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Cisco Ethernet Switches vs HPE Ethernet Switches vs NETGEAR Switches 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:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
5.7
Cisco Ethernet Switches offer high ROI with low maintenance, uptime, but some face renewal, scalability challenges affecting profitability.
Sentiment score
1.0
HPE Ethernet Switches offer reliable ROI through low power, stable performance, reduced maintenance, and lifetime warranty despite high prices.
Sentiment score
6.9
NETGEAR Switches enhance efficiency and profitability through reliability, remote management, and long-term cost savings despite initial investment.
It has saved considerable time for engineers to troubleshoot and perform related tasks.
Network & Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Private Limited
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.1
Cisco Ethernet Switches are praised for strong support, yet experience variability, especially with complex issues and response times.
Sentiment score
7.8
HPE Ethernet Switches customer service is praised for quick response, though support satisfaction varies, with improved regional response times.
Sentiment score
6.8
NETGEAR Switches support is generally effective, though some face challenges with documentation, quick assistance, and complex configurations.
Customer support for Cisco Ethernet Switches is really good.
Network & Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Private Limited
It takes two to three days for Cisco support to address issues.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
Currently, we don't have any technical support because our license doesn't allow for direct support.
Commercial Experience Supervisor at Jazz (previously known as Mobilink)
We attach SKUs that offer an advanced replacement of the hardware in the worst-case scenario.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
Their customer service and support are quite good.
IT Specialist at Dense Media Separation Powders (Pty) LTD
There are issues distinguishing which switches support cloud features.
Managing Director at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
Cisco Ethernet Switches are scalable, adaptable, and support efficient network expansion across diverse environments, suitable for all company sizes.
Sentiment score
7.9
HPE Ethernet Switches are valued for scalability and modularity, though opinions vary on manageability and future-proofing.
Sentiment score
7.0
NETGEAR Switches provide scalable solutions with virtual stacking, supporting high performance and adaptability for diverse network environments.
Cisco mainly provides security, patch management, hardware reliability, durability, scalability, and security features supporting my organization's expansion.
Head of the Solutions Department at BIM Group of Companies
The latest products do not allow integration with the earlier environment.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
The scalability depends on the model.
Commercial Experience Supervisor at Jazz (previously known as Mobilink)
HPE Ethernet Switches are highly scalable.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
The scalability of NETGEAR Switches is easy and very beneficial for us.
Assistant Manager ICT at IHS
NETGEAR's scalability through its Insight Cloud system is on par with Ubiquiti's, although it must offer features beyond its competitors.
Managing Director at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
We used to use a lot of the 4300 switches and they're not completely compatible with the new AV line.
Teamleader Av Installers at solufak
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.9
Cisco Ethernet Switches are highly regarded for their durability and reliability, with users praising their long-lasting performance and support.
Sentiment score
8.5
HPE Ethernet Switches are praised for reliability, durability, and stability, often rated highly for challenging projects and long-term use.
Sentiment score
7.8
NETGEAR Switches are reliable and efficient, offering high stability with minor glitches easily fixed through firmware updates.
The switches are very stable, rated ten out of ten.
Senior System Engineer & Project Manager at TechnoPeak
We had one incident where an electric overload occurred, and it still managed to stay operational.
IT Specialist at Dense Media Separation Powders (Pty) LTD
HPE Ethernet Switches are very reliable and have high stability.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
We've experienced failures such as a 16-port dying after three to four years.
Managing Director at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
I rarely see glitches, but we had some minor glitches over the past years, and they were easily resolved.
Teamleader Av Installers at solufak
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Ethernet Switches face challenges with complexity, costs, inadequate support, and demand improvements in scalability, security, integration, and usability.
Users want improved UI, stability, security, better support, lower pricing, enhanced scalability, and more automation in HPE Ethernet Switches.
NETGEAR Switches need enhanced security, improved management, better performance, and more intuitive interfaces, addressing cost and support concerns.
The pricing and hardware warranty renewal costs are more expensive than other products.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
FortiGate switches are considered more valuable because they have firewall capabilities.
Commercial Experience Supervisor at Jazz (previously known as Mobilink)
For example, on switches, filtering specific sections isn't supported, whereas, on routers, you can do 'show run' with additional commands to filter.
Senior System Engineer & Project Manager at TechnoPeak
Incorporating them into an existing infrastructure with competitor products is a challenging task which could be better streamlined.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
The price should be reduced in comparison to Cisco, as sometimes we cannot use the HPE one at the core level, where generally public users are using Cisco.
Sr.Manager-IT at imi kolkata
They should introduce features like dual firmware or dual boot that allow systems to be updated without downtime.
Managing Director at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Real-time analytics would be helpful regarding the analytics aspect, and this feature is not yet present and would be an improvement regarding analytics.
Teamleader Av Installers at solufak
They can improve on the commercial part, specifically the cost, as it is higher than other brands.
Assistant Manager ICT at IHS
 

