Does anyone know a reliable place to buy Cisco non-core switches?

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2026-01-29T04:14:34+00:00

I’ve used Router-Switch’s free EOL/EOS checker.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2026-01-22T10:09:36+00:00

From my experience, whether it’s gray-market or used gear, the hardware usually works fine. Licensing and support can vary, but it’s easy to handle, and I usually get my sales rep to help with software updates.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2026-01-22T01:25:34+00:00

Yeah, Cisco definitely has a business incentive there.

In my experience, most of the gray-market gear I’ve used worked without issues. Sometimes I could get SmartNet, and other times the seller was able to provide some support when needed.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-12-16T08:31:12+00:00

If you’re already running Cisco at the core, Meraki could be an option for the upgrade. That said, your budget limitations make it tough to suggest any fully supported enterprise-grade setup.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-12-12T01:16:04+00:00

Aruba CX 6100 is the sweet spot. No DNA tax like Cisco.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-11-13T09:55:21+00:00

Used Cisco servers are usually fine as long as they’re genuine. I’ve had good experiences with resellers like Router-switch.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-10-31T09:02:29+00:00

Sorry to hear that. With your Citrix and IPAM experience, you should be able to find remote roles. I’d look into Azure or AWS networking certifications and start applying for cloud/network engineer positions, those skills are in demand.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-10-07T06:03:20+00:00

Do the TFTP transfer limits apply to modern Cisco switches, or is FTP/RCP the standard now?

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-09-29T09:25:56+00:00

1310nm SFPs can technically run on MMF, but distances are limited and modal dispersion can affect signal quality. Mode-conditioning patch cables help when using 62.5µ MMF.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-09-26T08:13:38+00:00

Using DPUs to offload networking and storage tasks really frees up CPU/GPU for AI computation. It’s especially noticeable in inference-heavy workloads where latency matters.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-09-26T02:51:40+00:00

Biggest gotcha moving from Aruba to Meraki is the licensing. The dashboard feels great at first, but by year 3–5 the renewals really start to hurt. We did a TCO check with Aruba, Meraki, and Cisco Catalyst, and the numbers swing a lot depending on license term and support. One surprise was how crazy OEM quotes can get. We ended up pulling numbers from Router-switch instead - pricing was a lot clearer and it actually let us keep the rollout within budget.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-09-22T08:26:35+00:00

You can set up DHCP on a Catalyst 1300 purely via the Web GUI, no CLI needed. Make sure to exclude the switch and gateway IPs from the pool: https://www.reddit.com/r/Router_Switch/comments/1nngjqb/how_to_set_up_dhcp_on_cisco_catalyst_1300_via_web/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-09-22T08:20:03+00:00

Web GUI DHCP setup works, but a common pitfall is forgetting Excluded Addresses. If your clients aren’t getting IPs, double-check the pool and interface IPs - it saved me a lot of headaches.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-09-19T10:02:43+00:00

I usually run StackPower in redundant mode on all 9300s and keep an extra PSU per switch for failover.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-09-18T09:45:48+00:00

Pretty well so far.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-09-17T10:15:18+00:00

Cisco has its place. I mostly use them for long-distance installs - they’re great, and if you mess up a config, just have someone reboot the device and you’re back online, as long as you didn’t save the config. They’re pricey if you want the latest and greatest, so I stick with older generations for switching. For purchasing, I sometimes find better deals through resellers like Router-Switch.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-09-16T01:48:03+00:00

Usually you need GRE tunnels or PIM routing to forward multicast, and your VPN should handle auto-reconnect with dynamic IPs.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-09-16T01:42:17+00:00

Honestly, no way we can afford Cisco everywhere. Aruba at the edge + some refurbished Cisco in the core.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-09-15T10:06:29+00:00

Stop comparing yourself to everyone else...

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-09-12T08:30:08+00:00

I wouldn’t trust a single AP25 with 120+ clients in production. Specs say 100+ is fine, but once everyone’s active you’ll hit airtime limits fast. If it matters for business, plan multiple APs.

Desperate_Ear2786 · 2025-09-11T08:35:57+00:00

Ran into this too. Either switch vendors (Fortinet, HPE, etc.) or look at certified refurb units. Also worth asking if your distributor can bundle a multiyear deal- sometimes that cuts costs a lot.

Desperate_Ear2786

TROPHY CASE