FortiSwitch Secure Access Switches vs. NETGEAR Ethernet Switches

If you've got a large network and are already using FortiGate firewalls or FortiAP access points, integrating FortiSwitch Secure Access Switches makes for one integrated solution. Previously we had Cisco switches that had to be configured and managed separately, which was always prone to error. Now that we have our entire network backbone on FortiNet devices, managing and configuring them is smoother. We are now able to see much clearer if there are any configuration issues between networking devices.

Incentivized

Great for entry-level networking, and the cost-to-quality ratio is great for the average consumer. I've used them in a crawl space that is not climate controlled, and it just works and provides the switching capabilities I need. These are great for users that don't have a ton of experience and can simply try to troubleshoot with a simple power cycle.

Incentivized

• Makes them easy to manage within one spot
• Allows for advanced network configuration
• Has plenty of power for all our PoE devices

Incentivized

• Manage extra connections in a switched network.
• Provide good throughput for those extra connections.
• Easy to add into an existing network environment.

• Would be nice to have a bit different layout on the configuration page. Sometimes can be hard to find what you're looking for.
• When disabling ports, it would be nice to have batch setting features rather than having to make changes individually.

Incentivized

• Better advertisement about advanced enterprise features. My experience is with smaller switches and not with the fully managed switches.
• Additional management tools to monitor multiple switches in the environment. Similar to Cisco Network Assistant.

Incentivized

We have previously used both Cisco 220 Series and Dell PowerConnect 8000 Series switches that were managed separately from our firewalls and access points. The Cisco and Dell switch worked fine and we never had a problem with them, but it was always a hassle to have to make configuration changes since that would have to be done via separate GUIs. Having the ability to configure and manage firewalls, switches, and wireless access points all within one central GUI saves time and headache.

Incentivized

While the Ubiquiti are much easier to manage remotely through their cloud controllers, the Netgear is much more reliable in harsh environments than the other simple switches we use, as they seem less susceptive to high temperatures and humidity. (TP-Link and Zycel are the other major brands we use for simple switches.)

Incentivized

• It has made management of the network much easier and less time consuming
• We are more confident that our network traffic is being secured
• Ability to monitor network traffic and detect potential anomalies

Incentivized

• Keeps our investment in infrastructure connections low because they can provide those connections.
• A lower cost alternative to adding in wall connections.
• Sometimes they can cause collision issues due to traffic across them.