, SNMP/CLI, or cloud dashboard
Warranty & Support Reduces risk and TCO 3-year warranty with return/replacement
Price vs Value SMBs must maximize ROI Feature-rich switches without enterprise price tags

Ruijie S5350 Series

Ruijie-RG-S5350-24GT4XS-P-E_2

The Ruijie S5350-E family is designed for SMBs and schools seeking enterprise-grade reliability with strong surge protection (up to ±10kV) and VSU stacking. Models range from compact 12-port units to full 48-port PoE+ systems, making it one of the most flexible SMB switch families.

Model Ports Uplinks PoE Key Features Best For
RG-S5350-24GT4XS-E 24 × GE 4 × 10G SFP+ Compact L3 switch, VSU stacking Small SMB offices
RG-S5350-48GT4XS-E 48 × GE 4 × 10G SFP+ High-density access Growing SMBs
RG-S5350-12GT4XS-P-E 12 × GE 4 × 10G SFP+ PoE+ Compact with PoE+ Branch deployments
RG-S5350-24GT4XS-P-E 24 × GE 4 × 10G SFP+ PoE+ Balanced PoE budget SMB offices with APs
RG-S5350-48GT4XS-P-E 48 × GE 4 × 10G SFP+ PoE+ High-density PoE Schools & hotels
RG-S5350-24GT4SFP-E 24 × GE 4 × SFP Fiber uplinks option Fiber-rich sites
RG-S5350-48GT4SFP-E 48 × GE 4 × SFP Large fiber access Campuses
RG-S5350-24GT4SFP-P-E 24 × GE 4 × SFP PoE+ Fiber + PoE Mixed deployments
RG-S5350-48GT4SFP-P-E 48 × GE 4 × SFP PoE+ Fiber + high PoE Enterprise SMBs
View all

Huawei S5720 Series

Huawei S5720-52P

The Huawei S5720 family offers multiple tiers (LI, SI, EI) to match different budgets and feature needs. With iStack stacking, Huawei VRP software, and advanced OAM features, it is widely deployed in schools, government, and campus networks.

Model Ports Uplinks PoE Key Features Best For
S5720-12TP-LI-AC 12 × GE Combo uplinks Compact, low-cost Small offices
S5720-36C-EI-28S-AC 28 × SFP Flexible EI features, flexible access Enterprise edge
S5720-28X-SI-24S-AC 24 × SFP 4 × 10G SI performance Campus networks
S5720-52P-PWR-LI-AC 48 × GE 4 uplinks PoE+ Large PoE budget Education/government
S5720-28TP-PWR-LI-AC 24 × GE 4 uplinks PoE+ Balanced PoE SMB offices
S5720S-52X-PWR-LI-AC 48 × GE 4 × 10G PoE+ High capacity PoE Large SMBs
S5720S-52X-LI-AC 48 × GE 4 × 10G High density, non-PoE Campuses
S5720S-52P-LI-AC 48 × GE 4 uplinks Budget-friendly LI model SMBs
S5720S-28P-PWR-LI-AC 24 × GE 4 uplinks PoE+ Compact PoE Schools & retail
S5720S-28P-LI-AC 24 × GE 4 uplinks LI non-PoE Cost-sensitive SMBs
S5720S-12TP-PWR-LI-AC 12 × GE Combo uplinks PoE+ Very compact PoE Branch offices
S5720-52X-PWR-SI-AC 48 × GE 4 × 10G PoE+ SI-level performance Enterprise access
View all

Cisco Business 350 Series

The Cisco CBS350 line is purpose-built for SMBs that want Cisco reliability with simplified management. It offers true stacking, dual firmware images, and a Business Dashboard for easy monitoring.

Model Ports Uplinks PoE Key Features Best For
CBS350-48P-4G-CN 48 × GE 4 × GE PoE+ Dashboard + stacking Large SMBs
CBS350-24T-4G-CN 24 × GE 4 × GE Entry-level non-PoE Cost-conscious offices
CBS350-24FP-4G-CN 24 × GE 4 × GE Full PoE+ Higher PoE budget AP & camera-heavy SMBs

Competitive Alternatives (Juniper, HPE, Dell)

While Ruijie, Huawei, and Cisco dominate the SMB space, other brands are worth noting:

Brand Series Pros Cons
Juniper EX2300 / EX3400 Junos OS, Virtual Chassis, reliability Higher cost, overkill for SMB
HPE Aruba 2530 / 2540 Aruba Wi-Fi integration, simplified mgmt 10G uplinks costlier
Dell N2000 / N3000 Stacking, good CLI Support less consistent outside core markets

Which Series for Which Use Case?

