Unlock Greater Potential With Our Top Meraki Switches

Selecting the right network switch is a critical decision for any business. A reliable and efficient switch supports uninterrupted connectivity, enhances productivity, and ensures your network can handle the demands of modern applications. Cisco Meraki switches are recognized for their cloud-managed solutions, offering a seamless combination of simplicity, scalability, and robust security.

For business owners, the right switches are more than just tools—they are the backbone of a network capable of supporting growth, reducing downtime, and providing control and visibility. Cisco Meraki switches are engineered to meet these needs, delivering high performance while simplifying network management through an intuitive cloud dashboard.

Cisco Meraki Full Stack Solutions Redefine Network Management

Cisco Meraki is renowned not only for its high-performance products but also for its comprehensive "Full Stack" solutions that streamline network management. The Meraki Full Stack encompasses switches, wireless access points, security appliances, and more, all integrated within a single, cloud-managed platform. This approach delivers unmatched simplicity, enabling businesses to manage their entire network infrastructure from one intuitive dashboard.

The Full Stack provides seamless compatibility between devices, reducing the complexities often associated with multi-vendor environments. With features like automated updates, centralized management, and advanced analytics, businesses can optimize network performance while minimizing time spent on maintenance and troubleshooting.

The Meraki Full Stack is a game-changer for business owners, providing a unified system that enhances operational efficiency and scalability. Whether supporting a growing workforce, securing sensitive data, or managing a multi-location network, Cisco Meraki's Full Stack delivers the tools needed to simplify and redefine network management.

Must-Know Features And Specifications

Cisco Meraki switches are designed to provide businesses with dependable, scalable, and user-friendly networking solutions. Built with enterprise-grade performance in mind, these switches deliver the reliability and functionality needed to support critical operations across work networks. From seamless scalability to energy-efficient designs, Meraki switches are packed with features that address the unique challenges of managing modern business environments.

The following are some of the key features and specifications that make Cisco Meraki switches an excellent choice for work networks, ensuring secure, efficient, and scalable connectivity:

• Reliable, enterprise-grade hardware: Cisco Meraki switches are built with enterprise-grade components to ensure consistent performance, minimal downtime, and durability in demanding business environments. These switches are designed to support high-volume data transfers and critical operations, providing the reliability and resilience businesses need for seamless, long-term network performance.
• Effortless scaling with zero-touch and cloud management: Cisco Meraki switches simplify network expansion with zero-touch provisioning and intuitive cloud-based management. Businesses can deploy and configure switches remotely through the Meraki Dashboard, which eliminates the need for on-site technical expertise. This seamless scalability allows networks to grow alongside business needs, ensuring efficient operations across multiple locations without added complexity.
• Integrated tools for network reliability: Cisco Meraki switches come equipped with advanced tools designed to enhance network reliability. Features like Layer 7 application visibility, real-time analytics, and automated alerts help businesses monitor performance, troubleshoot issues quickly, and maintain a stable network. These integrated capabilities ensure consistent connectivity, reduce downtime, and provide the insights needed to optimize network operations.
• Energy-efficient, quiet design: Cisco Meraki switches are engineered for efficiency, featuring low power consumption that reduces energy costs while maintaining top performance. Their quiet operation makes them ideal for office environments, minimizing noise distractions without compromising functionality. This thoughtful design balances sustainability with workplace comfort, aligning with the needs of modern businesses.
• Flexible stacking and advanced ethernet capabilities: Cisco Meraki switches offer flexible stacking options, allowing multiple switches to function as a unified system for greater bandwidth and streamlined management. Advanced Ethernet capabilities, including support for high-speed uplinks and Power over Ethernet (PoE), enable seamless connectivity for devices like access points, cameras, and phones. This flexibility ensures scalability and adaptability to meet the growing demands of business networks.
• Seamless compatibility and secure access: Cisco Meraki switches integrate effortlessly with existing network components, ensuring smooth compatibility across a wide variety of different devices and platforms. Built-in security features, such as network segmentation and role-based access controls, safeguard sensitive data and protect against unauthorized access. This combination of compatibility and advanced security ensures reliable and secure operations for business networks.

