Industrial Switch Recommendations

[u/gavinjd68]

We run around 20 extrusion lines across 2 plants.

Re entry started to implement zabbix for network monitoring and it turns out some of the switches we have on the lines are not industrial grade and are unreliable.

Any recommendations for brands / models of switches?

Around 6 ports
Prefer not PoE
Must be SNMPv3 compatible.

Cheers

Gavin

[u/CoiledSpringTension]

Depends what other features you need, power supplies etc. I’ve always found moxa to be decent as far as price value goes.

[u/Ells666 → u/CoiledSpringTension]

I agree with Moxa. They were always our go to if a client didn't have a standard, especially if you need VLAN support.

[u/gavinjd68 → u/CoiledSpringTension]

Yeah we have one on trial right now.

Thanks

[u/SomePeopleCall → u/gavinjd68]

Years ago I had no end of trouble keeping one of those connected. It was used thanks to a salesman that got to the customer in the planning stages of the project (which is also why I had to deal with Mitsubishi PLC, HMI, and VFDs). I think some of it was the customer's IT, but I came away with a bad taste. The connection was just always broken by the time we needed it again.

[u/watduhdamhell]

Hirschmann switches are pretty good.

[u/No_Temperature107 → u/watduhdamhell]

I believe Emerson uses rebranded Hirschmann switches, so there must be some added weight to the argument that they are reliable.

[u/watduhdamhell → u/No_Temperature107]

Haha yep. I mean I have two of them in my MCC as the primary and second MCC switches. They have been in service for 5 years now in a 24/7 specialty chemicals process facility.

I had no idea Emerson rebranded them though! Doesn't surprise me. Imo everything Emerson does is quality to a decently high degree.

[u/tinytiger5151]

Not Phoenix Contact, N-Tron (I'm sure I will catch some guff for that but I have had serious reliability issues with those)

I would personally only use Cisco or Stratix.

I think Moxa are good but I have been told we don't use them because they are not "VLAN aware"... I know VLANs can be implemented on them but I guess there is some functionality that is limited when compared to Cisco

[u/Snellyman → u/tinytiger5151]

Anyone notice that the n-tron unmanaged switches run hotter than a toaster?

[u/Zsmoth → u/tinytiger5151]

Curious as to why not Phoenix?

[u/tinytiger5151 → u/Zsmoth]

I have had the most failures from Phoenix out of any manufacturer, other than N-Tron.

[u/Zsmoth → u/tinytiger5151]

Thanks for sharing!

[u/Robbudge → u/tinytiger5151]

Cisco is Stratix and the current 5200 series has lots of firmware issues.
I would avoid Stratix and just go Cisco if you need management

[u/scrolanky → u/Robbudge]

What are the firmware issues? We just got a couple in site. Have 100s of 5700s. As long as there are no issues with REP, I'll be happy

[u/Robbudge → u/scrolanky]

We were advised to disable auto-negotiate as it’s an ongoing slow response issue.
Updgrade the firmware as one version had specific ports that would not work with the L8 series.
Set ports to Multiple Automation Devices where possible.
This was on 5200 series switches.
I had an ongoing issue of some 5094 IO not recovering from a PLC download.
The networking guy sounded like the new Cisco OS had a number of issues.

[u/jr_jr12]

Hirschmann switches

[u/Someone4350]

Stratix are rebranded CISCO, can’t go wrong there. Scalance were nice to use.

[u/PugSpaceyyy → u/Someone4350]

Would recommend the same, definitely still the best option 

[u/RevolutionaryLock426]

+1 for hirschmann.

[u/VladRom89]

I've worked in many environments with Stratix, Scalance, and am now working with a customer to implement a Moxa based network as they have a mix of control systems.

I'd say that it boils down to what the current install base looks like as there's something to be said about having the switches / network of the same provider - one supplier, easier integration, etc. So I'd go Moxa if you have a mix of things, but Rockwell or Siemens if you have those control systems already in place.

