Coming soon 2.5 GbE at home with Qnap?

QNAP QSW-1105-5T Launch Soon

The manufacturer Qnap, renowned for its NAS servers, but also for its network equipment, announced at the beginning of this year several NAS references for particular. After a launch of the TS-x31K range in April in 4 bays, then a faster TS-431KX, the company decided to launch a new switch model called QSW-1105-5T.

QNAP brings 2.5GbE experience into your work and life! Emerging multi-gigabit Wi-Fi 6

But what is behind this reference full of numbers and letters? Well, a 5-port switch that could pass for a small model, but that is not at all. The particularity of this new model lies in a choice of the standard 2.5 Gbe for all its ports, a good point with the recent Z490 having adopted this standard. You will be able to connect several machines and get very fast transfers, provided you have the necessary equipment (it will not be too bad with the latest NAS of the moment). The product is still small, with dimensions of 32 x 180 x 144 mm for a mass of 577 g and can thus slip around a little while remaining discreet. The power supply (12 W) is positioned at the front of the product, which is somewhat confusing, but which is ultimately a relevant choice in case of a possible electrical problem (we reconnect and hop it starts again).

QNAP QSW-1105-5T Launching Soon 

And is this little thing manageable? 

Unfortunately no, but don’t ask too much, Qnap announced that the rate would be very aggressive without giving too much detail. So exit security with this product, you will not have access to a web interface, nor to useful settings, we simply plug and it is ready to use. Note that in addition to being small, this model is totally fanless - classic on the 5 ports -, a big thank you for our ears. Another advantage is that you will not be able to make a local loop with your RJ45, since the switch will automatically turn off the impacted interfaces.

Difficult to see who are the competitors of this UFO - for now - since most of the 5 ports are often very cheap and blocked in Gigabit. Most 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet compatible switches trade at several hundred euros and have only two ports to exploit these speeds, as on the Zyxel XGS1010-12 for example. It is therefore a very good surprise that Qnap offers us, you only have to buy more rapid network cards - or a new mobale - to prepare you!