ASUS ExpertWiFi EBP15 Review – Versatile PoE+ Switch For SMEs

Low Boon Shen
By Low Boon Shen 5 Min Read
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Product Name: ExpertWiFi EBP15

Brand: ASUS

Offer price: 79.99

Currency: USD

  • Features - 8.5/10
    8.5/10
  • Materials - 8.5/10
    8.5/10
  • Performance - 8/10
    8/10
  • Value - 8/10
    8/10

Summary

Organizations that require more control and less clutter for their network setups can consider the ASUS ExpertWiFi EBP15, which we consider a good option overall.

Overall
8.3/10
8.3/10

Pros

+ User-friendly management UI
+ PoE+ support
+ Fanless

Cons

– Can get fairly hot 

Unboxing & Walkaround

Today we take a look at ASUS’s business-focused ExpertWiFi EBP15 network switch – it is a managed switch that offers more control over a network compared to the “unmanaged” types. The footnote on the packaging does note that this model works best with other ExpertWiFi models; though any other regular APs and wired routers will work just fine.

The box includes these items:
– Quick setup guide
– Wall mounting guide
– Warranty card
– RJ-45 (LAN) cable
– DC power supply (68W)
– AC adapter (Type G, UK/MY/SG)
– AC adapter (Type E, European)
– AC adapter (Type I, Oceania)
– ASUS ExpertWiFi EBP15 main unit

Most switches look the same on the outside, though white is a rare color choice given that devices like these are hardly meant to be seen. Still, the ExpertWiFi EBP15 features a compact chassis with five LAN ports – four of which supports PoE+ standard that provides up to 30W per port to power devices like access points or IoT hardware. It is also fanless, so no concerns for noise here.

Not all ports are identical, though: managing the switch requires a physical connection with Port 4, while Port 5 lacks PoE capabilities. All ports are rated for 1Gbps maximum, with a maximum of 60W PoE budget available. Additionally, the EBP15 can be placed on a flat surface or mounted on walls with the slots provided under the device.

Specifications

ASUS ExpertWiFi EBP15

Full specifications available on product page.

Network Switch TypeManaged network switch with PoE+
LAN Ports5x GbE LAN (management port via Port 4)
Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)Port 1-4
30W per port (PoE+)
60W total PoE budget
Other I/ONone
FeaturesQuality of Service (QoS)
VLAN
IGMP Snooping
Port Mirroring
Loop Detection/Prevention
StandardIEEE 802.1p/q
IEEE 802.3i/u/x/ab/af/at
IPv4
ManagementWeb GUI
ASUS ExpertWiFi mobile app
Power SupplyDC barrel jack, 68W output
ColorWhite
Dimensions121 x 75 x 26 mm
Weight248g

User Experience

Booting up the EBP15 is quick – in our setup that also involves the EBG19P wired router and the EBA63 access point, the switch kicks in at around 10-20 seconds while waiting for the AP to fire up and broadcast the wireless signals. Since it has PoE+ capabilities, the EBA63 AP (which supports PoE) can boot from the power provided by the switch, negating the use of its own DC power supply.

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Since this is a managed network switch, you can access the device via a dedicate IP (default is 192.168.50.1) once you connect the LAN cable to Port 4. Here, you can configure power budgets allocation and bandwidth limits, as well as other more advanced features (i.e. QoS, port mirroring, and more).

The Good

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ASUS ExpertWiFi EBP15 Review - Versatile PoE+ Switch For SMEs

One of the good things about the ASUS ExpertWiFi EBP15 is the accessibility – setting it up is easy, and the web GUI is also relatively simple to navigate through, so less experience users should be able to figure things out in reasonable time.

The PoE+ support is a big plus for large networks and IoTs that can utilize power-over-ethernet to reduce clutter and cables; and you can allocate just enough power to each device so you can maximize the 60W available budget over multiple devices. All of that is housed in a chassis that require no fans, which means no noise to worry about.

The Bad

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ASUS ExpertWiFi EBP15 Review - Versatile PoE+ Switch For SMEs

There isn’t much to say when it comes to downsides, though if I have to pick one, it has to do with the heat it is generating, even when idle. With no devices doing any kind of heavy load, the metal chassis is surprisingly hot to the touch – loading all five ports with heavy network load is likely going to cause thermal issues, especially if it is installed in a closed environment (say, networking boxes).

Verdict

ASUS ExpertWiFi EBP15 Review - Versatile PoE+ Switch For SMEs
ASUS ExpertWiFi EBP15 Review - Versatile PoE+ Switch For SMEs

Generally speaking, the ASUS ExpertWiFi EBP15 is a solid network switch if you need a greater degree of control over how the devices talk to each other, and the addition of PoE+ capabilities should make for a more streamlined setup. For the price of $79.99, it’s not cheap compared to unmanaged PoE+ switches, but the features will be worth the price if you need it for your specific setup.

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Special thanks to ASUS Malaysia for providing the ExpertWiFi EBP15 for this review.

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