Home routers generally provide four LAN ports. Once you have a television, a games console, a computer, and a camera recorder, those ports are gone, and the question arises: will adding a switch slow everything down?
No. And the reason deserves explaining, because this misconception makes many people buy far more equipment than they need.
A switch doesn't divide speed
The common mental image: one connection enters the switch, then gets shared equally across the ports like slicing a cake. That isn't how it works.
A switch forwards data between ports at full speed. Even the cheapest gigabit switch has several gigabits per second of internal capacity, far beyond any home subscription in Indonesia.
What makes things feel slow is the number of devices genuinely using it at the same time, and that happens with or without a switch. Adding a switch doesn't add load; it only adds places to plug in.
One thing to check. Make sure the switch you buy is gigabit, not 100 Mbps. 100 Mbps switches are still sold slightly cheaper, and they genuinely do become a bottleneck if your subscription exceeds 100 Mbps. Look for 10/100/1000 on the packaging.
Two types, and who needs which
| Unmanaged | Managed | |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration | None, plug and play | Has its own panel |
| VLANs | No | Yes |
| Per-port monitoring | No | Yes |
| 8-port price range | Rp 200k – 500k | Rp 900k – 3m |
| Suits | Homes, small offices | Businesses needing network separation |
For a home, unmanaged is almost always enough. Managed only makes sense when you need genuine separation between guests, operations, and smart devices, a need discussed in the guide to separating a guest network.
There's a type in between, sometimes called smart or web managed. It offers basic VLANs at a price well below fully managed, and is often the right middle ground for a café or clinic.
When PoE is genuinely useful
PoE sends power over the same network cable. The device at the far end needs no socket of its own.
This isn't a luxury feature, it solves a real problem:
- Ceiling-mounted access points. There's no socket in the ceiling, and running one there costs far more than the price difference of a PoE switch.
- Security cameras. One cable for data and power simplifies installation dramatically.
- Outdoor devices. Fewer points needing weather protection.
Pay attention to the total power the switch can supply, not just the number of PoE ports. An 8-port PoE switch with a 60-watt budget can't run eight access points each drawing 12 watts.
Choosing, in four questions
How many ports do you need?
Count what you need now, add two. The price gap between 5 and 8 ports is small, while running out means buying again.
Is anything going to need PoE?
Ceiling access points or cameras. If there's nothing and nothing planned, skip it, PoE switches cost two to three times as much.
Do you need to separate networks?
If so, look for VLAN support. If not, unmanaged is enough.
Where will it sit?
Fanless switches are quieter and suit workspaces. Fanned ones are usually only needed for high-power PoE, and are best placed away from where people work.
What to watch when installing
Connect the switch to a LAN port on the router, not the WAN port. This is the same mistake people often make when adding a second router, and the consequences are similar, covered in the guide to setting up two routers on one network.
A switch needs no configuration at all. It doesn't hand out IP addresses and doesn't replace the router, the division of duties is explained in the guide to modem, router, and ONT.
For cabling, Cat5e is adequate for gigabit up to 100 metres. What matters more is that it's solid copper rather than copper-clad aluminium, especially with PoE. That's discussed in the guide to choosing LAN cable.
Frequently asked questions
Does adding a switch make the internet slower?
No. A switch forwards data at full speed between ports, and even a cheap gigabit switch has internal capacity far beyond any home subscription. What divides capacity is the number of devices using it simultaneously, not the presence of a switch.
Do I need a managed switch at home?
Almost never. Managed switches are useful if you need VLANs, per-port monitoring, or traffic prioritisation. For homes and small offices without those needs, an unmanaged switch is adequate and far cheaper.
What is PoE and when do I need it?
PoE sends power over the same network cable. It's useful for ceiling-mounted access points or security cameras where there's no power socket, because you run one cable instead of two.
