March 28, 2024

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Super Technology

TRENDnet TPE-TG350 Review: A Solid PoE+ 2.5Gbps Switch

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The TRENDnet TPE-TG350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5Gbps PoE+ switch is definitely behind its 10Gbps cousin, the TEG-S750, in performance.

But for a PoE power-sender, its entry-level Multi-Gig grade makes sense. Presently, even the fastest PoE devices, such as Wi-Fi 6 or 6E access points, only have 2.5Gbps or slower ports.

But the new switch can also host non-PoE clients, and in this case, you’d wish it had faster ports. Still, 2.5Gbps is plenty speedy, and for its purpose, the TRENDnet TPE-TG350 proved to be a little switch that could, in my trial.

At the current retail price of around $200, those looking to add a few Multi-Gig PoE devices to their network will find it a much better deal than getting a few Multi-Gig PoE injectors.

But if you don’t care about Power over Ethernet, I’d recommend the TEG-S750 instead or the Zyxel MG-108 instead. Want a non-compromising PoE experience? Check out the Zyxel XS1930-12HP!

TRENDnet TPE-TG350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5G PoE Multi-Gig switch
The TRENDnet TPE-TG350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5G PoE Multi-Gig switch cones with five 2.5Gbps port, four of which features PoE+.

TRENDnet TPE-TG350: A simple PoE+ Multi-Gig switch

The TRENDnet TPE-TG350 is super-compact for a Multi-Gig switch and shares the same design as most switches.

It’s a rectangular box with all its ports on the front end. On the sides, there are ventilation openings. And on the underside, you’ll find the holes for wall mounting. And that is it.

The device is mostly hollow — it has a thin circuit board on the inside, making it quite light. And it doesn’t have an internal fan, which is always a good thing.

That said, physically, you can think of the TRENDnet TPE-TG350 as a mini version of the TEG-S750. As switches, though, they are quite different.

TRENDnet TPE-TG350 vs TEG-S750: Hardware specifications

The two are both 5-port unmanaged switches. As a result, they are plug-n-play and can host up to four wired devices to an existing network — one of the ports works as the uplink.

TRENDnet TPE TG350 vs TEG S750 Multi Gig switches
TRENDnet TPE-TG350 vs TEG-S750: The former is smaller than the other despite having the same number of sorts and the support for PoE.

The biggest difference between the two is that the TPE-TG350 has the entry-level of Multi-Gig, 2.5Gbps and the TG-S750 supports the top-tier 10Gbps. On top of that, four of the former are PoE+ ports.

Full Name TRENDnet TPE-TG350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5Gbps PoE+ switch TRENDnet TEG-S750
5-Port 10Gbps
Unmanaged Switch
Model TPE-TG350 TEG-S750
Dimensions
(W x D x H)
11.3 x 4 x 1 in
(286 x 102 x 27mm)
7 x 5.7 x 1.3 in
(180 x 145 x 33mm)
Weight 2 lbs (0.9kg) 5.12 lbs (2.33 kg)
Gigabit-only Ports None None
Multi-Gig Ports 5x 2.5G BASE-T (100Mbps/1Gbps/2.5Gbps) 5x 10G BASE-T
(100Mbps/1Gbps/2.5Gbps/5Gbps/10Gbps))
PoE Ports 4x 2.5G BASE-T
PoE+ (802.3at)
None
PoE Features PoE budget: 55W
PoE Mode A: Pins 1, 2, 3, and 6 for power
Over-current protection
Short circuit protection
N/A
Switching Capacity  25Gbps 100Gbps
Jumbo Frame Support Yes
(Up to 12KB)
Yes
(Up to 9KB)
Packet Buffer  1.5MB 2MB
Features Fanless and quiet
Desktop and Wall mount
Fanless and quiet
Supported Standards IEEE 802.3ab
IEEE 802.3bz
IEEE 802.3an
IEEE 802.3az
IEEE 802.3u
IEEE 802.3af
IEEE 802.3at
IEEE 802.3ab
IEEE 802.3bz
IEEE 802.3an
IEEE 802.3az
IEEE 802.3u
Operating Environment Operating Temperature: 0° – 40° C (32° – 104° F)
Humidity: Up to 90% non-condensing
Temperature: 0° – 40° C (32° – 104° F)
Humidity: Up to 95% (non-condensing)
Power Supply Input: 100 – 240V AC, 50/60Hz
Output: 55V/1.3A
Input: 100 – 240V AC, 50/60 Hz
Output: 12V, 1A
Certification CE, FCC, IC
Power Consumption
(rated)
 7.83W max
(No PoE device)
11.9W max
Power Consumption
(per 24 hours)
≈ 235 Wh
(No PoE device connected)
≈ 235 Wh
LED Indicator Green: 2.5Gbps,
Amber: 1Gbps or slower
Green: 10Gbps or 5Gbps,
Amber: 2.5Gbps or slower
Warranty 3-year Lifetime
U.S Cost (at review) $205 $330
TRENDnet Multi-Gig switches’ hardware specifications: TPE-TG350 vs TEG-S750