Each SMB has different needs. Here’s how the three series map to common scenarios:

  • Need high surge protection & stacking at low cost → Ruijie RG-S5350 familyExample: RG-S5350-24GT4XS-P-E for a 24-port PoE AP deployment in an SMB office.
  • Example: RG-S5350-24GT4XS-P-E for a 24-port PoE AP deployment in an SMB office.
  • Require flexible combo ports & ring protection → Huawei S5720-SI/EI familyExample: S5720-28TP-PWR-LI-AC for school campus lab access, ensuring both copper and fiber flexibility.
  • Example: S5720-28TP-PWR-LI-AC for school campus lab access, ensuring both copper and fiber flexibility.
  • Prefer Cisco ecosystem & dashboard ease-of-use → Cisco CBS350 seriesExample: CBS350-24FP-4G-CN for a branch office with guest VLAN + PoE surveillance, leveraging Cisco’s intuitive dashboard.
  • Example: CBS350-24FP-4G-CN for a branch office with guest VLAN + PoE surveillance, leveraging Cisco’s intuitive dashboard.

Scenario-Based Recommendations:

Scenario Recommended Brand/Model Why
SMB office (24-port PoE AP deployment) Ruijie RG-S5350-24GT4XS-P-E Affordable, strong surge protection, PoE+
School campus lab access Huawei S5720-28TP-PWR-LI-AC PoE+, combo uplinks, reliable for multi-user labs
Branch office with guest VLAN + surveillance cameras Cisco CBS350-24FP-4G-CN Full PoE+, easy VLAN segmentation via dashboard
Large campus with many APs Huawei S5720-52P-PWR-LI-AC High PoE budget, 48-port, iStack for scalability
Fiber-heavy deployment Ruijie RG-S5350-48GT4SFP-E SFP uplinks ideal for fiber aggregation

Why These Brands and Why Buy from NS

SMBs often ask: Why choose Ruijie, Huawei, or Cisco—and why buy from Network-Switch.com (NS)?

Why These Brands?

  • Ruijie: Best value and port surge protection, feature-rich Layer 3 switching for SMBs.
  • Huawei: Flexible combo port options, iStack, OAM, and strong reputation in education/government.
  • Cisco: Intuitive dashboard management, seamless integration with Cisco routers and APs, and trusted global ecosystem.

Why Buy from NS?

  • Authorized reseller – official Cisco, Huawei, and Ruijie partner.
  • Extended protection – 3-year warranty, 30-day free return, 1-year part replacement.
  • Transparent pricing – enterprise features without inflated costs.
  • Procurement-friendly – bulk orders, invoicing, and contract support for SMBs and schools.
  • Technical guidance – pre-sales advice and post-sales deployment support.

💡 With NS, you get more than hardware—you get peace of mind, predictable costs, and expert-backed deployments.

FAQs – Common Buyer Questions

Q1: Do all three families support PoE+?
A: Yes. Each brand offers PoE+ models suitable for powering APs, phones, and IP cameras.

Q2: What uplinks are included?
A: Most models provide 2–4 × 10G uplinks (Cisco CBS350 offers 1G/10G depending on SKU).

Q3: Which switch has the strongest surge protection?
A: Ruijie S5350 (±10kV per port).

Q4: Do these switches support IPv6?
A: Yes. Huawei and Cisco have full IPv6 support, and Ruijie supports IPv6 with routing protocols.

Q5: Which family is easiest for non-technical staff to manage?
A: Cisco CBS350, thanks to the Business Dashboard.

Q6: Can I stack these switches?
A: Yes: Ruijie uses VSU, Huawei uses iStack, Cisco supports true stacking.

Q7: Which model is best for fiber-heavy deployments?
A: Huawei S5720-36C-EI-28S-AC or Ruijie S5350 SFP variants.

Q8: What’s the warranty from Network-Switch.com?
A: 3 years standard, 30-day returns, 1-year spare parts replacement.

Q9: Are these suitable for schools and government?
A: Yes. Huawei S5720 is widely used in education/government; Ruijie and Cisco also have PoE-heavy models suited for campuses.

Q10: Which is the most budget-friendly option overall?
A: Ruijie S5350 series delivers the strongest value-for-money.

Conclusion – Our Top Picks for 2025

  • Ruijie: RG-S5350-24GT4XS-P-E – A 24-port Gigabit switch with 4 × 10G uplinks and PoE+, perfect for SMBs deploying Wi-Fi APs and IP phones with excellent surge protection at a competitive price.
  • Huawei: S5720-52P-PWR-LI-AC – 48-port Gigabit switch with PoE+, strong reliability, and VRP OS, ideal for schools and government offices with large PoE requirements.
  • Cisco: CBS350-24FP-4G-CN – 24-port PoE+ switch with Cisco’s Business Dashboard and stacking support, excellent for SMBs seeking simplicity and integration with existing Cisco gear.

👉 No matter which brand you choose, buying from Network-Switch.com ensures you get genuine hardware, a 3-year warranty, 30-day returns, 1-year part replacement, and enterprise-level procurement support.

Make Inquiry Today