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Cisco Ethernet Switches vs D-Link Ethernet Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 2, 2025

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
4.3
Cisco Ethernet Switches offer a high return on investment due to durability, despite potential increased renewal and scalability costs.
Sentiment score
3.8
D-Link Ethernet Switches offer up to 90% savings and cost-effective performance, providing significant ROI compared to Cisco.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.7
Cisco Ethernet Switches support is praised for expertise and resources, despite some variable response times and integration challenges.
Sentiment score
3.8
D-Link users often resolve issues independently, but support quality varies by region, with some areas needing improvement.
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)
Cisco support is quick and responsive, often answering within an hour.
Senior System Engineer & Project Manager at TechnoPeak
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
8.0
Cisco Ethernet Switches are praised for scalability and adaptability, with cost considerations and satisfaction varying by model.
Sentiment score
6.2
D-Link Ethernet Switches are scalable and flexible, suitable for medium-sized businesses, though some desire enhanced scalability features.
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)
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
8.8
Cisco Ethernet Switches are highly reliable and durable, with users praising their performance and rating stability 9 or 10.
Sentiment score
8.0
D-Link Ethernet Switches are praised for reliability and performance, despite minor issues and some stability decline over time.
The switches are very stable, rated ten out of ten.
Senior System Engineer & Project Manager at TechnoPeak
There are no stability issues with D-Link Ethernet switches.
Project Manager at a wholesaler/distributor with 11-50 employees
The integration has been successful with no security breaches or network disturbances.
Project Manager at CCS Computer's Pvt Ltd
The stability of D-Link Ethernet Switches is good.
Data Center Admin at Sysnet Global Technologies
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Ethernet Switches face criticism for high costs; users desire improved security, ease of use, and better third-party integration.
D-Link Ethernet Switches are costly, lacking in software management, stability, security features, scalability, and advanced configurations.
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
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
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
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 Ethernet Switches are reliable but often costly, prompting enterprises to consider alternatives due to high ongoing expenses.
D-Link Switches offer affordable pricing, minimal fees, and included support, making them ideal for budget-conscious enterprises.
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
High-end switches should be slightly cheaper.
Project Manager at a wholesaler/distributor with 11-50 employees
The pricing of D-Link Ethernet Switches is cost-effective.
Data Center Admin at Sysnet Global Technologies
D-Link Ethernet Switches are 30% cheaper than Cisco switches.
Manager IT at Amplelogic
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Ethernet Switches deliver superior performance, scalability, and security, featuring advanced management options and strong customer support for efficient networking.
D-Link Ethernet Switches offer user-friendly, affordable, and energy-efficient solutions with robust features for versatile network environments.
Their stability and durability are essential features we've been looking for many years, and they are still working fine.
IT Manager at Decorgel
The Cisco Ethernet switches are sturdy products that do not require any kind of maintenance.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
The most valuable features of Cisco Ethernet switches include plug-and-play capabilities.
Sales Engineer at Phoenyx Commtech Pvt. 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
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
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
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
137
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
D-Link Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
14th
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 January 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Ethernet Switches is 10.3%, down from 17.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of D-Link Ethernet Switches is 4.2%, down from 6.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco Ethernet Switches10.3%
D-Link Ethernet Switches4.2%
Other85.5%
Ethernet Switches
 

Q&A Highlights

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

Featured Reviews

PM
IT Manager at Decorgel
Reliable equipment offers seamless integration and management simplicity
I really appreciate Cisco Ethernet Switches and currently don't have any improvements to recommend. The switches have technology that has worked fine over the years. An improvement for all players in the market would be to have a website or service to manage all equipment from all brands, not just Cisco. There should be a platform to manage all the equipment.
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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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Comparison Review

it_user82779 - PeerSpot reviewer
Engineer at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
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…
 

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
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
7%
University
7%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Computer Software Company
11%
Healthcare Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business59
Midsize Enterprise35
Large Enterprise55
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 ...
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 FortiSwitch is an ethernet switch solution that provides security and performance...
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 us. We decided to go with Juniper. Juniper ethernet switches are a lesser-known...
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 Industrial Ethernet Switches
No data available
 

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
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. D-Link Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.