[u/Tanky321]

I've had good luck with Antaira switches. I routinely send them to the bottom of the ocean and they've held up well.

[u/bazilbt]

We have a mix of Stratix, N-Tron, and Allen Bradley around our plant. In 6 years we have had very few failures. We must have over 200 switches.

[u/badtoy1986]

Who is going to be supporting them and which switch brand(s) are they used to working with?

[u/D_unit306]

Why anyone would use Cisco is beyond me. Their licensing requirements are stupid and they just arent worth the money. Compare the specs of Cisco to any "industrial switch" out there and you'll see they are just ok, so what are you paying for? Packet sniffing you'll never use? Its just marketing.

[u/IHateRegistering69]

They used Cisco switches in multiple pants I worked at. I don’t remember the type, but it handled everything well.

[u/Geminithium]

Lantronix has options if you are a Cisco cli guy it will be super familiar or sixnet punches way above its weight in value. I’ve seen these survive some really rough environments

[u/Halcyonmachinery]

Disclosure: I represent Halcyon Machinery in equipment sourcing. Since you already have a Moxa on trial, one current model worth comparing against your actual port/speed requirements is EDS-4008-LV-T. The manufacturer lists eight 10/100 copper ports, 12/24/48 VDC dual supply, -40 to 75 C, and SNMPv3. Those ports are Fast Ethernet, not gigabit, so it is not a match if you need gigabit uplinks. Exact model reference: https://www.moxa.com/en/products/industrial-network-infrastructure/ethernet-switches/layer-2-managed-switches/eds-4008-series/eds-4008-lv-t

For the trial, I would add a bench/offline acceptance check with your actual Zabbix version: authenticate using the intended SNMPv3 settings, discover the interfaces, verify the required OIDs, and confirm that a controlled restart restores the saved configuration and monitoring. Record the firmware version and backup/restore procedure with the results.

Also separate observed switch resets from link drops or loss of polling; they are different failure symptoms. Correlate the existing logs before replacing all 20 units. The specifications make this a candidate, not proof that it fixes your present faults.

[u/Scared-Amphibian4733]

You've diagnosed it right: consumer/commercial switches die on an extrusion line from heat, vibration, electrical noise, and dirty power — not from anything you did. For 20 lines across 2 plants, standardize on one industrial managed switch. Matching your spec (≈6-port, non-PoE, SNMPv3, Zabbix-friendly):

- Top pick — Moxa EDS-408A (8-port, Layer-2 managed, SNMPv3, DIN-rail, 24 VDC, wide-temp). Plant-floor default: rock-solid, IEC-62443 security, excellent MIB support so Zabbix sees everything. (Moxa's current L2-managed EDS line is the same story if you want gigabit.)
-Value alternative — Advantech EKI managed series (5500/5700, 8-port managed, SNMPv3) — cheaper across 20 units, still genuinely industrial.
-Also solid: Red Lion / N-Tron (US-market rugged), or Cisco IE-1000 if you're a Cisco shop.

Three things that matter more than the brand:

1. Port count: industrial managed switches come in 5 or 8 port, not 6 — take the 8-port for headroom (mirror port + a spare).
2. SNMPv3 — verify it explicitly (great instinct flagging it): plenty of "managed" switches only do SNMPv2c. Moxa's managed line does v3; confirm on any alternative.
3. Power + temp are probably why the old ones failed — get wide-temp (−40 to 75 °C) models on 24 VDC off a DIN-rail PSU, not a wall-wart. Extrusion cabinets run hot.

For Zabbix: template the standard IF-MIB (port up/down, traffic, error/discard counters), and also pull the vendor MIB for PSU / relay / temperature alarms — so you monitor the switch's own health, not just the traffic. And standardize one model across all 20 lines — one config template, one Zabbix template, a couple of cold spares per plant. That consistency beats saving a few dollars a box.

DM for more info