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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs D-Link 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
6.0
Cisco Catalyst Switches provide high ROI with consistent performance, durability, and operational reliability, despite initial cost concerns.
Sentiment score
3.8
D-Link Ethernet Switches offer up to 90% savings and cost-effective performance, providing significant ROI compared to Cisco.
From an investment standpoint, deploying Cisco Catalyst Switches offers tangible benefits, including cost reductions.
Unit Nos at Orange
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.9
Cisco Catalyst Switches support is mixed; users praise documentation but criticize slow responses and varying expertise levels.
Sentiment score
3.8
D-Link users often resolve issues independently, but support quality varies by region, with some areas needing improvement.
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
Cisco's support is good, one of the best supports that you will get.
Network Manager at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees
Whenever there is an issue, the local technical team supports us, whether through physical presence or remotely.
Project Manager at a wholesaler/distributor with 11-50 employees
We have implemented these switches in 25 to 30 sites without significant problems.
Project Manager at CCS Computer's Pvt Ltd
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Cisco Catalyst Switches provide scalable solutions for diverse deployments, supporting seamless network growth and expansion in varied environments.
Sentiment score
6.2
D-Link Ethernet Switches are scalable and flexible, suitable for medium-sized businesses, though some desire enhanced scalability features.
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
Cisco Catalyst Switches are scalable, and I would rate them eight to nine out of ten for scalability.
Network Manager at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees
The pricing is competitive in the market, making D-Link Ethernet switches a good option for both middle-end and high-end brands.
Project Manager at a wholesaler/distributor with 11-50 employees
There is not much scalability.
Data Center Admin at Sysnet Global Technologies
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.2
Cisco Catalyst Switches are praised for their reliability and stability despite occasional minor hardware issues, making them a preferred choice.
Sentiment score
8.0
D-Link Ethernet Switches are praised for reliability and performance, despite minor issues and some stability decline over time.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are stable.
Network Manager at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees
The integration has been successful with no security breaches or network disturbances.
Project Manager at CCS Computer's Pvt Ltd
There are no stability issues with D-Link Ethernet switches.
Project Manager at a wholesaler/distributor with 11-50 employees
The stability of D-Link Ethernet Switches is good.
Data Center Admin at Sysnet Global Technologies
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Catalyst Switches need improved third-party integration, simpler licensing, better documentation, user-friendly configurations, and enhanced security and AI features.
D-Link Ethernet Switches are costly, lacking in software management, stability, security features, scalability, and advanced configurations.
It is the highest cost in the market.
Network Engineer at General Authority OF ZAKAT & TAX
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 configuration options on the Cisco Commerce website could be more efficient.
Product Manager at Uop Ipl
Currently, D-Link Ethernet Switches are often not used in large data centers due to issues with performance and scalability.
Data Center Admin at Sysnet Global Technologies
Improvements in the voltage facility, like increasing from 360 watts to 400 or 450 watts, would make them more competitive with other vendors.
Project Manager at a wholesaler/distributor with 11-50 employees
The products I'm dealing with are just plug-and-play, unmanaged switches.
Head of IT and Information Security at GLEEDS USA INC
 

Setup Cost

Cisco Catalyst Switches are reliable but costly, with complex licensing; potential buyers seek competitive pricing and bulk purchase discounts.
D-Link Switches offer affordable pricing, minimal fees, and included support, making them ideal for budget-conscious enterprises.
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
The pricing of D-Link Ethernet Switches is cost-effective.
Data Center Admin at Sysnet Global Technologies
High-end switches should be slightly cheaper.
Project Manager at a wholesaler/distributor with 11-50 employees
D-Link Ethernet Switches are 30% cheaper than Cisco switches.
Manager IT at Amplelogic
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Catalyst Switches are robust, versatile, and scalable, featuring advanced management and supporting diverse network infrastructures with excellent documentation.
D-Link Ethernet Switches offer user-friendly, affordable, and energy-efficient solutions with robust features for versatile network environments.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are valuable for their reliability and performance.
Product Manager at Uop Ipl
The most beneficial features for our network management are their stability and good customer support.
Network Manager at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees
Catalyst Switches are efficient and swift, which is valuable for my organization.
I.T INFRASTRUCTURE/SECURITY ADMINISTRATOR at Haggai Mortgage Bank Ltd
It's especially valuable because Cisco and other products function similarly, but for smaller networks where high transfer rates aren't necessary.
Project Manager at a wholesaler/distributor with 11-50 employees
I haven't found any problem implementing those in a live environment; it's just a plug-and-play device.
Head of IT and Information Security at GLEEDS USA INC
The features of D-Link Ethernet Switches that have proven most beneficial in managing network traffic include their cost-effectiveness, which is suitable for small data centers.
Data Center Admin at Sysnet Global Technologies
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
178
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (2nd), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
D-Link Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
13th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
31
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 3.3%, up from 1.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of D-Link Ethernet Switches is 4.5%, down from 6.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco Catalyst Switches3.3%
D-Link Ethernet Switches4.5%
Other92.2%
Ethernet Switches
 

