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Cisco Ethernet Switches vs D-Link Ethernet Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

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

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Ethernet Switches is 12.4%, down from 18.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of D-Link Ethernet Switches is 5.1%, down from 6.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is 1.6%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco Ethernet Switches12.4%
D-Link Ethernet Switches5.1%
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch1.6%
Other80.9%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Myint Aung - PeerSpot reviewer
Exceptional network support and AI integration drive performance while suggesting enhancements for future use cases
I work with both HyperFlex and other Cisco products. I prefer to make online support available because I can utilize my CCIE architect, solution consultant, and engineer team along with our account manager and product sales team. We can clarify requirements and decide how to support you. We should arrange a conference call about Cisco Ethernet Switches where I can invite my architect and consultant to clarify more about the features that are most beneficial for improving network efficiency. Today is AI day, and all the new firmware includes AI to optimize the performance, traffic, and security of Cisco Ethernet Switches. It's performing very well. With many solutions and vendors available, you have to decide on one. I am extremely satisfied with the licensing cost for Cisco Ethernet Switches. For the price of Cisco Ethernet Switches, I would rate it a 7. My overall rating for Cisco Ethernet Switches is 10 out of 10.
Daniel Kivuthi - PeerSpot reviewer
Fits well in networks, integrate well but initial setup needs trained people
I did not face any major challenges, but the only thing is that D-Link has to invest in training technicians or engineers who install their products. They have to keep training them. D-Link can offer free training, or maybe even if they are charged, it's some fair charge. That way, D-Link encourages many technicians to take that training. And when the team has trained technicians or trained engineers, then it becomes very easy to install the devices and put them in the network. The solution integrates very well with our existing network infrastructure. The initial setup is straightforward. But, again, I will insist: If it is handled by trained personnel, then you find that the integration and installation are easy. But when people try to install the switches or the solutions and they do not have the technical know-how, then it becomes a challenge. People start saying that it's not a good solution, that they are not working. Yet, it is the technician who does not know how to handle them.
MarkBanks - PeerSpot reviewer
Has reduced deployment time and enabled cost-effective internet access in the public sector
As an integrator, the best advantage of the product is its cost. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch stands out for its features, especially those available at that price point. I don't get involved too much in the setup of MikroTik Cloud Router Switch, so I appreciate the ease of setup. There are no specific features we use it for; its cost-effectiveness for internet access is what matters. One useful feature we utilize is Ethernet over IP. The positive impact of the solution on our company and clients is that it provides an attractive price point. It allows us to deliver cost-compliant solutions to our clients. Since we work in the public sector, cost is a very important attribute, and that's where it fits in our portfolio.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The brand name and the service support by Cisco are most valuable."
"When it comes to switching routing, we have no doubts about Cisco."
"The features that I have found most valuable are that it is easy to use and it has good technical support."
"Very stable solution with a very low failure rate."
"Cisco Ethernet Switches are scalable, much more than Jupiter."
"The hardware is rugged. We use it for the basic configuration."
"The quality of service is one of the main reasons we use Cisco in our organization. It's quite high and very reliable. The switches also end up working for a long time, so there's less need to replace them as often as others. We have some switches in our company that has been running since 2006, for example. They are quite old, but they still work."
"We only use the basic features and we find that it works well."
"The main selling point for me was the pricing. Moreover, the performance is good. I haven't had any issues so far."
"These switches are very easy to install because there is no configuration."
"The most valuable feature is VLAN."
"Its integration is the most valuable."
"The overall solution is best for any low-cost environment because of its cost-effectiveness."
"The tool's fault frequency is very less."
"The product is simple to manage."
"These switches are simple and easy to configure."
"The best aspect is that it remains affordable."
"The beauty of MikroTik is that you have flexibility with the routing parts."
"The wiki page that describes the scripting and other features is very good."
"Regarding security and visibility in monitoring, it is very good, the GUI is very intuitive, and it has many more features than those from major vendors."
"MikroTik Cloud Router Switch stands out for its features, especially those available at that price point."
"The technical support for MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is superb."
"The initial setup is easy."
"The performance has been good."
 

