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D-Link Ethernet Switches vs Meraki MS 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
3.8
D-Link Ethernet Switches offer up to 90% savings and cost-effective performance, providing significant ROI compared to Cisco.
Sentiment score
6.4
Meraki MS Switches offer scalability and manageability but face challenges with cloud integration and initial costs affecting returns.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
3.8
D-Link users often resolve issues independently, but support quality varies by region, with some areas needing improvement.
Sentiment score
8.0
Meraki MS Switches support is praised for responsiveness but faces criticism for delays and difficulties in escalation and access.
We have implemented these switches in 25 to 30 sites without significant problems.
Whenever there is an issue, the local technical team supports us, whether through physical presence or remotely.
The support is excellent and rated ten out of ten.
If the devices are licensed, the support team will assist you depending on the severity level of the case.
Cisco's tech support is pretty good, and I would rate it an eight out of ten.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.2
D-Link Ethernet Switches are scalable and flexible, suitable for medium-sized businesses, though some desire enhanced scalability features.
Sentiment score
7.6
Meraki MS Switches are scalable for SMBs with stackable features and cloud management, but may lack enterprise-level robustness.
The pricing is competitive in the market, making D-Link Ethernet switches a good option for both middle-end and high-end brands.
There is not much scalability.
They're quite scalable for my environment.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.0
D-Link Ethernet Switches are praised for reliability and performance, despite minor issues and some stability decline over time.
Sentiment score
8.2
Meraki MS Switches are highly reliable with minimal disruptions, praised for efficient updates and overall stable performance.
There are no stability issues with D-Link Ethernet switches.
The integration has been successful with no security breaches or network disturbances.
The stability of D-Link Ethernet Switches is good.
If something happens to the device or hardware, Cisco will automatically change the device by the next business day.
We faced issues following firmware updates, which we now handle by performing updates outside of working hours.
 

Room For Improvement

D-Link Ethernet Switches are costly, lacking in software management, stability, security features, scalability, and advanced configurations.
Meraki MS Switches need better pricing, reduced cloud dependency, improved features, and enhancements in scalability, security, and support.
Improvements in the voltage facility, like increasing from 360 watts to 400 or 450 watts, would make them more competitive with other vendors.
Currently, D-Link Ethernet Switches are often not used in large data centers due to issues with performance and scalability.
The products I'm dealing with are just plug-and-play, unmanaged switches.
There are compatibility issues with certain Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices, which we would like to see resolved.
When a switch disconnects from the internet, you can't make any changes to that switch.
Most people are familiar with the Cisco commands, and it would be beneficial if the switch could be accessed by GUI configuration and by normally accessing the console.
 

Setup Cost

D-Link Switches offer affordable pricing, minimal fees, and included support, making them ideal for budget-conscious enterprises.
Meraki MS Switches are costly but offer excellent support and cloud features, with discounts available for longer-term licenses.
The pricing of D-Link Ethernet Switches is cost-effective.
High-end switches should be slightly cheaper.
D-Link Ethernet Switches are 30% cheaper than Cisco switches.
Meraki MS Switches, including their licensing, are somewhat expensive, particularly when compared with competitor solutions like HP.
Pricing is affordable, and licenses for the cloud need to be purchased every three to five years.
Meraki pricing is a little premium compared to other vendor products.
 

Valuable Features

D-Link Ethernet Switches offer user-friendly, affordable, and energy-efficient solutions with robust features for versatile network environments.
Meraki MS Switches provide cloud management with remote configuration, zero-touch deployment, user-friendly GUI, and Cisco integration for scalability.
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.
It's especially valuable because Cisco and other products function similarly, but for smaller networks where high transfer rates aren't necessary.
I haven't found any problem implementing those in a live environment; it's just a plug-and-play device.
The control plane is in the cloud, and the data plane is local, allowing manageability from anywhere.
The most valuable feature is the ability to access devices from anywhere in the world through the cloud.
One of the most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches is its precise traffic analytics capabilities, allowing us to query the system for any place at any time.
 

Categories and Ranking

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
Meraki MS Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
8th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
97
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of D-Link Ethernet Switches is 4.9%, down from 6.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 3.0%, down from 4.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Meraki MS Switches3.0%
D-Link Ethernet Switches4.9%
Other92.1%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

SyedTaha - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
MajidKhan - PeerSpot reviewer
Remote access enhances troubleshooting with potential for more intuitive interface
We are working with Citrix and router, but in Cisco for Cisco vendor only. We are taking from them since 2015.  The main use case involves some small business customers needing one router, one switch, and two to three access points. It is easy to handle the devices with just a small knowledge of…
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Healthcare Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business18
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business53
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise22
 

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 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 do you like most about Meraki MS Switches?
The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are their reliability and simplicity.
What needs improvement with Meraki MS Switches?
From my perspective, I don't have any indication for improvement regarding Meraki MS Switches, as our usage is quite basic and we don't need very sophisticated features. For core sites, we are stil...
 

Also Known As

No data available
MS220, MS320, MS420
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

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
Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
Find out what your peers are saying about D-Link Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
872,706 professionals have used our research since 2012.