Buying Guide
The Best Cisco Meraki Network Switches for Everyday Desk Work
We looked at 5 cisco meraki network switches side by side, with the trade-offs that separate them and who each one suits.
By Jamie Cole, Lead Product Researcher
7 min read5 products evaluated
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Cisco Meraki switches are cloud-managed through a central dashboard, but there's a licensing trap buyers need to understand before purchasing on Amazon: most listings sell Meraki hardware as "unclaimed" or "no license," meaning the switch's cloud management, VLAN tagging, and PoE monitoring simply don't function until you separately purchase and activate a Meraki license through Cisco.
We flagged exactly which listings in this cluster include a license bundled in versus which are hardware-only, since this distinction changes the real total cost dramatically and is easy to miss when comparing sticker prices.
Quick Picks
Our 5 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Best with License Included
Cisco Meraki MS120-24P (5-Yr License Included)
Buyers prioritizing 24-port poe+, 5-year license included
Our take Check price for Cisco Meraki MS120-24P (5-Yr License Included) (opens in a new tab)
Best Stackable Hardware
Cisco Meraki MS210-48FP Switch (Hardware Only)
Buyers prioritizing 48 gigabit poe ports, 740w (fp model)
Our take Check price for Cisco Meraki MS210-48FP Switch (Hardware Only) (opens in a new tab)
Cheapest Hardware-Only (Needs License)
Cisco Meraki MS225-48LP (Unclaimed, Renewed)
Buyers prioritizing 48-port poe+ switch hardware
Our take Check price for Cisco Meraki MS225-48LP (Unclaimed, Renewed) (opens in a new tab)
Budget Hardware-Only (Needs License)
Cisco Meraki MS120-24P (Unclaimed, Renewed)
Buyers prioritizing 24-port poe+ switch hardware
Our take Check price for Cisco Meraki MS120-24P (Unclaimed, Renewed) (opens in a new tab)
Smallest Hardware-Only (Needs License)
Cisco Meraki MS120-8 (Unclaimed, Renewed)
Buyers prioritizing 8-port gigabit + 2 sfp switch hardware
Our take Check price for Cisco Meraki MS120-8 (Unclaimed, Renewed) (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Best with License Included1 of 5
Cisco Meraki MS120-24P (5-Yr License Included) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Unlike most Meraki listings on Amazon, this MS120-24P bundle includes a 5-year Meraki license, meaning the cloud dashboard, automatic firmware updates, and remote packet capture tools work immediately without a separate licensing purchase.
Best for
- Buyers prioritizing 24-port poe+, 5-year license included
Why we like it
1X authentication for enterprise-grade access control, positioned as the rare Amazon Meraki listing that's actually plug-and-manage rather than hardware-only.
Key dimensions & specs
- 24-port PoE+, 5-year license included
- SNMP/Syslog, 802.1X authentication
- Cloud-managed via Meraki dashboard
Pros
- Rare Amazon Meraki listing with license included
- 5-year license removes a major hidden cost
- 802.1X authentication for real access control
Cons
- Still tied to Meraki's cloud dashboard dependency
- License expires after 5 years requiring renewal
Best Stackable Hardware2 of 5
Cisco Meraki MS210-48FP Switch (Hardware Only) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The MS210-48FP is a 48-port Gigabit PoE switch with 4 Gigabit SFP uplinks and stacking support for up to 8 units at 80Gbps of physical stacking bandwidth, managed entirely through the Meraki cloud dashboard with zero-touch provisioning.
Best for
- Buyers prioritizing 48 gigabit poe ports, 740w (fp model)
Why we like it
This listing is hardware only, buyers need an active Meraki license to unlock dashboard management, remote troubleshooting, and per-client usage stats, a licensing requirement that's easy to overlook when comparing sticker prices against unmanaged switches.
Key dimensions & specs
- 48 Gigabit PoE ports, 740W (FP model)
- Stacks up to 8 units, 80Gbps stacking
- Cloud-managed via Meraki dashboard
Pros
- True hardware stacking up to 8 units
- Zero-touch provisioning at scale
- 740W PoE budget covers a full high-draw fleet
Cons
- Requires a separate, recurring Meraki license to function
- Hardware-only listing, easy to misjudge total cost
Cheapest Hardware-Only (Needs License)3 of 5
Cisco Meraki MS225-48LP (Unclaimed, Renewed) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
This renewed MS225-48LP is explicitly listed as unclaimed with no license, meaning the 48-port PoE+ switch's cloud management features are inactive until a buyer purchases and activates a separate Meraki license through Cisco.
Best for
- Buyers prioritizing 48-port poe+ switch hardware
Why we like it
Buyers should treat this purely as discounted Meraki hardware, not a functioning managed switch out of the box, and budget for licensing costs before assuming it will work like a plug-and-play PoE switch.
Key dimensions & specs
- 48-port PoE+ switch hardware
- Renewed condition, unclaimed/no license
- Requires separate Meraki license to activate
Pros
- Lower hardware cost than a new licensed unit
- Full 48-port PoE+ capacity once licensed
Cons
- Non-functional as a managed switch without a purchased license
- Renewed condition, not new hardware
Budget Hardware-Only (Needs License)4 of 5
Cisco Meraki MS120-24P (Unclaimed, Renewed) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Like the MS225-48LP renewed listing, this MS120-24P is sold unclaimed with no license attached, a 24-port PoE+ switch that requires a separate Meraki license purchase before its cloud dashboard, VLAN tagging, or PoE monitoring will function.