What To Consider When Selecting The Right Switches

Every business has unique networking requirements, and choosing the right Cisco Meraki switches starts with understanding your specific needs. With various options available, Meraki switches can be customized to suit organizations of all sizes and industries—but finding the ideal fit requires aligning the features and capabilities of the switches with your organizational goals. The following are the key factors to consider when selecting Cisco Meraki switches for your business network:

• Network size: Your network size is a crucial factor when choosing Cisco Meraki switches. Smaller businesses may require fewer ports and basic features, while larger networks often need switches with higher port density, advanced capabilities, and stacking options to support multiple devices and heavy data traffic. 
• Security features: Robust security is vital for protecting your network and sensitive business data. Cisco Meraki switches come with advanced security features such as role-based access control, network segmentation, and integration with Meraki's cloud-managed security tools. These capabilities help prevent unauthorized access, mitigate threats, and ensure compliance with industry standards. 
• Desired level of control: The level of control you need over your network plays a significant role in selecting the right switch. Cisco Meraki switches provide cloud-based management through the Meraki dashboard, offering centralized visibility and control that simplifies monitoring and configuration. For businesses seeking hands-off management, features like zero-touch provisioning are ideal. If you require more granular control, advanced settings and detailed analytics can help you optimize network performance. 
• Scalability options: Scalability is critical for businesses anticipating growth or changes in network demands. Cisco Meraki switches are designed to grow with your business, offering flexible stacking options and seamless integration of additional devices. Whether you're expanding to multiple locations or increasing connected devices, these switches provide the scalability needed to accommodate evolving requirements without overhauling your infrastructure.
• Budget and cost-effectiveness: When choosing network switches, it is essential to balance performance with affordability. Cisco Meraki switches offer a range of options to suit different budgets, from basic models for smaller businesses to feature-rich options for bigger, more complex networks. The cloud-managed platform reduces operational costs by simplifying network management and minimizing the need for on-site IT resources. 

Our Top 11 Picks For Cisco Meraki Switches

Cisco Meraki offers a diverse lineup of switches, each tailored to meet the needs of different business sizes and network requirements. Whether you're looking for a compact switch for a small office or a high-capacity model to support a large, enterprise-grade network, Meraki has you covered. These switches combine powerful features like cloud management, advanced security, and scalability, making them an ideal choice for businesses aiming to simplify and future-proof their networks.

Below is a list of our top 11 Cisco Meraki switch series to help you find the right solution for your business needs.

1.MS120 Series

The Cisco Meraki MS120 Series is a family of cloud-managed Layer 2 access switches designed to provide reliable and straightforward network connectivity for small to medium-sized businesses and branch offices. These switches combine essential networking features with Meraki's user-friendly cloud management platform, enabling effortless configuration and monitoring.

Key Features:

• Cloud management: The Meraki Dashboard provides centralized, remote management, enabling quick configuration, real-time monitoring, and seamless troubleshooting.
• PoE options: PoE and PoE+ models are available, supplying power to connected devices such as IP phones, cameras, and wireless access points, reducing the need for separate power sources.
• Scalability: Virtual stacking allows the management of thousands of ports across multiple locations through a single interface, simplifying network expansion.
• Energy-efficient design: Fanless models offer silent operation, making them an excellent choice for noise-sensitive environments like offices.

2. MS125 Series

The Cisco Meraki MS125 Series provides cloud-managed Layer 2 access switches for high-performance networking in branch and campus environments. With 10G SFP+ uplinks and various port configurations, the MS125 Series offers enhanced scalability and connectivity for organizations looking to expand their network infrastructure.

Key Features:

• Cloud management: Manage your network through the Meraki Dashboard, allowing for seamless configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting from anywhere.
  
• 10G SFP+ uplinks: High-speed uplinks ensure smooth data transmission and support for bandwidth-intensive applications.
  
• PoE and PoE+ support: Select models deliver power to connected devices like IP phones, cameras, and wireless access points, simplifying deployment by reducing the need for additional power sources.
  
• Virtual stacking: Enables the management of thousands of ports from a single interface, simplifying operations across distributed locations.
  
• Energy-efficient design: Certain models feature fanless operation, ensuring quiet performance for office environments.

3. MS130 Series

The Cisco Meraki MS130 Series offers cloud-managed Layer 2 access switches, ideal for branch and campus deployments. With ten different models, the MS130 Series provides numerous options designed to meet diverse networking needs.

Key Features:

• Cloud management: Manage your network remotely through the intuitive Meraki Dashboard, simplifying configuration and monitoring.
• High-speed connectivity: Support for 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 and 2.5GbE RJ45 interfaces caters to various bandwidth requirements, ensuring reliable and high-speed connectivity across the network.
  
• Robust security: Features like IPv4/6 ACL support and 802.1X authentication enforce stringent access control policies, safeguarding network integrity.
  
• Granular control: Support for 802.1Q VLAN tagging and DHCP snooping allows for precise network segmentation and policy enforcement, optimizing performance and security.
  
• PoE capabilities: With support for 802.3bt PoE technology, each port can deliver up to 30W of power, facilitating the deployment of PoE-enabled devices without additional power sources.
  

4. MS210 Series

The Cisco Meraki MS210 Series offers cloud-managed Layer 2 stackable switches with basic Layer 3 routing capabilities, making them ideal for branch and campus deployments. With five different models, the MS210 Series provides various options designed to meet diverse networking needs.

