NETGEAR (GS324TP) Best 24 Port PoE Managed Switch USA In 2023

Looking for a smart network switch or tired of your old unmanaged switch?

If affirmative, then this in-depth review can solve your issue.

As an IT professional, only a few switches amazed me and one of them is NETGEAR (GS324TP). Because it offers some of the most advanced features at an affordable price point making it one of the best 24 port PoE managed switches in 2023.

But before jumping to a conclusion, we need to find out what it offers, its design, pros, cons, and its suitable users. Because everyone has different networking needs and it is always wise to check before purchasing.

So, without further ado, let’s find out NETGEAR (GS324TP)’s features, design, performance, advantages, disadvantages, and use cases.

Best 24 Port PoE Gigabit Switch-Netgear GS324TP 24-Port Gigabit Ethernet Lan POE

Unique Features

PoE Switch With SFP Port: NETGEAR (GS324TP) has 24 PoE+ Gigabit Ethernet ports with 2 additional 1G SFP ports.
Smart Software: It comes with a smart user-friendly software with managed control for secure setup, access, and SNMP (NMS 300) management.
Noise Free: NETGEAR 26-Port PoE Gigabit Ethernet Smart Switch (GS324TP)with smart noise-free cooling system for quiet operation.
Mounting Options: It comes with various mounting options like desktop mount and rackmount. Moreover, the mounting equipment comes with the box.
Energy Efficiency: NETGEAR (GS324TP) is IEEE802.3az compatible, meaning it will consume less power when the traffic is low.
Warranty: It has a 5-year limited hardware warranty with 24/7 customer support.

Now, Let’s have a look at the specs.

Specifications

Model Number	GS324TP-100NAS
Dimensions (L x W x H)	‎8.1 x 13 x 1.7 inches
Weight	‎5.93 pounds
Total Power Budget	190W
Management Type	Managed
Management Layer	L2
Advanced Network Features	Advanced VLAN & QoS IGMP Link Aggregation
Actuator Type	Push Button

Quite amazing, right?

Well, it’s just the start. You will find much more when we dive deep. Let’s start with the build quality.

If you are looking for a Gigabit switch for your network have a look on my another article about gigabit switches for home network

Build Quality

NETGEAR 26-Port PoE Gigabit Ethernet Smart Switch (GS324TP) has a solid build quality.

As the build material is metal so it’s a bit heavy. It also has rubber feet under the device. So, it will not slip.

However, it may seem bulky. But believe me, you won’t feel it once you place it on a rack. So, you can keep it anywhere you want.

Moreover, mounting gears are really top-notch. So, you don’t need to worry about mounting.

Design

We have done a hands-on review of NETGEAR 26-Port PoE Gigabit Ethernet Smart Switch (GS324TP). To us, the design seemed ordinary. But there is a unique touch to it.

It looks quite thick. But believe me, it’s much thinner than its competitors.

On the front left, NETGEAR (GS324TP) has 3 main LED indicators with a reset switch. These three indicators portray Power, Fan, and PoE max.

On the left of the 3 main indicators, it has 50 LED indicators, 2 LEDs for each PoE port, and 2 for additional SFP. Green LEDs show if the port is PoE powered or not. Yellow LEDs show the availability of the ports and Ethernet. If both of the LED blinks then it’s working.

Here, solid Green light shows the port is PoE powered while the solid Yellow portraits the PoE port is not working.

However, there is a mesh design for cooling on the left side.

On the backside, there is the 100-240VAC, 50/60Hz, 5A power plug.

Performance

NETGEAR 26-Port PoE Gigabit Ethernet Smart Switch (GS324TP) has gone through intense testing in our studio. Our findings were satisfactory in every case.

So, let’s have an in-depth look at its performance.

1. 24 Port Rackmount PoE Switch

We have connected 24 total devices. The devices were IP cameras, HD cameras, VOIP phones, smart printers, routers, smart home appliances, and Wifi access points. After that, we pushed NETGEAR (GS324TP) to its highest limit. The results were

PoE+ Capabilities:

NETGEAR (GS324TP) PoE+ feature was not some gimmick. Because we tested almost 5, 30W devices, and all of them worked fine. But there is a PoE performance drop after the power budget crosses 170-180W which is quite normal.

Moreover, the LED indicators show accurate PoE active ports.

Ethernet: Our NETGEAR (GS324TP) provided 1 Gigabit ethernet from every port. We have tested multiple routers together and almost all of them got the same ethernet.

