The Sodola SL902-SWTG015AS is a 5-port 2.5GbE and 1-port SFP+ 10GbE switch. We have seen many of these as part of our Ultimate Cheap Fanless 2.5GbE Switch Buyers Guide, making it hard to differentiate. Sodola did that by using a lightweight aluminum chassis and magnetic mounting. It is an interesting idea, so let us get to the review.
We purchased this on Amazon. Here is an Amazon Affiliate Link to what we purchased.
Sodola SL902-SWTG015AS Hardware Overview
The first item you will notice about the switch is that all of the ports are on the front.
First, we get a DC 12V power input via a barrel jack. Some prefer DC inputs on the rear, some on the front. The front is what Sodola went with.
Next to that, we get the five 2.5GbE ports.
We then get a SFP+ port for the 10GbE. Both ports 5 and the SFP+ port 6 hang off the Realtek switch chip in distinct I/O blocks from the ports 1-4 2.5GbE ports.
The chassis is made of aluminum. Since we have tested dozens of these switches, you can notice the weight difference immediately when it is in your hand.
On the sides, we get vents.
On the back, we get a grounding point.
On the bottom, we get a label and two mounting screw holes.
What is really neat is that Sodola includes four magnets. So you can remove these four bottom screws and install the magnets.
Then you can attach it to a rack or another metal surface that the magnets are attracted to.
Inside the switch, we get a very standard layout.
The chip heatsink was glued, but these are almost all the 30Gbps Realtek switch chips. Four ports of 2.5GbE are 10Gbps. There is a 10Gbps SFP+ port. Then the last 10Gbps interface is running through a DSP to get the 2.5GbE port.
Here is the conditioning.
Here is the RTL8221B DSP/ PHY chip for the extra port.
Next, let us plug the switch in and see how it works.
it would be great if you could confirm compatibility with 2.5G SFP+ at 2.5G since a ton of home ISP will use these for service between 1-2.5G. some support this feature and others do not.
I concur. It would be nice to test this SFP+ port for compat with 1/2.5/5/10G modules. Some switches will only allow 10G, or 1/10G, but not 2.5G or 5G in SFP+.
Sodola is nice, but not perfect. Would love PoE-in on one of the ports to power the switch. Plus the power itself to maybe on the back. And better LEDs arrangement. Maybe at the back. There are many design variations, but it should be possible to offer model with and without these features, while using same PCB and the same enclosure basically (modulo a silkscreen or glued label).
Also for models with no PoE out, would be nice to use Type-C USB PD for power, even better if it can be locked with one or two screws. Some switches already do that.
Thanks for the review, testing, and internal view of it.
On the roundup page you have this as “1.0W idle, 0.1W per 2.5GbE Port” whilst the review says the power went up 1W for a 2.5GbE connection. Which is correct please?