Setup Cost

Cisco Ethernet Switches offer high quality and reliability but come with high prices, inflexible licensing, and potential hidden costs.
HPE Ethernet Switches are seen as affordable and offer a good price-performance balance compared to competitors like Cisco.
NETGEAR Switches offer excellent value and advanced features, making them ideal for budget-conscious buyers like schools and municipalities.
Cisco Ethernet switches are priced at a rating of nine, indicating they are expensive.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
We need to pay for the subscription, as there are extra expenses after purchasing the product.
Head of the Solutions Department at BIM Group of Companies
Regarding the cost, Cisco Ethernet Switches have a competitive price.
IT Manager at Decorgel
When compared to Cisco, Aruba is about 40% cheaper.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
The price of HPE Ethernet Switches is reasonable and less than other OEM brands.
Sr.Manager-IT at imi kolkata
Some high-end switches required for specific advanced features, like precision time protocols, can be more expensive.
Managing Director at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
It is an expensive product.
Teamleader Av Installers at solufak
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Ethernet Switches provide performance, reliability, security, scalability, advanced management features, customization, energy efficiency, and extensive support.
HPE Ethernet Switches offer scalability, reliability, strong management, and PoE support with intuitive interfaces and robust security features.
NETGEAR Switches provide affordable, easy-to-manage, energy-efficient networking with diverse models and strong security, ideal for small businesses.
Their stability and durability are essential features we've been looking for many years, and they are still working fine.
IT Manager at Decorgel
It provides a high layer of enterprise security via 802.1X port-based authentication, DHCP snooping, ARP inspection, IP Guard, ACLs, and integration with Cisco ISE.
Network & Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Private Limited
The Cisco Ethernet switches are sturdy products that do not require any kind of maintenance.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
They are highly scalable and stable, which is vital for large enterprises that require reliable performance.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
The security features of the HPE Ethernet Switches are good.
Sr.Manager-IT at imi kolkata
The most valuable features are routing and access control.
Assistant Manager ICT at IHS
The precision time protocol feature caught our interest for future use in specific settings like churches, where low latency is required.
Managing Director at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
The best things about NETGEAR Switches are the support they provide and the ease of implementation.
Teamleader Av Installers at solufak
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Ethernet Switches is 9.0%, down from 14.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE Ethernet Switches is 3.7%, up from 2.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NETGEAR Switches is 6.9%, down from 8.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Ethernet Switches9.0%
NETGEAR Switches6.9%
HPE Ethernet Switches3.7%
Other80.4%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Sachin-Yadav - PeerSpot reviewer
Network & Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Private Limited
Network segmentation has improved security and performance across all departments
Cisco Ethernet Switches offer various features such as L3 capable models which help me with my routing requirements, OSPF, EIGRP, and VRF for segmentation, as well as policy-based routing. Additionally, it provides a high layer of enterprise security via 802.1X port-based authentication, DHCP snooping, ARP inspection, IP Guard, ACLs, and integration with Cisco ISE. I have been using Cisco Ethernet Switches for more than four years, and they have provided me stability, better connectivity, and higher speed. My organization values these switches greatly.
KK
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
Security, reliability, and cost-effectiveness drive success across different business scales
HPE Ethernet Switches are very much covered on the security front due to their ClearPass technology, which is exceptional. They are highly scalable and stable, which is vital for large enterprises that require reliable performance. Additionally, HPE Ethernet Switches offer a cost-saving advantage as they are approximately 40% cheaper than comparable Cisco solutions. The integration of the switches is very straightforward, making them an attractive choice for many organizations.
Tomas Devriese - PeerSpot reviewer
Teamleader Av Installers at solufak
VLAN support has improved audiovisual installations and secures network traffic for our projects
Our major use cases include audiovisual installations and we mainly use the AV line for that. We work with the VLAN support feature The best things about NETGEAR Switches are the support they provide and the ease of implementation. The ease of installation helps with network performance. It helps…
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Construction Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
8%
University
7%
Financial Services Firm
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business60
Midsize Enterprise35
Large Enterprise55
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business62
Midsize Enterprise19
Large Enterprise32
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business43
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise11
 

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 is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE Ethernet Switches?
When compared to Cisco, Aruba is about 40% cheaper. However, Huawei would be even cheaper than Aruba. We can't compar...
What needs improvement with HPE Ethernet Switches?
HPE Ethernet Switches have room for improvement in the initial setup and integration process, especially when incorpo...
What is your primary use case for HPE Ethernet Switches?
Our primary use case for HPE Ethernet Switches is in various business segments. I focus on the oil and gas segment, a...
How do NETGEAR switches compare with Cisco ethernet switches?
NetGear switches have a lot to offer. They have high availability, zero-downtime stacking, L2 and L3 functionality, a...
Which switches are better - Ubiquiti Unifi or Netgear?
Ubiquiti Unifi offers a great set of features. For starters, it is easy to configure and implement, and also doesn’t ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for NETGEAR Switches?
If I were to rate price, I would give it eight or nine points. It is an expensive product.
 

Also Known As

Cisco Industrial Ethernet Switches
HP Ethernet Switches
NETGEAR Insight Managed Switches, NETGEAR GC Series, NETGEAR M Series
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Linz AG
Emirates Palace Hotel
Blaze Networks
Find out what your peers are saying about Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cisco, Ubiquiti and others in Ethernet Switches. Updated: May 2026.
899,258 professionals have used our research since 2012.