Cons

"The enterprise-level switches should have a simpler deployment. They should make it possible for lower-skilled workers to be able to deploy the product."
"There is a need for improvement on the ordering and delivery side for Cisco Ethernet switches."
"Cisco should consider adding a GUI as most vendors now offer the ability to manage switches via a graphical user interface, while Cisco switches are managed using pure CLI."
"We are less in the Cloud because the Cloud technologies didn't work so well. That happened in all of the companies where I've been engaged."
"Previously, advanced features were included in the basic package, but now they are provided as add-ons that need to be purchased separately."
"They can make the licensing model a little easier."
"To keep up with the market, the solution should have better evolution and innovation."
"The high price of the tool is an area of concern where improvements are required."
"The technical support needs a lot of improvement."
"The solution's web filtering feature could be improved."
"They could be more stable. They were not as resistant as Cisco. After some time, some of them failed. This could be because we import quite a lot of products from different horizons, so there is no guarantee of quality. In Africa, these products don't always directly come from the manufacturer. We get these products from the Middle East or Asia. Therefore, you cannot be sure that the quality is exactly similar to what you have in Europe or America."
"In a future release, the solution could improve by being more secure and allowing the configuration of each port."
"Areas of the solution that have room for improvement include scalability, as it should improve both scaling and security."
"They need to have some more high-end switches."
"I'd like to see a central management system included as part of their license, not as a separate purchase. Currently, we have to manage switches independently. A central portal for managing all switches and providing visibility would be great."
"It could be easier to scale on managed devices."
"Simplifying the documentation would be a good idea."
"The port isolation and VLAN need to be improved."
"While some customers use MikroTik Cloud Router Switch as a firewall, it's not at an industry-level, though the basic features are adequate for many users who prefer it over purchasing other reputed firewall solutions."
"Technical support could be better."
"Aspects such as zero trust, security, and management interface could be improved, which would be useful."
"The packet filtering, user log data, and user access log could all be improved."
"Improvements are needed with respect to some of the security, especially for VPN links between vendors other than Cisco."
"In medium to large sectors, there's a necessity for managing aspects like proxy firewalls."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Cisco offers annual and three-year license options."
"Cisco Ethernet Switches are expensive, and you have to pay for a warranty and technical support."
"Quality comes at a price. I've been around the block a bit, and I know that good quality comes at a price. However, some of the organizations don't have big budgets, so you have to develop different solutions for them. They don't have the budget to get some of the high-end features. Cisco can consider providing entry-level hardware to suit SMBs."
"The price is a bit on the high side."
"Cisco now has more products that are priced for small businesses, so they do have some cheaper models."
"We are happy with the pricing from Cisco."
"It could be cheaper."
"It is an expensive product."
"It is an affordable solution."
"These units vary in price from $200 to one thousand dollars. They're available for a one-time purchase."
"They were cheap. We were not paying for any license."
"The D-Link Switches are cheaper than Cisco."
"There is not a license required for this solution and it is priced well."
"The solution's pricing is reasonable."
"D-Link Ethernet Switches' price is good."
"It has a good return on investment. It has indeed saved us resources significantly."
"I consider it to be a cost-effective solution."
"MikroTik is really cheap compared to the competitors."
"I believe the price of the tool is high, but it is okay for the services we get from it."
"The price of the solution is fair and there is a one-time license purchase only."
"In Pakistan, if you buy this cloud router, it's approximately $700 for the device."
"The price is competitive."
"The licensing for MikroTik is great. It's easy to enter, especially for small businesses. Their model is great."
"They came with the licensing when we purchased them."
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Comparison Review

it_user82779 - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 29, 2014
Benefits of Juniper vs Cisco
Both are decent products. I prefer Juniper for the following reasons: 1) Cleaner separation of data plane from control plane. Higher end Cisco devices are better at this but most of the lower end products still seem to be more integrated than I like. 2) The Hierarchical config design means I can…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Healthcare Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
15%
Computer Software Company
12%
Educational Organization
10%
Healthcare Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business58
Midsize Enterprise36
Large Enterprise53
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business18
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise6
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business19
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise2
 

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 func...
Which would you choose - Fortinet Fortiswitch secure access or Cisco Ethernet Switches?
We researched Cisco but ultimately chose Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access, mostly because of the price. Fortinet F...
In terms of ethernet switches, would you go with Cisco or Juniper?
Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether Cisco or Juniper Ethernet switches were the better fit for...
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 incl...
What needs improvement with D-Link Ethernet Switches?
Security enhancement would be beneficial as security challenges constantly emerge. New challenges will arise with 6G ...
What do you like most about MikroTik Cloud Router Switch?
The tool has impacted our company's network costs and productivity in a perfect manner and percentage-wise, I can say...
What needs improvement with MikroTik Cloud Router Switch?
Regarding improvements in the MikroTik Cloud Router Switch, I am not sure as it is a good product. The performance co...
 

Also Known As

Cisco Industrial Ethernet Switches
No data available
MikroTik CRS Series
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Linz AG
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
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Netgear and others in Ethernet Switches. Updated: September 2025.
868,229 professionals have used our research since 2012.