TrendNET TEG-S50g review

The TrendNET TEG-S50g is a fantastic cheap Ethernet switch, offering energy saving features and great speeds, despite its age.

TrendNET TEG-S50g review
(Image: © TrendNET)

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

The TrendNET TEG-S50g is an older ethernet switch, but one that still performs admirably, even if a little slowly. It's a cheap and solid option.

Pros

  • +

    Very cheap

  • +

    Simple to use

  • +

    Energy saving

Cons

  • -

    A bit outdated

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It's showing its age these days, having launched back in 2007, but the TrendNET TEG-S50g is still an excellent little hub if you're looking to expand your home network. It offers five Gigabit Ethernet ports with a total data transfer capacity of 10 Gbps which should help mitigate traffic spikes on busy networks. The TrendNET TEG-S50g also has some energy saving features, automatically turning off inactive ports to save power. 

For these reasons, and thanks to the low price, we rank the TrendNET TEG-S50g as one of the best Ethernet switches on the market today, which is impressive for a thirteen-year-old device, we're sure you'll agree. 

This five-port switch is made with GREENnet technology that, according to the company, reduces power consumption by as much as 70%. This technology is designed to help automatically adjust power voltage as needed so no extra, unnecessary energy is used and so the device goes into idle, power-saving mode when no devices are trying to connect. Indeed, this is the lowest power-consuming product in the TrendNET ethernet range.

This switch features a plug-and-play design, with an individual on/off switch, similar to the Buffalo Technology BSGS2008. This means you do not need to use any software to get started; the switch starts working immediately once you connect it. The actual switch is compact and features a durable metal exterior. It is small enough to be placed directly on a desktop or can be mounted on the wall if you're trying to keep wires tidy.

TrendNET TEG-S50g review

(Image credit: TrendNET)

The TrendNET TEG-S50g switch supports jumbo frames and is designed to help send larger data packets for increased speed and performance, even during high-traffic times. This switch also has a 10Gbps switching capacity that allows it to send data to the correct ports as needed to boost efficiency and speed. This is, admittedly, slower than more modern models, but is still an ok speed. Data transfer rates with this switch can reach as high as 2000 Mbps when it is in Full-Duplex mode.

This Ethernet switch features five LED light indicators on the front of the device as well as five different Ethernet ports on the back of the switch. If you want to mount this device, the positioning of the indicator lights and the Ethernet switches may not make mounting the device convenient. The Cisco SG100D-08P-NA offers a better design if you want a mounted device.

Should you buy the TrendNET TEG-S50g?

Despite its age and slower performance in some areas, the TrendNet TEG-S50g is a solid switch that can work for both home and professional users. The product is designed to boost internet speeds for companies who need to transfer large data packets and for individual users who need faster online gaming or TV streaming speeds, making this a versatile hub for all types of users. If you don’t require a switch that has front-facing Ethernet ports, then this compact desktop friendly switch is worth considering.

Rebecca Armstrong

Rebecca has been writing about technology since 2015. She specializes in smartphones, phone plans, DNA tests and home networking equipment. She has a bachelors degree in creative writing and English literature from the University of Evansville. Rebecca currently works as the co-founder of All Times Are Local, a foster care organization.