Q&A Highlights

it_user1562274 - PeerSpot reviewer
Works at Ministry of Finance
May 02, 2021
 

Featured Reviews

AG
Unit Nos at Orange
Reliable support boosts confidence while initial setup complexities highlight improvement areas
Challenges I've encountered mostly involve the RMA part for hardware replacement, which doesn't happen regularly, but sometimes I face challenges due to limited parts in India; they offer different model devices as a stopgap arrangement. It's quite difficult to specify features I would want to see in future updates because that varies from model to model. I would definitely recommend Cisco Catalyst Switches to other users. We do maintenance for Cisco Catalyst Switches. For maintenance, we usually need three people from different regions working as a single team; our engineers handle both projects and maintenance, so there isn't a specific engineer just for maintenance. I work with firewalls and next-generation firewalls. Overall, I would rate the solution as an eight out of ten.
SyedTaha - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of IT and Information Security at GLEEDS USA INC
Cost has remained low while implementation proceeds without complications
To capture the critical traffic to prioritize is not something I work with in advanced QoS features. Regarding VLAN support in bandwidth management, we are not utilizing VLAN for the infrastructure as we have a minimal requirement for VLAN, so we have not yet implemented any of the features relevant to the virtual LANs. It's very hard to answer the question about minor improvements D-Link Ethernet Switches could do with their products because the products I'm dealing with are just plug-and-play, unmanaged switches. It would be more appropriate to comment on features if I had been using Layer 2 or Layer 3 switches for at least a couple of months. I don't think there are any disadvantages I can point out for the product.
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Answers from the Community

it_user1562274 - PeerSpot reviewer
Works at Ministry of Finance
May 2, 2021
May 2, 2021
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 other hand, which model of the Dlink brand do you want to use?1) is equivalent in functions?2) are all the functions of the Cisco equipment used?3) Do you already have the IT expert to install and con...
2 out of 5 answers
EB
Director of Community at PeerSpot (formerly IT Central Station)
Apr 28, 2021
Hi @Manish Nalawade , @Phillip Peerman ​and @Devanand PR. Could you assist @Mesfin Workneh?
Luis Apodaca - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Support and Network Admin at Escuela Carlos Pereyra
Apr 28, 2021
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 other hand, which model of the Dlink brand do you want to use?1) is equivalent in functions?2) are all the functions of the Cisco equipment used?3) Do you already have the IT expert to install and configure it?4) Will the new equipment suggested in Dlink use all the functions you need?Most of the time, the consideration of changing the equipment is because its useful life has come to an end, the technology is no longer the best available, or it broke down due to some overload, in these cases the first criterion to decide is always the cost economic, but the ideal is to see the big picture and look at the overall cost-benefitIt does not matter that the Dlink equipment is more economical, in these times many brands have economic equipment and that rival in capabilities with the leading brands you can have confidence in itAs a result of this, the same Cisco brand already has a line (Catalyst 1000) that presents the same cost benefit as the equipment of the others with lower price rangesfinally my personal recommendation is any brand of the followinga) Ubiquiti Edge or ubiquiti Unifib) Cisco Catalyst 1000c) TPLink Omadad) Aruba instant onGood luck.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Educational Organization
6%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Computer Software Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Healthcare Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business79
Midsize Enterprise29
Large Enterprise79
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business18
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise7
 

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 do you like most about Cisco Catalyst Switches?
We are a vendor for the healthcare sector, especially hospitals, and normally, we use a full Cisco solution for stability, especially for the stability of the Access Points and the security of swit...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Catalyst Switches?
For pricing satisfaction, I'd say it will be six to seven because Cisco usually is costly compared to other vendors. Regarding pricing, there is indeed room for improvement.
What do you like most about D-Link Ethernet Switches?
D-Link has a good VPN feature and quality of service.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for D-Link Ethernet Switches?
D-Link Ethernet Switches are 30% cheaper than Cisco switches. Pricing has not been a concern since it is already included in the capex.
What needs improvement with D-Link Ethernet Switches?
To capture the critical traffic to prioritize is not something I work with in advanced QoS features. Regarding VLAN support in bandwidth management, we are not utilizing VLAN for the infrastructure...
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
No data available
 

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
George Mason University, Somerville House, Hiperwall, New Brunswick School District 16, The Fulcrum Group, Bremond Independent School District, University of Texas Health Science Center, Grand Canyon Skywalk, SUN Area Career & Technology Center, Abington Senior High School
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. D-Link Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,259 professionals have used our research since 2012.