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    TP-LINK Smart Switches anyone?

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    • peteP
      pete
      last edited by

      Yup; here installed one TP-Link 24 port Easy Smart switch inside of a Leviton 42" media cabinet.

      Its quiet, cool and fits nicely inside of my media cabinet.

      The second TP-Link 24 port Easy Smart switch is sitting on a rack and just dedicated to servers and to date has not caused me any issues.

      Personally I see TP-Link pushing on the commercial side and honestly now providing some quality stuff at reasonable prices.

      The above noted I would recommend the TP-Link line of commercial stuff for that typical SOHO office with some 20 or so desktop clients and one server type of environment running on a tight IT budget.

      • Pete

      Auto mater
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      • stephenw10S
        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
        last edited by

        Can you confirm if the Easy Smart range have a webgui? There seemed to references to one in the manual for the 16port version but not the 8port.
        Also you could clear up the original question from this thread: can you do a trunked VLAN connection such that you can use it to get more interfaces with pfSense?

        Steve

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        • peteP
          pete
          last edited by

          Can you confirm if the Easy Smart range have a webgui? There seemed to references to one in the manual for the 16port version but not the 8port.

          No cuz I only have the 24 port Easy Smart Switches.

          Thinking I purchased the two of them for less than $150 USD each with free shipping.

          Wow; just looked at the 8 port Easy Smart Switch and features.  Amazing.

          $72 USD is a bit high right now for it.  $50 USD sounds better though.

          I do not see why the OS would be much different than the 24 port Easy Smart Switch.

          Centrally manage all Easy Smart Switches with Easy Smart Configuration Utility

          This offered Easy Smart Configuration Utility looks just like the built in GUI.  (I have played with it).

          It doesn't look though like the GUI is built into the device itself from the description I am reading on the TP-Link Website.

          I prefer to have it built in; especially for a small 8 port managed switch; then again I guess this makes it a bit more secure?

          http://www.tp-link.us/products/details/?categoryid=2878&model=TL-SG108E#over

          TL-SG1024DE.jpg_thumb
          TL-SG1024DE.jpg

          • Pete

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          • peteP
            pete
            last edited by

            Also you could clear up the original question from this thread: can you do a trunked VLAN connection such that you can use it to get more interfaces with pfSense?

            will do

            • Pete

            Auto mater
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            • R
              robi
              last edited by

              @stephenw10:

              Can you confirm if the Easy Smart range have a webgui? There seemed to references to one in the manual for the 16port version but not the 8port.
              Also you could clear up the original question from this thread: can you do a trunked VLAN connection such that you can use it to get more interfaces with pfSense?

              Yes - it works with pfSense trunked, you can create as many as 512 VLANs in the switch and give them all to pfSense on one interface as tagged packets. In pfSense you can create then virtual interfaces for them. I've tested this successfully with two VLANs.
              That's why I finally bought two TP-Link TL-SG2216. They both are Easy Smart and have webgui and cli interfaces. I'm planning to use about 5-6 VLANs at the beginning.

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              • peteP
                pete
                last edited by

                So you guys got me playing this morning with the TP-Link TL-SG1042DE with just the Easysmart GUI interface (no CLI).

                • Pete

                Auto mater
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                • stephenw10S
                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                  last edited by

                  @robi:

                  That's why I finally bought two TP-Link TL-SG2216. They both are Easy Smart and have webgui and cli interfaces.

                  Erm… am I missing something here.  :-\  Forgive me Robi if I am. The TL-SG2216 is not in the Easy Smart range hence it has all the features you might expect from an entry level managed switch like webgui and CLI etc. The Easy Smart, such as the one Pete has, is cut right back to allow them to offer it as cheaply as possible. It appears to me that they are directly competing with Netgears 'Prosafe Plus' range, GS105E, GS108E etc, which offer some entry level management features, including VLANs, but do not have a webgui. You have to use their Windows only utility, boo! If TP-Links competing range does have a webgui then that's a distinct advantage. I huge advantage in my house where I have no Windows boxes.  ;)

                  Pete's screenshot appears to show that at least the 24port model does have a webgui. Unfortunately it's the entry level 8 port model I'm most interested in.

                  Edit: Or is that a screenshot of the utility?

                  Steve

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                  • peteP
                    pete
                    last edited by

                    Actually the Web GUI on the switch is a bit simpler looking than the management application.

                    Yeah from the description it appears that the EasySmart 8 and 16 port switches do not have a built in Web GUI.

                    The EasySmart managment application might run in Linux as its Java.

