TP-Link TL-SG105: the 5-port gigabit switch most homelabs start with
What the TP-Link TL-SG105 unmanaged 5-port gigabit switch does, where it fits in a homelab, and what it does not do. With the short video and the Amazon link.
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Get it on Amazon: TP-Link TL-SG105 5-Port Gigabit Switch
The short video on this page uses a fictional AI-generated presenter (AI face, voice and lip-sync). We have not personally tested this switch; the details below come from TP-Link's own product information. No price or rating is quoted because both change; check the listing.
The problem it solves
Most home routers have four Ethernet ports on the back. A homelab fills them fast: a server or mini PC, a NAS, a Raspberry Pi, a desktop. A small unmanaged switch fixes that with one cable: plug one of its ports into the router and the other four become extra wired ports on the same network.
What it is
- 5 gigabit Ethernet ports (10/100/1000 Mbps, auto-negotiation on every port)
- Metal case, no fan, so it is silent
- Unmanaged and plug-and-play: no app, no web page, nothing to configure
- Energy-efficient design, which matters for a box that runs 24/7 on a shelf
- Sits on a desk or mounts on a wall
- Works behind any router, including an OPNsense or pfSense box
Where it fits in a homelab
- Under the desk: one cable from the router, four wired devices next to you.
- Next to the server shelf: the mini PC running Proxmox, the NAS and the Pi all get wired gigabit links instead of Wi-Fi.
- Behind the TV: a console, a streaming box and a smart TV on one wall jack.
What it does not do
It is unmanaged, so there are no VLANs, no port settings and no traffic graphs. If you want to split IoT devices onto their own VLAN, you need a managed or "easy smart" switch instead (TP-Link sells those under other model numbers). If you only need more ports, unmanaged is simpler and there is nothing to misconfigure. There is also an 8-port version if five is not enough.
Watch the 49-second version
The Short above covers the same ground. More picks like this one are in the viral Amazon tech finds roundup.
Get it on Amazon: TP-Link TL-SG105 5-Port Gigabit Switch