Key Features:

• Cloud management: Manage your network remotely through the intuitive Meraki dashboard, simplifying configuration and monitoring.
• Stacking capabilities: Two dedicated stacking ports provide 80 Gbps of stacking bandwidth, allowing for seamless scalability and simplified management of multiple switches.
• PoE options: Select models offer PoE/PoE+ support, enabling power delivery to connected devices like IP phones and cameras.
• Layer 3 routing: Basic Layer 3 routing features, including static routing, enhance network performance and flexibility.
• Energy-efficient design: Fanless operation in certain models ensures silent performance, suitable for office environments.

5. MS225 Series

The Cisco Meraki MS225 Series provides cloud-managed Layer 2 access switches, ideal for branch locations requiring reliable performance and scalability. With stacking capabilities and 10G SFP+ uplinks on every model, the MS225 Series ensures high performance and flexibility. This series of switches also supports an optional, rack-mountable remote power supply unit (Cisco RPS-2300) for power redundancy requirements.

Key Features:

• Cloud management: Manage your network remotely through the intuitive Meraki Dashboard, simplifying configuration and monitoring.
• Stacking capabilities: Two dedicated stacking ports provide 80 Gbps of stacking bandwidth, allowing for seamless scalability and simplified management of multiple switches.
• 10G SFP+ uplinks: High-speed uplinks ensure future-proofing for demanding small branch and office environments.
• PoE options: Select models offer PoE/PoE+ support, enabling power delivery to connected devices like IP phones and cameras.
• Energy-efficient design: Fanless operation in certain models ensures silent performance, suitable for office environments.

6. MS250 Series

The Cisco Meraki MS250 Series delivers reliable access switching, ideal for branch and small campus deployments. With stacking capabilities and 10G SFP+ uplinks on every model, the MS250 Series ensures redundancy and performance. This family also supports redundant, field-replaceable power supplies for mission-critical networks.

Key Features:

• Cloud management: Manage your network remotely through the intuitive Meraki dashboard, simplifying configuration and monitoring.
• Stacking capabilities: Two dedicated stacking ports provide 80 Gbps of stacking bandwidth, allowing for seamless scalability and simplified management of multiple switches.
• 10G SFP+ uplinks: High-speed uplinks ensure future-proofing for demanding small branch and office environments.
• PoE options: Select models offer PoE/PoE+ support, enabling power delivery to connected devices like IP phones and cameras.
• Redundant power supplies: Supports redundant, field-replaceable power supplies for mission-critical networks.

7. MS355 Series

The Cisco Meraki MS355 Series is a line of multi-gigabit switches designed to meet the increasing bandwidth demands of modern networks, particularly with the advent of the 802.11ax wireless standard. These switches are ideal for environments with substantial wireless deployments, such as universities, hospitals, and large public complexes.

Key Features:

• Multi-gigabit ports: Each model in the MS355 Series includes multiple mGig RJ45 ports capable of negotiating speeds up to 10 Gbps, ensuring high-speed connectivity for next-generation access points and devices.
• High bandwidth stacking: Equipped with dedicated 100G hardware stacking ports, the MS355 Series supports stacking bandwidths of up to 400 Gbps, facilitating seamless scalability and simplified management of multiple switches.
• Layer 3 switching: Offers comprehensive Layer 3 features, including OSPF routing, DHCP server capabilities, and multicast routing (PIM-SM), enhancing network performance and flexibility.
• Power over Ethernet (PoE): Supports UPoE with a power budget of up to 740W, enabling power delivery to a wide range of connected devices such as IP phones, cameras, and wireless access points.
• Redundant power supplies and fans: Features hot-swappable power supplies and fans, ensuring continuous operation and minimizing downtime in mission-critical environments.

8. MS390 Series

The Cisco Meraki MS390 Series combines the simplicity of Meraki's cloud management with advanced hardware capabilities, making it ideal for demanding enterprise environments. Designed to support high-bandwidth applications and the deployment of high-speed 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) access points, the MS390 Series offers multigigabit ports, 480 Gbps stacking, and modular 10/40G uplinks.

Key Features:

• Adaptive policy: Utilizes over-the-wire tagging to segment traffic into security groups, delivering scalable security and simplifying policy management.
• StackPower technology: Allows power pooling and distribution across MS390 switches using StackPower cables, providing resilient power distribution in a ring topology supporting up to four switches.
• High-performance stacking: Supports physical stacking of up to eight switches with 480 Gbps of stacking bandwidth, ensuring faster convergence and simplified management.
• Modular uplinks: Offers flexibility with modular 10G and 40G uplink options, accommodating various network architectures and future growth.
• Advanced security features: Includes NetFlow version 10 (IPFIX) and Encrypted Traffic Analytics, enhancing network visibility and security.