Best for
- Buyers prioritizing 24-port poe+ switch hardware
Why we like it
It's meaningfully cheaper than the 5-year-licensed MS120-24P bundle, but only makes sense for buyers who already have or plan to buy a Meraki license separately.
Key dimensions & specs
- 24-port PoE+ switch hardware
- Renewed condition, unclaimed/no license
- Requires separate Meraki license to activate
Pros
- Lower upfront cost than the licensed bundle
- Same hardware as the licensed MS120-24P
Cons
- Non-functional without a separately purchased license
- Renewed condition, not new hardware
Smallest Hardware-Only (Needs License)5 of 5
Cisco Meraki MS120-8 (Unclaimed, Renewed) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The smallest Meraki listing in this cluster, an 8-port Gigabit switch with 2 SFP ports, also sold unclaimed with no license, meaning it functions purely as unmanaged hardware until activated with a Meraki license.
Best for
- Buyers prioritizing 8-port gigabit + 2 sfp switch hardware
Why we like it
Its small port count makes it a lower-commitment way to test Meraki's ecosystem before investing in a licensed 24- or 48-port deployment, provided the licensing requirement is factored into the total cost from the start.
Key dimensions & specs
- 8-port Gigabit + 2 SFP switch hardware
- Renewed condition, unclaimed/no license
- Requires separate Meraki license to activate
Pros
- Lowest-cost entry point into Meraki hardware
- Smaller commitment for testing the ecosystem
Cons
- Non-functional as a managed switch without a license
- Renewed condition, not new hardware
How We Chose These Cisco Meraki Network Switches
Each pick was assessed across 5 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- Port Count & Speed Tier
- Verified the actual port count, Gigabit vs multi-gig speed rating, and whether every port runs at the advertised speed or only some do, since several switches mix full-speed and lower-speed ports.
- Checked the total PoE wattage budget against realistic device counts, not just the per-port maximum, since a switch's total power pool is what actually limits how many cameras or access points it can run.
- Classified each switch as unmanaged, smart/easy-managed, or fully managed Layer 2/3, since this determines what troubleshooting and segmentation options are available after installation, not just at setup.
- Weighed fanless vs active cooling, metal vs plastic housing, and desktop/wall/rack mounting options against the switch's likely install environment.
- Favored listings that clearly state cabling requirements, host port requirements, and speed caveats over ones that only advertise the theoretical maximum.
What to Look for in a Cisco Meraki Network Switch
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Port count is a headroom decision, not a current-need one
Buy for what you'll plug in over the next 2-3 years, not just today. An 8-port switch that's already full the day it arrives means buying a second switch and daisy-chaining, which adds a hop of latency and another point of failure.
PoE budget is a shared pool, not per-port
A switch rated for 8 PoE+ ports at 120W total does not mean every port gets 30W simultaneously. Add up the real draw of every camera, AP, and phone you'll connect, and make sure the total budget clears it with room to spare.
Managed vs unmanaged changes what you can diagnose later
An unmanaged switch is zero-configuration but gives you no visibility when something goes wrong. A smart-managed switch adds VLANs, port mirroring, and traffic monitoring for a modest price increase, worth it the first time you need to isolate a misbehaving device.
Fanless does not always mean silent under load
Most desktop switches are fanless and silent, but high-port-count PoE switches sometimes add active cooling once the power budget climbs past 200-300W. Check for a fan explicitly if a quiet office or bedroom install matters.
Multi-gig speed needs matching cable and network gear
5G or 10G switch only delivers those speeds if your cabling is Cat5e or better (Cat6a for 10G) and the devices on both ends actually support that speed. Mixing a multi-gig switch into an all-Gigabit network gets you nothing extra.
Renewed enterprise gear needs a licensing check first
Cisco Meraki, Juniper, and some Aruba/HPE switches on Amazon are frequently sold as renewed hardware without an active license or support contract. Confirm what functions before assuming a discounted enterprise switch works like a new one out of the box.
How to Choose a Cisco Meraki Network Switch
Only one listing in this cluster ships with an active license bundled. Every other Meraki listing here requires a separate Meraki license purchase before the switch functions as a managed device.
| Cisco Meraki MS120-24P (5-Yr License) | |
|---|---|
| MS210-48FP, MS225-48LP, other MS120-24P, MS120-8 | Unclaimed, requires separate license purchase |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'unclaimed, no license' actually mean I get?
You get the physical switch hardware only. Its cloud management dashboard, remote monitoring, automatic firmware updates, and most configuration options remain inactive until you purchase a Meraki license from Cisco and claim the device in the dashboard.
Is Meraki worth the licensing cost over a one-time-purchase managed switch?
It depends on whether centralized cloud management across many locations matters to you. For a single switch in a single location, a one-time-purchase managed switch like NETGEAR's Smart Managed or Ubiquiti's UniFi line avoids the recurring licensing cost entirely.
Bottom Line
Best overall: Cisco Meraki MS120-24P (5-Yr License Included) — best with license included pick in this roundup. See the full verdicts above for every pick, with pros, cons and who each one suits.
Browse all cisco meraki network switches on Amazon — Prime-eligible options with current pricing.