The Linksys SE1500 is a traditional Ethernet switch with five ports that offer up tp 100 Mbps data transfer speeds. While this was fine in the past, these days you really want a gigabit switch, as modern websites and services use up much more bandwidth than they used to. As a result, the Linksys SE1500 doesn't make the cut when it comes to our best Ethernet switch rankings.
It's not all bad - the Linksys SE1500 is cheap, easy to use and has a sleek, professional design that would suit an office or home environment. At the end of the day, there are better options out there though.
Linksys SE1500 review: Features
The Linksys SE1500 comes with five separate ports that can help you experience faster file-transfer speeds. The Linksys technology behind this five-port design can also help you boost your HD streaming and gaming efforts. Although it does not feature gigabit speed capabilities, this Ethernet switch does come with QoS (Quality of Service) Traffic Management features that reduce buffering by prioritizing high-bandwidth activities.
There are individual LED lights on the front of this switch that indicate usage levels and issues with individual ports, so you can quickly troubleshoot any existing problems. The back of the switch hosts the five individual ports. Although this compact switch can be mounted on the wall, the positioning of the ports and lights can make it difficult to mount if you still want to see the indicator lights while the switch is in use.
This Ethernet switch comes with a plug-and-play design, meaning you can instantly start using it without having to install any software. The ports feature MDI/MDIX crossover connection, so you can connect any wired device to any wired port, and the switch will automatically recognize all devices, such as a gaming console or a printer.
Linksys’ SE1500 comes with power-saving features that can help reduce excess energy consumption. This feature automatically switches unused ports into idle, power-saving mode while the device’s on/off switch allows you to turn off LED indicator lights. This device is IEEE 802.3 standard, which ensures energy efficient operation of Ethernet devices.
Should you buy the Linksys SE1500?
The Linksys SE1500 switch had a lot going for it when it first launched, and much of that still holds true now. It's a basic, budget-friendly solution to consider if you want to expand your home network. It's cheap and easy to use, but unfortunately the technology on offer here is just outdated at this point. You can easily find a modern gigabit Ethernet switch for the same price, or even cheaper.