2.Power Budget

Netgear did not compromise anything here. Because we used several PoE+ capable devices with a total power input of 190W.

Though It struggled after 170W. But it managed to power up all the devices.

3. Netgear Managed PoE Switch

NETGEAR (GS324TP) is a smart-managed switch.

Unlike other managed switches, its web GUI seemed more user-friendly to us. This configuration software has an easy-to-use interface. So, you don’t need to be an expert to set it up or use it. Its is the best poe switch for IP camera

However, It has Layer 2 management. Its network control includes Basic VLAN, QoS, IGMP, and link aggression.

Moreover, it has storm control and Auto-DoS network security!

It is quite amazing that it has so many advanced features at this price point. Yet it lacks Netgear Insight management service.

But all the software features were all working fine when we tested.

4. Fan Noise

NETGEAR 26-Port PoE Gigabit Ethernet Smart Switch (GS324TP) has one of the best dual chassis fan cooling systems we have ever found.

It is much quieter than most switches. Moreover, it only turns on when there is an intense load. But it does not produce noticeable Fan noise and it is suitable for any sensitive environment.

However, some users complained about fan noise. So, we searched it on the web. From our findings, we can say that either they have received a defective unit or they just didn’t update the latest firmware.

So, we can say that NETGEAR (GS324TP) is a value for money product.

Now, let’s have a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of NETGEAR (GS324TP).

Pros

Enterprise-level features at an affordable price.
Great performance.
2 extra SFP ports.
Less fan noise than most network switches.
Easy to use Web GUI.
Premium build quality.
Various mounting capabilities.
Comes with high-quality mounting equipment.

Cons

Only this model of this class lacks Netgear Insight management service.
Low power budget compared to other models.

Price: Amazon

This is all we found on NETGEAR 26-Port PoE Gigabit Ethernet Smart Switch (GS324TP). Now let’s have a look at which is the most suitable usage for this device.

Most Suitable Usage

NETGEAR 26-Port PoE Gigabit Ethernet Smart Switch (GS324TP) is a versatile network switch. So, anyone with proper knowledge can make the best out of this switch. But the best suitable usage for this device is

1. Home and Office Security

NETGEAR (GS324TP) is great for IP or HD Security cameras.

Because of its smart security features, it is quite reliable for security usage. IP cameras need 8-10W of power. So, it can support a high number of IP cameras too.

Moreover, its high bandwidth support can provide camera feeds without latency, and the additional SFP ports can be used for uplink.

2. Home Offices

NETGEAR (GS324TP) can be the perfect choice for home or remote offices.

It has 26 ports with PoE+ capabilities. Which is more than enough for medium home offices. Moreover, because of the PoE+, you can remove all the ethernet cables. It will increase the aesthetics of your house.

Plus because of its IEEE802.3az compatibility, it’s power efficient too. So, you can connect as many smart devices as you need without worrying about bills.

3. Local Business and Offices

NETGEAR 26-Port PoE Gigabit Ethernet Smart Switch (GS324TP) is great for local businesses too.

It can give your small business enterprise-level security and features. So, you can set up your small server or use it with any device without worrying about security.

Moreover, (GS324TP) can reduce the number of ethernet cables too.

Now let’s have a look at the frequently asked questions for this topic.

FAQs

1. Is a managed switch worth it?

Well, if you are an advanced user then managed switches are worth the value.

However, there is no difference in speed between managed and unmanaged switches. But managed switches can make the overall network performance better.

2. Do I need a managed switch for VLAN?

It depends on the usage. If you are planning to have multiple VLANs, or if you need to configure your VLAN then you should go for a managed switch. Otherwise, you don’t need a managed switch.

3. Does a managed switch have DHCP?

No, managed network switches do not have DHCP capability. But routers have. So, if you want DCHP then connect your managed switch with a router. If you have Layer 3 switch then you can configure the switch port as a DHCP Server.

Conclusion

This is everything you need to know about the best 24 port PoE managed switch-NETGEAR (GS324TP).

For this review, we tested Netgear gs324tp 24-port Gigabit Ethernet Lan POW Switch (GS324TP) from every possible use case. But the results were satisfactory from every angle.

Moreover, it is amazon’s choice product too. So, you can buy this network switch without worrying.

For more useful blogs like this, stay tuned to our blog. Don’t forget to check our latest article about Poe switch for IP camera and also home network setup diagram.