                    \TP-LINK\Easy Smart Configuration Utility\jre\lib

                    05/25/2014  04:58 PM

                    <dir>          .
                    05/25/2014  04:58 PM

                    <dir>          ..
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM              155 accessibility.properties
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM          123,547 alt-rt.jar
                    03/16/2014  02:40 PM

                    <dir>          applet
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            1,232 calendars.properties
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM        3,605,930 charsets.jar
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            75,075 classlist
                    03/16/2014  02:41 PM

                    <dir>          cmm
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            5,483 content-types.properties
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            4,200 currency.data
                    03/16/2014  02:41 PM

                    <dir>          deploy
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM        4,230,196 deploy.jar
                    03/16/2014  02:41 PM

                    <dir>          ext
                    05/25/2014  04:58 PM                0 EZ.txt
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            3,928 flavormap.properties
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            3,670 fontconfig.bfc
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            10,479 fontconfig.properties.src
                    03/16/2014  02:41 PM

                    <dir>          fonts
                    03/16/2014  02:41 PM

                    <dir>          i386
                    03/16/2014  02:41 PM

                    <dir>          images
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM                29 javafx.properties
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM          894,198 javaws.jar
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM          109,196 jce.jar
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM          462,133 jfr.jar
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM        15,092,678 jfxrt.jar
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM          580,526 jsse.jar
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            4,226 jvm.hprof.txt
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            39,840 launcher.exe
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            2,455 logging.properties
                    03/16/2014  02:41 PM

                    <dir>          management
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM              385 management-agent.jar
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            2,196 meta-index
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            3,070 net.properties
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM        1,905,758 plugin.jar
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            2,796 psfont.properties.ja
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            10,393 psfontj2d.properties
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM        2,466,336 resources.jar
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM        60,008,624 rt.jar
                    03/16/2014  02:41 PM

                    <dir>          security
                    03/16/2014  02:41 PM

                    <dir>          servicetag
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            1,210 sound.properties
                    05/16/2013  11:38 AM            8,138 tzmappings
                    03/16/2014  02:41 PM

                    <dir>          zi</dir>

                    </dir>

                    </dir>

                    </dir>

                    </dir>

                    </dir>

                    </dir>

                    </dir>

                    </dir>

                    </dir>

                    </dir>

                    </dir>

                    </dir>

                    TP-Link-GUIs.jpg
                    TP-Link-GUIs.jpg_thumb
                    EasySmart.jpg
                    EasySmart.jpg_thumb

                    • Pete

                    Auto mater
                    23.09.1-RELEASE (amd64)
                    built on Mon Dec 11 12:24:00 CST 2023
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                    • peteP
                      pete
                      last edited by

                      Installed Java and the TP-Link application in Wine on a little tablet I have running Ubuntu 12.10.

                      Looks to work fine except its not seeing the switches.

                      Never really used Wine before.  I installed the configuration utility using the wine installer.

                      Its still not seeing the switches.

                      • Pete

                      Auto mater
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                      • R
                        robi
                        last edited by

                        @pete:

                        Installed Java and the TP-Link application in Wine on a little tablet I have running Ubuntu 12.10.

                        Looks to work fine except its not seeing the switches.

                        Never really used Wine before.  I installed the configuration utility using the wine installer.

                        Its still not seeing the switches.

                        I don't think you should need Wine at all. Install the java package un Ubuntu as described here (that's jut one way to do it, but you can search for many other installation alternatives), and try to run javaws.jar or othe other .jar files directly. Maybe you could do some little hacking by finding how the launcher.exe is calling the app, you can similarly call it in linux then.

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                        • R
                          robi
                          last edited by

                          @stephenw10:

                          The TL-SG2216 is not in the Easy Smart range hence it has all the features you might expect from an entry level managed switch like webgui and CLI etc.

                          Oops, sorry indeed. I remember now. On the OP I was also asking whether should I buy an Easy Smart version or a Smart version, and indeed, I finally bought the TL-SG2216 Smart one. The naming of these switch models is so confusing. Almost as worse as Ciscos, lol.

                          In my area, the TL-SG1016DE easy smart costs 123USD while the TL-SG2216 smart costs 144 USD. It's worth the 21 bucks difference at 16 ports both, to be platform independent and have CLI too.
                          I also have a couple of TL-SG1016 unmanaged dumb swithces (not the'DE' version) - these are the ones I'm going to replace with the TL-SG2216s. The final kick to choose this model was the fact that the TL-SG2216 is exactly the same size (physically - width/height/depth) as the TL-SG1016, so I don't need to replace my special mounting solution in one of the locations. That's just a bonus for me.