9. MS410 Series

The Cisco Meraki MS410 Series extends cloud management to the aggregation layer, offering 1/10G fiber aggregation switches tailored for medium-sized networks. Designed to seamlessly integrate with access layer switches, the MS410 Series combines ease of management with enterprise-class performance and flexibility.

Key Features:

• Cloud management: Managed via the Cisco Meraki Dashboard, providing centralized control and visibility over the network.
• High-performance stacking: Equipped with dual dedicated 40G hardware stacking ports, delivering up to 160 Gbps stacking bandwidth to support small and medium-sized enterprise environments.
• Layer 3 switching: Supports Layer 3 routing, including OSPF, enhancing network performance and flexibility.
• Hot-swappable components: Features hot-swappable power supplies and fans, ensuring continuous operation and minimizing downtime.
• Scalability: Available in two port densities—16 or 32 x 1G SFP ports—both including 10Gb SFP+ ports, accommodating various network sizes and requirements.

10. MS425 Series

The Cisco Meraki MS425 Series extends cloud management across the aggregation layer for medium-sized networks with 10/40G fiber aggregation switches. Built from the ground up to be easy to manage without compromising power and flexibility, the MS425 Series is ideal for enterprise-class environments.

Key Features:

Cloud management: Managed via the Cisco Meraki Dashboard, providing centralized control and visibility over the network.
High-performance stacking: Equipped with two 40G QSFP+ uplink/stacking ports, capable of providing up to 160 Gbps stacking bandwidth to support campus environments.
Layer 3 switching: Supports Layer 3 routing, including OSPF, enhancing network performance and flexibility.
Hot-swappable components: Features hot-swappable power supplies and fans, ensuring continuous operation and minimizing downtime.
Scalability: Available in two port densities—16 or 32 x 10G SFP+ ports—both including 2 x 40G QSFP+ uplink/stacking ports, accommodating various network sizes and requirements.

11. MS450 Series

The Cisco Meraki MS450 Series is designed to meet the needs of high-bandwidth, multi-gigabit switching, making it ideal for large-scale enterprise environments. With 12 × 40G fiber ports (QSFP+) and 2 × 100G fiber uplink ports (QSFP28), the MS450 Series ensures robust connectivity and performance. It integrates seamlessly with the MS355 Series, providing a comprehensive solution for demanding network infrastructures.

Key Features:

• Cloud management: Managed via the Cisco Meraki Dashboard, offering centralized control and visibility over the network.
• High-performance stacking: Equipped with two dedicated stack ports, providing up to 400 Gbps of stacking bandwidth, facilitating seamless scalability and simplified management of multiple switches.
• Layer 3 switching: Supports comprehensive Layer 3 features, including OSPF routing, enhancing network performance and flexibility.
• Hot-swappable components: Features hot-swappable power supplies and fans, ensuring continuous operation and minimizing downtime in mission-critical environments.
• Advanced security: Includes features like 802.1X authentication, Dynamic ARP Inspection, and DHCP snooping, providing robust security measures to protect the network.

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Meraki Device

Purchasing a Cisco Meraki switch is a step toward building a powerful, reliable, and easily managed network. However, maximizing its value requires strategic use of its features and capabilities. With the right approach, Meraki switches can go beyond providing connectivity to enhance operational efficiency, improve security, and support future growth.

• Utilize analytics and insights: 
  Cisco Meraki switches provide powerful analytics and insights through the Meraki Dashboard, offering real-time visibility into your network's performance and usage. These tools allow you to monitor traffic patterns, identify bottlenecks, and optimize bandwidth allocation to ensure efficient operations. Layer 7 application visibility enables detailed analysis of the applications and services consuming network resources, helping you make informed decisions to enhance productivity and security. 
  
  
• Integration with other Cisco products: 
  Cisco Meraki switches seamlessly integrate with other Cisco products, creating a unified and cohesive networking ecosystem. By combining Meraki switches with Cisco security appliances, wireless access points, and collaboration tools, businesses can streamline network management and enhance overall performance. Features like shared analytics and centralized management through the Meraki Dashboard enable cross-product visibility and coordination, simplifying troubleshooting and optimization. This integration ensures a secure, scalable, and efficient network that supports the demands of modern businesses.
  
  
• Leverage expert it services and deployment experience:
  Maximizing the value of your Cisco Meraki switches often requires the expertise of IT professionals who understand the complexities of network design and implementation. Expert IT services can ensure seamless deployment, optimal configuration, and integration with your existing infrastructure. Leveraging deployment experience minimizes downtime and avoids common pitfalls, enabling your network to perform at its best from day one. Partnering with a trusted provider like Hummingbird Networks ensures your Meraki devices are set up to support your business needs efficiently and effectively while providing ongoing support to adapt to future growth and challenges.

Simplify Or Scale Your Network – Hummingbird Has The Right Switch

Get expert advice from Hummingbird on the right switch for your network. Contact us today!