8.7
At a Glance
1U RackForm Factor
24Ports
1 GbpsPort Speed
28 GbpsSwitching Capacity
YesManaged
0 WPoE Budget
Best For
Network EngineeringFull Rack BuildFirst Home Lab
Pros & Cons
Pros
- 24 gigabit ports + 2 SFP+ 10G uplinks in 1U — exceptional density for the price
- RouterOS or SwOS selectable — use SwOS for simple managed switching, RouterOS for full routing
- Best price-per-port in the managed switch category: ~$9/port
- VLAN, QoS, STP, RSTP, IGMP snooping — full managed feature set
- Fanless operation available in low-traffic mode — nearly silent for home labs
Cons
- RouterOS has a steep learning curve — Winbox/CLI takes time vs UniFi's GUI
- No PoE — needs a separate PoE switch or injectors for APs
- Web interface is functional but not polished compared to UniFi or Netgear Insight
- Community support is excellent but not as beginner-friendly as Ubiquiti forums
- Switching in SwOS mode loses routing capability
MikroTik CRS326-24G-2S+RM 24-Port Managed Switch
Prices may change · Free shipping with Prime
Our Verdict
The best value managed switch for a home lab rack. 24 ports + dual 10G SFP+ at $219 is impossible to beat on a per-port basis. Start with SwOS if you just want VLANs without complexity.
MikroTik CRS326-24G-2S+RM 24-Port Managed Switch
$219
Prices may change · Free shipping with Prime
| Full Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Form Factor | 1U Rack |
| Ports | 24 |
| Port Speed | 1Gbps |
| Switching Capacity | 28Gbps |
| Managed | Yes |
| PoE Budget | 0W |
| SFP+ Uplinks | 2 |
| VLAN Support | Yes |
| Rack Units | 1U |
| Power Draw | 18W |
| Noise Level | 35dB |
| Warranty | 1yr |
Related Buying Guides
Head-to-Head Comparisons
MikroTik CRS326-24G-2S+RM 24-Port Managed Switch
$219
Prices may change · Free shipping with Prime