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Cisco Ethernet Switches vs MikroTik Routers and 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
7.1
MikroTik devices are cost-effective, reliable, and offer an impressive 80% return on investment with no licensing fees.
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
4.3
MikroTik support receives mixed reviews; while knowledgeable, users face access challenges and documentation limitations compared to Cisco.
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)
Their support team knows their product very well.
Community Director at PeerSpot
I sometimes need technical support from my ISP company, or else I gather information from YouTube.
IT Manager at ERL
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
7.1
MikroTik Routers are seen as scalable, though some note hardware and security limitations in larger deployments.
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)
Even in a big enterprise, MikroTik Routers and Switches can scale very well.
Community Director at PeerSpot
It's easy to scale MikroTik Routers and Switches; you can add more and have a cluster.
IT Consultant at M-COM s.r.o
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
7.4
MikroTik Routers and Switches are generally stable, but newer OS versions and the power system can cause issues.
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
MikroTik Routers and Switches are very stable.
IT Manager at ERL
MikroTik Routers and Switches have very high stability.
Community Director at PeerSpot
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.
MikroTik Routers and Switches need better interface, security, documentation, compatibility, advanced features, and support for improved user experience.
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
It would be better for me if I could establish filter rules within MikroTik.
IT Manager at ERL
The most important thing is maintaining and enhancing their strong security features.
Community Director at PeerSpot
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.
MikroTik offers cost-effective routers with lifetime licenses, appealing to enterprises seeking affordable high-performance alternatives without hidden charges.
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
MikroTik Routers and Switches are expensive, but they are the best products in terms of quality.
Community Director at PeerSpot
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.
MikroTik devices combine affordability, scalability, and performance with features like flexible firewalls and user-friendly GUI for efficient networking.
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 simplify the process of creating access lists, allowing me to understand my network's activities effectively.
IT Manager at ERL
MikroTik Routers and Switches are some of the best routers around, security-wise, followed by Cisco.
Community Director at PeerSpot
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 MikroTik Routers and Switches is 4.6%, down from 6.7% 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%
MikroTik Routers and Switches4.6%
Other79.5%
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.
AnikIslam - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Executive at Lakdhanavi Limited
Cost-effective protocol support and a straightforward setup with room for login enhancements
In the network operations center, I manage our client's bandwidth. We connect with our clients through BGP and OSPF based on client demands. We also manage routing protocols, policies, internal firewalls, and other details like QE bandwidth, client manage bandwidth management, PoE, PPPoE, and DNS…
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%
Comms Service Provider
18%
Computer Software Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
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 Business43
Midsize Enterprise16
Large Enterprise9
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...
How do Cisco Enterprise routers compare with Mikrotik routers and switches?
Cisco Enterprise Routers are very stable and easy to use. They offer a very solid performance and are very secure. Th...
Which are better - Ubiquiti UniFi switches or MikroTik routers and switches?
Ubiquiti Unifi is a great solution. For starters, it is easy to configure and implement, and doesn’t require a learni...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for MikroTik Routers and Switches?
MikroTik Routers and Switches are expensive, but they are the best products in terms of quality. From my knowledge, t...
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
No data available
NETGEAR Insight Managed Switches, NETGEAR GC Series, NETGEAR M Series
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Linz AG
ABB, Boingo Wireless, JPL, HP, Allied Telesis, iPass, Mips Technologies, MicroAge, Matsushita, Telia, undp, WFP, NASA
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.