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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
4.9
Cisco Catalyst Switches offer longevity, stability, and cost savings, providing excellent ROI yet viewed as costly by some users.
Sentiment score
3.4
Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches provide long-term value with stability, functionality, and cost efficiency, reducing equipment replacement needs.
I can say in terms of money saved because up until now, in the previous places where I have worked and also now, we still use the older model, the 2960 model Cisco Catalyst Switches, which has been in existence for almost 20 years and up until now it still functions very well.
Electrical control system engineer at Dangote petroleum refinery and petrol chemicals
From an investment standpoint, deploying Cisco Catalyst Switches offers tangible benefits, including cost reductions.
Unit Nos at Orange
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.7
Customer service for Cisco Catalyst Switches is praised for responsiveness but criticized for delays in complex or escalated cases.
Sentiment score
6.3
Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches support is largely positive, with responsiveness varying by contract and location, but generally reliable.
When requesting an RMA, they replace defective items in just one day.
Network Engineer at General Authority OF ZAKAT & TAX
On a scale from one to 10, I would rate the technical support of Cisco at 10 out of 10.
student at St. Joseph's College of Engineering
TAC really depends on the engineer; you could end up with a three, but then we can reach out to our account team and ask for help, or re-queue the case.
Senior Network Analyst at a university with 5,001-10,000 employees
If you are talking about Cisco TAC, it is always good.
Senior Network Architect at Previder
They were easily reachable for technical support in our last project.
General Manager at Bilgipark Görüntü ve İletişim San. Tic. A.S.
They've integrated it over the last few years, and they don't differentiate with the support as far as the Linksys versus the full-blown Cisco switches.
Systems Engineer at Casa Loma College
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.4
Cisco Catalyst Switches enable scalable, cost-effective network expansion with modular features, despite complex configuration for growing enterprise needs.
Sentiment score
6.1
Cisco Linksys Switches suit small to medium businesses, scalable yet limited, with Catalyst series recommended for larger networks.
The scalability of Cisco Catalyst Switches is very much scalable, as it supports the stacking feature and growth; for instance, with 94K modular switches, based on the requirement, we can even increase modules for more bandwidth.
Unit Nos at Orange
Unlike Meraki, where I can bring a switch online, join it to the portal, and it becomes operational immediately.
Software Developer/ IT Analyst Individual Contributor at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
The auto-scaling and zero-touch provisioning kind of support for Nexus switches is lacking.
Network Security Engineer at a healthcare company with 11-50 employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
Cisco Catalyst Switches are valued for reliability, durability, and support, with minor hardware issues and high stability ratings reported.
Sentiment score
8.4
Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches are reliable with minimal crashes, though some prefer Juniper for even greater stability and support.
The stability of Cisco Catalyst Switches in my environment is somewhat problematic: legacy Cisco Catalyst Switches, even though they have licenses and support, present many hardware-related issues, such as interfaces going down very repeatedly, SFP modules failing in most cases, and hardware ports becoming faulty.
Network Security Engineer at a healthcare company with 11-50 employees
What you tell it to do is exactly what it does.
Electrical control system engineer at Dangote petroleum refinery and petrol chemicals
Since we operate medical infrastructure, we try to avoid downtime as much as possible.
Enterprise Network Architect at UCLA
I haven't experienced any problems with latency or other issues.
Head of Infrastructure Sector at Mezzo
The Linksys depends on the environment; if it's an easy-going environment, they're pretty stable, but in more complex network environments, Cisco is definitely a lot more stable.
Systems Engineer at Casa Loma College
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Catalyst Switches face cost, compatibility, and scalability issues, needing improved management, security, and user-friendly features.
Cisco Linksys Switches face pricing, scalability, stability issues, needing user-friendly interfaces, improved support, automation, and modernized features.
Cisco should provide some level of software that I can bring on-premise where I can add all my Catalyst switches for central management.
Software Developer/ IT Analyst Individual Contributor at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
Support and vulnerabilities are the biggest issues regarding Cisco Catalyst Switches.
Network Architect at a retailer with 5,001-10,000 employees
Currently, I don't see much AI integration with Cisco Catalyst Switches; though they've started, it still needs improvement.
Unit Nos at Orange
The reason for improvement is that we have some projects related to the segregation of the LAN and the establishment of a matrix of traffic.
Head of Infrastructure Sector at Mezzo
The main issue is that many customers are hesitant to purchase Cisco products because the support costs are very high.
Senior Network Architect at Previder
There should be an improvement in Cisco's response time and overall competence.
General Manager at Bilgipark Görüntü ve İletişim San. Tic. A.S.
 

