Networking documentation and buying guides

A decision tree across the whole switch range — unmanaged, managed, PoE, multi-gig, Layer 3, and industrial — mapping site type to the right class of switch.

Why industrial networks are built differently: environment, DC power, redundancy, and the separation of OT traffic from IT traffic on shared cabling.

SFP, SFP+, single-mode vs multi-mode, BiDi and DAC explained — how to specify the right optic for a fibre uplink and avoid the usual compatibility traps.

Density before coverage: how to decide access point count, mounting type, power, and backhaul for an enterprise wireless deployment that survives a full office.

Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) compared on channel width, modulation, and Multi-Link Operation — plus the wired upgrade Wi-Fi 7 quietly demands.

When a commercial switch is the wrong choice, and how to specify an industrial one: temperature rating, mounting, DC input, ingress protection, and surge tolerance.

What the three IEEE Power over Ethernet standards actually deliver at the port and at the device, why budget matters more than port count, and how to size a PoE switch.

Layer 2 switches forward by MAC address inside VLANs; Layer 3 switches also route between IP subnets in hardware. Where each belongs, and what it costs to choose wrong.

A six-step method for sizing a managed switch — port count, PoE budget, uplinks, switching layer, environment, and management — before the BOQ goes out for pricing.