Refurbished Network Switches

A network switch — also called an Ethernet switch — is a device that connects the wired devices on a local network and directs traffic between them. It reads the hardware (MAC) address on each packet and forwards it only to the port where that device is connected, rather than broadcasting to everything. That gives each connection its own dedicated bandwidth and keeps the network fast and efficient as you add devices.

An unmanaged switch works straight out of the box with no setup — plug it in and it forwards traffic. A managed switch gives you control: VLANs to segment traffic, QoS to prioritise voice or video, link aggregation, port mirroring and SNMP monitoring. Choose unmanaged for a home office or a handful of desks, and managed for a business network, anything with VLANs, or where you need visibility into what the network is doing.

A PoE (Power over Ethernet) switch delivers electrical power along the same cable that carries data, so devices like wireless access points, IP phones and security cameras run from a single cable with no nearby power point. Standard PoE supplies up to 15.4W per port and PoE+ up to 30W. You need one if you are deploying any of those devices — otherwise a non-PoE switch is cheaper and does the same job for ordinary computers.

The power budget is the total wattage the switch can supply across all its PoE ports at once — commonly 150W, 370W or 740W. It is a shared pool, not a per-port guarantee. A 370W 48-port switch cannot run 48 devices drawing 30W each, so add up the draw of everything you plan to power and leave some headroom. The budget is listed in the specifications on each product page.

Count every device that will plug in by cable — computers, printers, access points, cameras, servers — then add around 30% for growth. That usually points to an 8-port switch for a small office, 24 ports for a growing business or floor, and 48 ports for a full rack or larger site. Remember that uplink ports connecting to other switches or a router also consume ports.

A Layer 2 switch forwards traffic using MAC addresses within a single network segment. A Layer 3 switch can also route between VLANs and subnets using IP addresses, doing in hardware what would otherwise need a router. If you are running multiple VLANs that need to talk to each other — or you want to take routing load off the firewall — a Layer 3 switch is worth the step up.

SFP and SFP+ are modular slots that accept a small transceiver, letting you choose the connection type rather than being fixed to copper. SFP runs at 1Gb and SFP+ at 10Gb. They are normally used as uplinks — linking switches together, running fibre between buildings or floors, or connecting to a server or NAS faster than copper allows. The transceiver module is usually purchased separately to match your cable type.

Gigabit (1000Mbps) is the right choice for virtually every desktop, printer and access point, and it is what the majority of our range provides. 10GbE matters when you are moving large files, backing up to a NAS, or connecting virtualisation hosts and storage. A common and cost-effective setup is a gigabit switch with 10GbE SFP+ uplinks, which gives fast desks and a fast backbone without paying for 10GbE at every port.

Yes. Enterprise switches are built for continuous operation in data centres and comms rooms, with no moving parts other than fans, so they age far better than consumer equipment. Every unit we sell is professionally tested, cleaned and graded before sale, and is covered by a 12-month Reboot IT warranty. Buying refurbished business hardware is usually more dependable than buying new consumer-grade gear at the same price.

Every switch we sell is professionally refurbished, not simply used. Each ex-corporate or ex-lease unit is fully tested, configuration-wiped and graded before it is listed, then backed by a 12-month Reboot IT warranty — so you get second-hand value with confidence rather than an untested used switch. Browse all refurbished networking equipment to compare switches, routers and firewalls.

Rack-mountable switches ship with a power cable and, in most cases, the rack ears required to mount them. SFP and SFP+ transceiver modules, stacking cables and console cables are generally not included unless the listing says so. Each product page lists exactly what is supplied — if you need a particular module or cable, ask our team before you order.

Our range covers the major business networking brands including Cisco and Cisco Meraki, HP and HPE Aruba, Dell, Juniper, Netgear, D-Link, TP-Link and Extreme Networks. Stock changes constantly as ex-corporate hardware arrives, so the switches listed on this page are what we currently hold. If you are matching an existing fleet and need a specific model, contact us and we will let you know when one lands.

A switch connects devices within one local network and moves traffic between them. A router connects different networks together — most commonly your local network and the internet — and decides which path traffic takes between them. In a typical business setup the router (or firewall) handles the internet connection and the switch fans that connection out to every wired device. Most sites need both, and larger sites often use a Layer 3 switch to route between internal VLANs while the firewall handles the outside world.

Yes — every refurbished network switch comes with a 12-month Reboot IT warranty. Each unit is fully tested before dispatch, and our support team can help with configuration questions after purchase. Reboot IT has been refurbishing and supplying business IT equipment across Australia since 2001, so you are buying from a specialist rather than a general reseller.

Yes. Every managed switch is reset to factory defaults as part of our refurbishment process, so there is no VLAN configuration, password, IP address or ACL left from the previous owner. You receive the unit in a clean state ready to configure for your own network. If a switch requires a specific firmware version to suit your environment, contact us before ordering and we will confirm what is installed.

You can, and it is often far better value than consumer hardware — but check two things first. Rack-mount switches are usually 1U deep and are designed for a comms rack rather than a desk, and many enterprise models have active cooling fans that are audible in a quiet room. If the switch will sit in a living or working space, look for a fanless desktop model in the 8 to 24 port range. If it is going into a cupboard, rack or comms room, a full enterprise unit is the smarter buy.