TTRENDnet TPE-TG350: Detail photos

TRENDnet TPE-TG350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5G PoE Multi-Gig switch
The TRENDnet TPE-TG350 comes with a very large power adapter because it needs to deliver power to up to four PoE+ devices.

TRENDnet TPE TG350 5 Port Unmanaged 2.5G PoE Multi Gig switch 11
The new switch is one of the most compact Mult-Gig switches. Here’s its top.

TRENDnet TPE TG350 5 Port Unmanaged 2.5G PoE Multi Gig switch 15
On the underside, you’ll note that the TRENDnet TPE-TG350 is wall-mount-ready.

TRENDnet TPE-TG350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5G PoE Multi-Gig switch
On the side, the TRENDnet TPE-TG350 has ventilation openings. It has no internal fan.

TRENDnet TPE-TG350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5G PoE Multi-Gig switch's power adapter
For a compact device, the TRENDnet TPE-TG350 has a gigantic power adapter that’s about the same as that of a laptop computer.

TRENDnet TPE-TG350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5G PoE Multi-Gig switch's ports
All TRENDnet TPE-TG350’s ports, including the power, are on the front. Note the four PoE+ ports (1 to 4).

A straightforward PoE+ switch

Like all unmanaged switches, the TPE-TG350 works as soon as you plug it in. There’s no software or web interface to worry about.

The way it works, you use its only non-PoE port (#5) to connect to an existing network, preferably a route, or switch with another Multi-Gig port. After that, the other four ports are ready to power four PoE devices.

It’s worth noting that the switch doesn’t support PoE++ (802.3bt), so it won’t be able to fully power devices that require high power input, such as the Netgear WAX630E access point.

On top of that, it has a total PoE power budget of 55W. As a result, it can only handle two full PoE+ devices simultaneously. But you use the switch to host four low-power PoE devices — it supports all PoE devices of the PoE+ and older standards.

It’s also worth noting that the TPE-TG350 can host non-PoE devices, just like any regular non-PoE switch.

TRENDnet TPE TG350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5G PoE Multi-Gig switch
Here’s the TRENDnet TPE-TG350 in action, hosting an EnGenius ECW230 Multi-Gig access point it’s sitting on via its port 3. Photo for demo purposes only. In real life, you place the PoE AP far from the power sender.

TRENDnet TPE-TG350: Excellent performance, runs a bit hot

For this review, I used the TPE-TG350 intensively for over a week as the power sender for two PoE+ access points and ran into no issues.

The switch was silent but did get a bit warm. It was warmer than the slightly larger TEG-S750. So, it’s recommended that you use it in an open and cool environment.

As for throughput, it delivered exactly what you’d expect from a 2.5Gbps switch, as shown in the chart below.

TRENDnet TPE-TG350 Multi-Gig PoE switch's performance
The TRENDnet TPE-TG350 Multi-Gig PoE switch’s performance against others

Overall, other than the potential issue with overheating, the TRENDnet TPE-TG350 proved to be an excellent performer in my testing.

TRENDnet TPE-TG350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5G PoE Multi Gig switch

Pros

Fast performance, four PoE+ ports with plenty of power

Plug-n-play, compact design

Helpful port indicator, fanless, sturdy design, wall-mountable

Cons

Entry-level Multi-Gig (2.5Gbps), no SFP+ port, no PoE++

Bulky power adapter, runs a bit hot

Conclusion

The TRENDnet TPE-TG350 5-Port Unmanaged 2.5Gbps PoE+ switch is a relatively easy recommendation for moving past Gigigabit in the PoE world.

It’s the perfect add-on hardware for wired home or office that needs to add a few Multi-Gig PoE access points to expand the Wi-Fi coverage.

If you’re looking to add more non-Wi-Fi wired devices, I’d suggest the TEG-S750 instead.

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