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                          • peteP
                            pete
                            last edited by

                            Thank you guys; this discussion has been enlightening for me.

                            Yeah the first test was just to try the management application with Wine.  It does work but doesn't see the switches.  Will try playing around with the jar files as I have java installed on the Ubuntu side of things.

                            Here too one TP-Link EasySmart switch was a swap out of another switch in the Leviton media panel.  It does fit just right.  I do have many LV wires running on either side of the switch.  No fan vents help in the mounting of the switch.  The basic EasySmart 24 port switch with just the GUI interface is smaller than the next up version of the switch.  One of the two switches has been up over a year; fully populated and barely warm to the touch.  Most of the volume of traffic is relating to streaming HD stuff from multiple sources to multiple clients (+ 20 touchscreens) plus now some CCTV HD IP traffic. Price was right too.  'bout hitting around the end of that initially installed /25 subnet.  Sort of related I have a similar setup in another location with the cover on the media panel now running for some 4 years 24/7; simple and functional and not seen.

                            • Pete

                            Auto mater
                            23.09.1-RELEASE (amd64)
                            built on Mon Dec 11 12:24:00 CST 2023
                            FreeBSD 14.0-CURRENT
                            PFSense + Qotom - Master
                            PFSense + Jetway - Backup
                            PFSense + Jetway - Backup
                            PFSense + Generic - Backup

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                            • R
                              robi
                              last edited by

                              One more interesting observation related to TP-Link TL-SG2216.

                              Configuration can be backed up and restored from the web interface. The .cfg file generated is nothing else, than a list of cisco-style console commands which build up the functions of the switch. Very sweet. One could edit the file before restoring…
                              It contains commands like below:```
                              interface gigabitEthernet 1/0/6
                                switchport general allowed vlan 222 untagged
                                switchport pvid 222
                                no switchport general allowed vlan 1

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                              • stephenw10S
                                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                last edited by

                                That is interesting. Makes you wonder if it's possible to achieve some configuration that might not be possible via the webgui. Hidden options etc.

                                Steve

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                                • R
                                  robi
                                  last edited by

                                  That's what I was thinking too. The complete CLI guide is downloadable in PDF from their site.

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                                  • R
                                    robi
                                    last edited by

                                    There's a new firmware available for TL-SG2216. Updating the device automatically restores it to factory default so a double-check is needed that a config backup has been done before the operation. Don't know how the other models behave, but I guess it's similar.

                                    Unfortunately it also returns to the 192.168.0.1 IP address without gateway set, so if you have to do it remotely make sure you have a telnet-capable machine somewhere connected close, . A good idea would be to keep the default '1' vlan as it is just for management later (keep it as untagged 'native' vlan on the 'trunk' ports between the switches and pfSense), and when it returns to factory defaults, you only need to telnet in, set a default gateway by CLI and you can access the web interface from other networks if that's the case, to restore the config.
                                    But I think copying the entire contents of the config file to clipboard and pasting it to the telnet window would do the same.

                                    If 'trunking' vlans to pfSense, as I said above I suggest to keep vlan 1 untagged on that port. In pfSense assign the IP address 192.168.0.254 to the physical port which connects to the switch. This way, you can always telnet in your switch wihout any routing from an SSH window on pfSense.

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                                    • R
                                      robi
                                      last edited by

                                      It's worth upgrading, as I see the firmware contains lots of new multicast and IPv6 features (like MLD snooping).

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                                      • C
                                        cwesterfield
                                        last edited by

                                        http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/?categoryid=2878&model=TL-SG108E

                                        New owner of a TL-SG108E here.

                                        The device has no way to configure other than windows program.

                                        The device is currently operating in the following fashion:

                                        Port 1 is plugged into a Staff router (Asa 5505) - Vlan 1
                                        Port 2 is plugged into a Public use router (WRT54gV2) - Vlan 50 - PVID 50
                                        Port 8 is plugged into a Ubiquiti AP - PVID 1 - Public Wifi sent through VLAN 50, Staff through VLAN 1

                                        I've attached an image.

                                        If you want to know why this abomination was necessary, read this: http://goo.gl/WTv0ah

                                        Hopefully this helps with some of the questions presented here.

                                        VLAN.PNG
                                        VLAN.PNG_thumb

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                                        • stephenw10S
                                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                          last edited by

                                          Well at least that's an answer to the earlier question, there is no web interface on the cheapest model. Disappointing.

                                          Steve

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                                          • R
                                            robi
                                            last edited by

                                            You don't have to buy the cheapest one, really. Price difference is very minimal - pfSense's average user base should really avoid the cheapest models because they are not intended as target market for them.

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