InHouse Techies Inc. -
Phoenix, AZ
EGS2110P - 8-Port Gigabit PoE Smart Switch
Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, InHouse Techies services small businesses in the Phoenix and Chicago areas, providing a comprehensive suite of IT services and solutions for companies ranging in size from five to 200 clients.
InHouse Techies primarily provides support for businesses that need IT support, but do not have an IT department. Their services include the following: desktop and laptop support, remote and on-site support services, email support and hosted exchange solutions, printing and scanning solutions, server maintenance, web filter and network monitoring solutions, router and ISP support, network security and planning, VPN and remote access, cloud backup, and website hosting and development.
The Need: A Cost-Effective, Feature-Rich Alternative to Enterprise Class PoE Switches
The flexibility and cost savings afforded by deploying and powering devices such as VoIP telephones, IP cameras and wireless access points using Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) technology make a compelling argument for the adoption of PoE-enabled switches into network infrastructures. With an increasing number of clients requiring hardware that needed to be placed in locations without a nearby AC power source, InHouse Techies was deploying a growing number of PoE switches.
The search for a new PoE switch vendor began with EnGenius. According to Kyle Douglas, Network Administrator for InHouse Techies, the company had been selling EnGenius’ wireless networking products for years, because the products provide robust features, stability and a compelling price-to-performance ratio. At the time, InHouse Techies was deploying expensive enterprise-class PoE switches, but they knew that for their small business customers, they needed to find a more cost-effective solution without sacrificing performance. “We wanted to find a switch manufacturer that was cost-effective and dependable,” explained Douglas.
When EnGenius began shipping its new line of Gigabit PoE switches, Douglas took notice. “We needed to add PoE switches to our product offerings and wanted to standardize on a vendor,” Douglas explained. “We realized that the products from EnGenius have always been good. When we saw the new EnGenius smart switches we knew we had to get our hands on them!”
The Solution: EnGenius EGS2110P 8-Port Gigabit PoE Smart Switch with 2 Gigabit SFP
Douglas learned about the new EnGenius switches through the website, conducted some research through resellers, and educated himself on the EnGenius product line.
Douglas explained that of the various EnGenius switches they are using, one of their favorite models is the EGS2110P 8-Port Gigabit PoE Smart Switch with 2 Gigabit SFP. The powerful EGS2110 supports IEEE 802.3af PoE on all eight Gigabit ports and provides two SFP slots for fiber uplinks.
According to Douglas, ease-of-use is one of the most important features of the EnGenius PoE switch. “The PoE interface on the EnGenius switches is very simple, the web interface is simple, and it was very easy to set up” Douglas said. “The switch is 802.3af-compliant on all ports so it met our PoE standard. The documentation was good, and everything was self-explanatory.”
Douglas explained that InHouse Techies has deployed the EnGenius Gigabit PoE Switches to support a VoIP installation in which the client needed to place the phones in locations that were not near power outlets. By using the EGS2110P, they were able to provide a low-cost solution to power all eight of the phones over a single data line.
InHouse Techies has also used the EnGenius Gigabit PoE Switches to deploy wireless access points. “One of our clients is a hospice organization that required a wireless network infrastructure,” said Douglas. “We ran four access points from each level of the building to the demark center without any need for power outlets. We simply pulled the Cat 5 data cable to the access points and the reliability has been 100 percent since we deployed it six months ago.”
The Results: A Reliable, Cost-Effective, Feature-Rich Solution for Deploying PoE Devices
Being an EnGenius EnPower Reseller and having sold EnGenius’ wireless access points over the years, InHouse Techies had an appreciation for the quality and value delivered by EnGenius, making it easy to give the new Gigabit PoE Switches a try.
“We’re using the EnGenius switches in the place of more expensive enterprise-class switches we were using and they’re performing just as well, if not better, than the other solution. It’s a better solution for our customers which are small businesses and not enterprises,” said Douglas. “Selecting EnGenius wasn’t all about price. The feature set matched across the board and they offered more current topologies as well.”
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