Guide
Which Cisco switch for 50 users?
50 users rarely means 50 ports. Here we work through a typical office – desks, access points, phones and cameras – and show which switches are enough, with prices from our range.
Side by side
Comparison
| Feature | Catalyst 1300 48-port GE PoE+, 10G C1300-48P-4X | Catalyst 9200L 48-port PoE+, 4× 10G (Network Essentials) C9200L-48P-4X-E | Meraki MS130-48P MS130-48P-HW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ports | 48 | 48 | 48 |
| PoE budget (W) | 375 | 740 | 740 |
| Uplink | 4× 10G SFP+ | 4× 10G SFP+ | 4× SFP |
| Management | Web, CLI (fully managed L3-lite) | CLI, Catalyst Center | Cloud managed (Meraki Dashboard) |
| Licence | – | Subscription (Catalyst Essentials/Advantage, 3/5/7 years) required at purchase – choose it under Accessories and support (or let us add the right licence in the quote) | Requires a Meraki licence (1–10 years) – without one the device cannot be configured or managed; choose it under Accessories and support (or let us add the right licence in the quote) |
| Our price |
Our price
€1,736
excl. VAT
|
Our price
€4,239
excl. VAT · hardware
|
Our price
€4,336
excl. VAT · licence extra
|
| Add |
All prices are maximum prices – the quote is never higher, and often lower for larger volumes. Prices are excl. VAT, shipping extra. How the maximum price works
Short answer
For 50 users one or two 48-port PoE+ switches with a 10G uplink are usually enough. Count the devices that need a cable – desks, access points, phones, printers and cameras – and add 30 percent. Catalyst 1300 needs no licence, Catalyst 9200L gives Cisco IOS XE and stacking, and Meraki MS130 suits a network managed from the cloud.
How many ports do you need?
A worked example for an office with 50 employees – replace the figures with your own:
- 35 desks with a wired computer or dock
- 3 access points (Meraki: about 50 devices per access point – roughly 20–25 users with a computer and a phone)
- 10 IP phones (fewer if you call from the computer)
- 3 printers and 4 cameras
- Total 55 ports, plus a 30 percent margin ≈ 72 ports – i.e. two 48-port switches, or one 48 and one 24
Is the PoE budget enough?
In the example, access points, phones and cameras draw roughly 3 × 30 W + 10 × 7 W + 4 × 15 W = 220 W. That fits in all three switches in the table above. If you plan more cameras or Wi-Fi 7 access points that need more than PoE+, choose a model with a larger budget and check the power per port.
Read more: PoE – is there enough power? · Which access point?
Which uplink is needed?
Traffic converges between the switches and towards the server or firewall. At 50 users 1G is often enough, but 10G (-4X in the part number) costs a little more and leaves room for backups, servers and Wi-Fi 7. Switches in the same rack are most easily connected with a DAC cable. The Meraki MS130-48P has 1G uplinks; 10G is on the MS130-48X.
Read more: Transceivers and cables – what fits?
Should the switches be stacked?
A stack is managed as a single switch. The Catalyst 9200L stacks up to 8 switches; the stacking kit (C9200L-STACK-KIT) is ordered separately and the stacking cable is at most 3 m, so the switches must sit in the same rack. The Catalyst 1300 also stacks up to 8 switches over its 10G ports. If the switches are on different floors, connect them with fibre instead.
What does the licence cost?
The Catalyst 9200L requires a subscription (Essentials or Advantage for 3, 5 or 7 years) and the Meraki MS130 a Meraki licence; the Catalyst 1300 has no licence cost. So compare hardware plus licence – add the switch to the quote basket and choose a licence to see the total.
Read more: What does a Cisco licence cost? · Meraki or Catalyst?
Conclusion
How we would choose
How we would choose for an office with 50 users:
Catalyst 1300 48-port GE PoE+, 10G
Lowest total cost: simple web management, 10G uplink and no licence.
Catalyst 9200L 48-port PoE+, 4× 10G (Network Essentials)
Cisco IOS XE, stacking and 740 W of PoE for more access points and cameras.
Meraki MS130-48P
No in-house network team: the whole network is managed from the Meraki cloud.
Frequently asked questions
Questions we often get
Is one 48-port switch enough for 50 users?
Often, if many work wirelessly and few have a wired phone. Count the devices that need a cable – if it is more than about thirty, two switches is the safe choice.
Do we need a core switch?
Rarely at 50 users. The switches connect directly to the firewall or router; a separate core switch becomes relevant only when many switches across several floors need to be aggregated.
Which firewall suits 50 users?
See the firewall guide. In the firewall category you can filter by number of users.