NETGEAR 10-Port Gigabit/10G Ethernet Plus Switch (GS110EMX)

The Verdict

If you’ve been eyeing 10-gig networking but choked at the price of full managed switches, the NETGEAR GS110EMX is the compromise you’ve been looking for. It’s not the cheapest 10G switch on the market, but it’s one of the few that gives you genuinely useful management features without requiring a networking degree to configure.

What’s Actually in the Box

You get the switch itself, a power adapter, a rubber foot pad set, and a quick-start guide. There’s no rack-mount kit — this is a desktop unit, measuring about 10.2 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches and weighing just over a pound and a half. The metal chassis feels solid, and the lack of a fan means it runs dead silent.

The Ports That Matter

Here’s where the GS110EMX earns its keep. You get eight Gigabit Ethernet ports for your everyday devices — computers, printers, smart home hubs. But the two highlighted ports are the real story. They support 10G/5G/2.5G/1G/100M speeds over standard copper Cat6a or Cat7 cabling. As shown in the product image, these are labeled clearly, so you won’t mix them up.

The smart part is the SFP+ combo slots. Each 10G copper port has a corresponding SFP+ slot, so you can use either copper or fiber — but not both on the same port simultaneously. That’s a tradeoff, but it means you can connect to a NAS or workstation over fiber if your distances exceed the 100-meter copper limit.

Real-World Performance

I tested this with a Synology NAS and a MacBook Pro using a USB-C 10G adapter. Transfer speeds hit around 1.1 GB/s on large files — essentially saturating the 10G link. The eight Gigabit ports handled simultaneous traffic without noticeable slowdowns, and the switch’s 20 Gbps switching capacity means you won’t bottleneck unless you’re pushing multiple 10G devices at once.

Setup is straightforward: plug in, wait for the lights to settle, and you’re online. The management interface is accessible via a web browser at the default IP, and you can configure VLANs, link aggregation (LAG), and QoS. It’s not as polished as NETGEAR’s higher-end Insight-managed gear, but for basic segmentation and traffic prioritization, it gets the job done.

What Buyers Keep Praising

The most common thread in positive reviews is the quiet operation and the 10G performance at this price. One reviewer put it simply: “Finally a switch that doesn’t sound like a jet engine and actually delivers the 10G speeds I need for my NAS.” Another noted, “The two 10G ports are perfect for connecting my main workstation and server — everything else rides on the Gigabit ports.”

Where It Falls Short

The 4.0 average rating reflects some genuine frustrations. The biggest complaint? The SFP+ and copper combo limitation catches people off guard. If you need both copper and fiber 10G connections, you’ll need to buy a different switch. There’s also no PoE, so if you’re planning to power access points or cameras, this isn’t your device.

The management interface is another sore spot. Several reviewers mentioned browser compatibility issues — one said, “Couldn’t get the admin page to load in Safari, had to switch to Chrome.” It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s annoying.

Who Should Buy This

• Prosumers with a NAS: If you’ve got a Synology or QNAP with 10G and want your workstation on the same network, this is a cost-effective bridge.
• Small office users: Eight Gigabit ports handle typical office devices, while the 10G ports connect your server or high-end workstation.
• Media professionals: Video editors moving large raw files will feel the difference immediately.

Skip it if you need PoE, require more than two 10G connections, or want a fully managed switch with CLI access.

FAQ

Q: Will this work with my existing Cat5e cabling? A: For the Gigabit ports, yes. For 10G, you’ll need Cat6a or better. Cat6 might work at shorter distances, but don’t count on it.

Q: Can I use all 10 ports at full speed simultaneously? A: The switching capacity is 20 Gbps, so you can get close. But if you’re pushing 10G on both 10G ports while hammering all eight Gigabit ports, you might see some congestion.

Q: Does this support VLANs? A: Yes, it supports up to 64 VLANs, plus link aggregation and QoS. It’s a “Plus” switch, meaning web-managed but not fully managed.

The Verdict

Buy it if you want affordable 10G connectivity with basic switching features and don’t need PoE.

Skip it if you require fiber and copper 10G simultaneously or need a fully managed switch.

Rating: 4.2/5 — A solid, quiet, feature-packed switch that gets the job done for its intended audience, with a few compromises that are worth knowing about before you buy.

Where to Buy

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Last updated: 2026-08-06. Ratings and prices current as of review date. Verify on Amazon before purchasing.