D-Link DMS-108 8-port 2.5Gbps switch – zoom, zoom (networking)

22/02/2025
By Ray Shaw
In Reviews Smart Home

The D-Link DMS-108 8-port 2.5GHz switch packs eight 2.5Gbps full-duplex RJ-45 ports and a 40Gbps backplane into a tiny desktop switch at not much more than a typical gigabit switch.

2.5Gbps (2500/2500Mbps) is becoming the standard for Ethernet, especially as backhaul between mesh routers. The 40Gbps backplane allows all eight ports to have full-duplex (both ways) at 2.5/2.5Gbps.

That is precisely how we tested it, replacing an 8-port gigabit switch supporting two mesh routers with a downstream 2.5Gb and two Gigabit switches supporting many more Ethernet-cabled devices.

You may wonder why we have so many Ethernet devices. These include two TVs, a Sonos Arc, a Sonos Sub, two Sonos ERA 300, Sonos Beam 2, two Sonos Era 100, a Sonos mini-sub, two Sonos 5, Blu-ray player, Fetch Box, Windows Media Centre, Philips Hue Hub, Emberpulse Energy Hub, Fing Box, two PCs/Laptops, two printers, NAS, and Ethernet points around the home.

Using Ethernet, and now 2.5Gbps where the device supports it, we keep these bandwidth hogs off the Wi-Fi 7 network, which supports 33 IoT devices – a smart home.

Australian Review: D-Link DMS-108 8-port 2.5Gbps switch

Website	D-Link home page Product page Manual
RRP 21/02/25	$199.95
From	D-Link online and computer or network stores here.
Warranty	1 year ACL
Made in	Taiwan
Company	D-Link, founded in 1986, is a Taiwanese multinational networking company headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. You can trust D-Link with your privacy.
More	CyberShack D-Link news and reviews CyberShack Networking news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First Impression – Solid and small

A matte black metal case with the usual 8-ports under a highlighted blue strip on the front and a power plug and switch ground on the back. It is 145 x 82 x 28 mm x 343g and has a silent fanless design.

It is also available in a 5-port.

Why is this a good switch?

This unmanaged switch shares the 40Gbps full-duplex (two-way bridge) backplane with no collisions. That means higher throughput. Unmanaged means it does this automatically without software to administer it.
It also enables connected device-to-device communication instead of all traffic returning to the router (or PC) and being sent back to the device. For example, a PC and printer on a switch can talk to each other without creating outside traffic that could slow down the network.
It has Quality of Service priority and Flow Control. This is more about who gives way to whom if they all want to use the switch simultaneously. It prioritises traffic via ‘store and forward’ instead of a collision!
Green technology allows it to use 12V/1A and put ports to sleep, saving energy. We measured a maximum of 8W, but the typical use was 3-5W.
Small 145 x 82 x 28 mm x 343g Metal case and fanless design
Rated for 724,033.96 hours mean time between failure.

The results – Pass+

It is hard to quantify, so we need to be subjective. We have noticed:

A speed increase when moving files across the network.
Faster opening of files across the network
Less lag – everything is faster
Where we can measure speeds on the PCs, we get a full 2500/2500Gbps connection
Less time waiting for Netflix to load and play
While all switches are reliable (they either work or not), we like the metal case and fanless design.

CyberShack’s view – D-Link DMS-108 8-port 2.5Gbps switch speeds up networking for home and SOHO use

Earlier, I explained our need for an Ethernet connection to bandwidth hogs like 4K TVs and the lowest latency for the excellent Sonos Ethernet (or Wi-Fi) connected speaker system.

Over the past year, I have upgraded two gigabit switches to 2.5G to cater to newer devices supporting this standard. The impact (as I mentioned) has been subjectively very successful.

D-Link DMS-108 8-port 2.5Gbps rating

It is a relatively inexpensive 8-port 2.5Gbps switch that works as promised, so it gets a theoretical 10/10. D-Link is a Taiwanese-owned company with excellent local support.

The direct competition is really TP-Links Omada TL-SG108-M2 V2 (also available in 5-port) at $399 but seen around $150 in discount computer stores and online.

Features: 95 – 8 x 2.5Gbps full duplex ports supported by a 40Gbps backplane and anti-collision technology.
Value: 80—It’s a tad on the high side, but it’s seen online for $175. Quality always costs more.
Performance: 95 – Windows PC shows full 2500/2500 connection when connected to the router.
Ease of Use: 95 – Plug and play
Design: 95 Small, metal and fanless – not a fashion item