Setup Cost

Cisco Catalyst Switches are costly but valued for reliability and features, though pricing compared to Huawei and HP needs improvement.
Cisco Linksys Switches are reliable with competitive licensing but may deter buyers due to high prices compared to competitors.
Cisco provides unique features that justify their pricing.
Product Manager at Uop Ipl
Cisco Catalyst Switches are quite pricey.
Network Manager at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees
Cisco usually is costly compared to other vendors.
Unit Nos at Orange
Pricing can be high when compared to other solutions in the market.
General Manager at Bilgipark Görüntü ve İletişim San. Tic. A.S.
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Catalyst Switches provide reliable, high-performance network solutions with strong security, flexibility, and ease of integration and scalability.
Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches are affordable, easy to manage, and offer robust performance with reliable connectivity and security.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are valuable for their reliability and performance.
Product Manager at Uop Ipl
With Meraki access points, I do not have to have a wireless controller for them. I can configure the wireless device directly from the switch, making the setup cleaner, and that is a major reason for my preference.
Software Developer/ IT Analyst Individual Contributor at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
Cisco Catalyst Switches provide high performance and security features that stand out in my daily work, where they handle a high volume of traffic with low latency, making them suitable for bandwidth-intensive applications, web applications, VoIP applications, video streaming, and major data center workloads.
Network Security Engineer at a healthcare company with 11-50 employees
Cisco is trusted by most broadcast customers for data centers due to their experience and knowledge.
General Manager at Bilgipark Görüntü ve İletişim San. Tic. A.S.
Some of the most valuable features of Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches include their security features.
Chief Technology Officer at Mehbub General Trading PLC
Cost savings and ease of use are benefits I've seen from using this, as it's less complex to set up and configure compared to Cisco switching.
Systems Engineer at Casa Loma College
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
3rd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
187
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Cisco Linksys Ethernet Swit...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
11th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.1
Number of Reviews
79
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 4.5%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches is 3.7%, up from 2.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Catalyst Switches4.5%
Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches3.7%
Other91.8%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

MS
Electrical control system engineer at Dangote petroleum refinery and petrol chemicals
Reliable switching has delivered long‑term uptime, strong PoE support, and predictable performance
Cisco Systems Catalyst Switches are highly regarded for their performance, reliability, and enterprise-grade capabilities. My main reservation, however, is the pricing. The cost of Cisco Catalyst Switches—and Cisco products in general—is relatively high, especially in many African markets where organizations often need to balance budget constraints with required functionality. There are alternative vendors that offer comparable features at a lower price point. While they may not always match Cisco’s ecosystem, stability, or full feature depth, many businesses still choose them because of the significant cost savings. Another consideration is licensing, which can add to the overall total cost of ownership depending on the deployment model and required features. Overall, Cisco Catalyst Switches remain premium enterprise solutions, but when compared with other OEMs, their higher acquisition and licensing costs can be a major deciding factor for cost-conscious organizations.
DolfKrikke - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Network Architect at Previder
Long experience has delivered fast, reliable networking and intuitive management for clients
Regarding Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches, there is nothing technically that needs improvement, but the support and cost are significant concerns. The main issue is that many customers are hesitant to purchase Cisco products because the support costs are very high. When I compare it to HP Aruba switches, for example, the support from HP is almost free. Cisco always charges for support, which is understandable because Cisco has a very large support organization like Cisco TAC behind it. Additionally, upgrades are not free with Cisco. Other vendors offer switch upgrades and firmware upgrades mostly free of charge. These are my main concerns.
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
902,988 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
Construction Company
13%
Marketing Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business83
Midsize Enterprise29
Large Enterprise85
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business42
Midsize Enterprise15
Large Enterprise24
 

Questions from the Community

Would you recommend replacing a Cisco Catalyst Switch by a D-link one?
Hello Mesfin It depends on the real scenario, the cisco 2960 is a very good device and they usually have routing functions but there are many different models within the same 2960 line, and on the ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Catalyst Switches?
Those aspects regarding pricing, setup, cost, and licensing are managed by management, so I am not directly involved.
What needs improvement with Cisco Catalyst Switches?
I believe that Cisco Catalyst Switches could be improved by being given AI capability and advanced licensing, which would be beneficial.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches?
Regarding pricing, I take the cost of Cisco Linksys Ethernet switches into consideration.
What needs improvement with Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches?
Regarding Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches, there is nothing technically that needs improvement, but the support and cost are significant concerns. The main issue is that many customers are hesitant...
What is your primary use case for Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches?
I am still working with Cisco products, but not exclusively. I also work with HP, Aruba, and other products like Mellanox and HP. I am a senior network engineer and architect for an integrator.
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
Linksys Ethernet Switches
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Afni, Anilana Hotels and Resorts, Baylor Scott & White Health, Beachbody, Bellevue, Del Papa Distributing, Explorer Pipeline, Mindtree, Omaha World Herald, Radio 538, Sony Corporation, Telecom Italia, Telenor Arena
Linz AG
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
902,988 professionals have used our research since 2012.