Do I need a managed or unmanaged switch?

An unmanaged switch is plug-and-play and perfect for simply adding more wired ports at home. A managed switch adds control such as VLANs and monitoring for advanced or business networks. For most homes, an unmanaged switch is all you need.

How many ports should my switch have?

Count the wired devices you want to connect now and leave room to grow, so a 5 or 8 port switch suits most homes and 16, 24 or more ports suit larger setups. Gigabit ports are the sensible baseline for speed.

What is a PoE switch?

A PoE switch sends power and data down one network cable, which is ideal for powering access points and cameras without a separate adapter. Check the PoE budget and standard if you plan to power several devices.