TP-Link TL-SE1005M Management
This is an unmanaged switch. We could not find a management interface. For a switch in this price range, perhaps that is exactly what folks want.
TP-Link TL-SE1005M Performance
In terms of performance, this seems to be a decent, but not top-tier performer.
Someone taking the glass half-full approach would say this is decent performance for the cheapest 5-port 2.5GbE switch we could find. Someone taking a more critical approach would note that this is the lowest average 2.5GbE port throughput of all nine of the switches we reviewed in this batch.
TP-Link TL-SE1005M Power Consumption
Power adapters are always an interesting point. This is a TP-Link branded power supply..
At idle, we got around 1.0W just like some of the 5-port 2.5GbE and 1-port SFP+ switches we have seen.
With a single 2.5GbE port plugged in, we added 0.3W for 1.3W total.
This might actually be the lowest power 2.5GbE switch that we have reviewed or will review in the future. For those that think 2.5GbE switch power is too high, perhaps this helps.
Final Words
Let me sum up the positives of this switch: it is the cheapest of the cheap and it passed traffic.
Aside from that, the construction with the plastic chassis and ports felt a full tier or two below other switches, even the $65-$69 YuanLey YS25-0402 switch that trades a 2.5GbE port for two SFP+ ports.
At STH, we like saving money. At the same time, this is one model we might recommend simply paying an additional $15 or so to get a metal swich with 1-2 SFP+ uplinks. There are always folks searching for the cheapest of the cheap, and that is this TP-Link, but sometimes, just being cheap does not feel like the best value.
Where to Buy
We purchased our unit on AliExpress. Here is the affiliate link for this model.
Ultimate Fanless 2.5GbE Switch Buyer’s Guide
You may have seen that we published the Ultimate Cheap Fanless 2.5GbE Switch Buyer’s Guide. Here is the video for that one where this switch appeared.
We decided to do the round-up first and will be filling in with reviews that we had not published at that point, including this one. We are trying to keep everything in a single resource for folks there.
In an article that talks a lot about construction for the price, performance for the price, etc, I don’t think we should have to click a link to another article and dig around for the actual price of the model being reviewed.
I humbly recommend listing the price of the switch in question right at the beginning, then we have context for all the commentary that references the cost.
“The package arrived via AliExpress shipping”
“We purchased our unit on Amazon.”
So is Ali handling shipping for Amazon these days? ;)
i really want to see the site that sells it at the stated prices. have not found a single switch at the prices suggested, always at least ~$50 more