C9200CX-12P-2X2G-E
Compact fanless switch
WS-C2960X-24PSQ-L
1RU
Cisco switch comparison
C9200CX-12P-2X2G-E vs WS-C2960X-24PSQ-L
A key difference between Cisco C9200CX-12P-2X2G-E and WS-C2960X-24PSQ-L is Form Factor: C9200CX-12P-2X2G-E — Compact fanless switch; WS-C2960X-24PSQ-L — 1RU. They also differ in Switch Role (Campus access switch vs Fixed campus access switch with limited Layer 3 routing) and Network License (Network Essentials vs Cisco IOS LAN Base). Consider how form factor affects the deployment, then review the remaining differences before choosing the exact Product ID. The table below shows 63 specifications available for both models. Confirm licenses, accessories, power supplies and regional suffixes before ordering.
2models compared
63specs shown for every model
64differences found
Change comparison
Select different models
At-a-glance comparison
Key performance and configuration differences
Start with the differences that have the greatest effect on capacity, connectivity, software, power and deployment fit.
C9200CX-12P-2X2G-E
Campus access switch
WS-C2960X-24PSQ-L
Fixed campus access switch with limited Layer 3 routing
C9200CX-12P-2X2G-E
Network Essentials
WS-C2960X-24PSQ-L
Cisco IOS LAN Base
C9200CX-12P-2X2G-E
12
WS-C2960X-24PSQ-L
24
C9200CX-12P-2X2G-E
12 x 1G PoE+ RJ-45
WS-C2960X-24PSQ-L
24 x 10/100/1000 RJ-45
C9200CX-12P-2X2G-E
2 x 10G SFP+ plus 2 x 1G copper
WS-C2960X-24PSQ-L
2 x 1G SFP plus 2 x 10/100/1000 RJ-45
Buying decision
How to choose between C9200CX-12P-2X2G-E and WS-C2960X-24PSQ-L
Review the differences in this order to identify the model that best fits the intended deployment.
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01
Ports and uplinks
Match access media, port count and speed first, then confirm that the uplink design fits the distribution layer.
-
02
PoE and power
Total the power required by connected devices and verify the PoE standard, budget, power supplies and redundancy.
-
03
Performance and software
Compare forwarding, stacking and scale in the intended topology, then confirm the license tier and software release.
Before ordering
Confirm the exact Product ID, license tier, power supplies, accessories and regional requirements.
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Detailed comparison
Full specification comparison
| Comparison parameter |
Cisco
WS-C2960X-24PSQ-L
Catalyst 2960-X Series Switches
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Product ID | C9200CX-12P-2X2G-E | WS-C2960X-24PSQ-L |
| Product and ordering | ||
| Product Type | Cisco Catalyst 9200CX Series compact access switch | Cisco Catalyst 2960-X Series LAN Base access switch |
| Form Factor | Compact fanless switch | 1RU |
| Switch Role | Campus access switch | Fixed campus access switch with limited Layer 3 routing |
| Network License | Network Essentials | Cisco IOS LAN Base |
| Configuration, licensing and management | ||
| Management Model | Cisco Catalyst Center, WebUI, CLI, NETCONF, RESTCONF and SNMP | Cisco IOS CLI, SNMP v1/v2c/v3, Cisco Prime Infrastructure and Cisco Network Assistant |
| Ports and interfaces | ||
| Downlink Port Count | 12 | 24 |
| Access / Downlink Ports | 12 x 1G PoE+ RJ-45 | 24 x 10/100/1000 RJ-45 |
| Downlink Type | 1G PoE+ RJ-45 | 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ-45 |
| Uplink Interfaces | 2 x 10G SFP+ plus 2 x 1G copper | 2 x 1G SFP plus 2 x 10/100/1000 RJ-45 |
| Maximum Uplink Speed | 10 Gbps | 1 Gbps |
| Supported Network Modules | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Management Ports | 1 x 10/100/1000BASE-T dedicated management port | 1 x 10/100 Mbps Ethernet (RJ-45) out-of-band management |
| Console Ports | 1 x RJ-45; 1 x USB Mini-B console | 1 x RJ-45 console plus 1 x USB Type-B console |
| USB Ports | 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A host port | 1 x USB Type-A for external flash storage |
| PoE-capable Ports | 12 | 8 |
| Connector Types | RJ-45; SFP/SFP+; USB | RJ-45 for 10/100/1000 ports; SFP/SFP+ for uplinks |
| Total System Ports | 16 | 28 |
| Performance and scale | ||
| Switching Capacity (Standalone) | 68 Gbps | 216 Gbps |
| Switching Capacity (Stacked) | Not applicable | Not listed |
| Forwarding Rate (Standalone) | 50.59 Mpps | 71.4 Mpps |
| Forwarding Rate (Stacked) | Not applicable | Not listed |
| MAC Address Scale | 32,000 | 16,000 |
| IPv4 Route Scale | 14,000 | 3,000 |
| IPv6 Route Scale | 2,000 | 3,000 |
| Multicast Route Scale | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| VLAN Scale | 4,094 | 4,096 |
| ACL Scale | 1,600 | Not published by Cisco |
| QoS Scale | 1,000 | Not published by Cisco |
| Packet Buffer | 6 MB | Not published by Cisco |
| Jumbo Frame Size | 9,198 bytes | 9,216 bytes |
| Flexible NetFlow Entries | 16,000 | Not listed |
| Switched Virtual Interfaces | 512 | Not listed |
| PoE and power | ||
| PoE Support | PoE/PoE+ | PoE+ on the first 8 ports |
| PoE Standard | IEEE 802.3af / 802.3at | IEEE 802.3af PoE and 802.3at PoE+ |
| Default PoE Budget | 240 W | 110 W |
| Maximum PoE Budget | 240 W | Not applicable |
| Default Power Supply | 315W internal AC | Internal fixed auto-ranging AC power supply |
| Power Supply Slots | 0 | Not applicable |
| Power Supply Options | Fixed internal or external compact power design | Not applicable |
| Maximum System Power | 40.2 W | 33 W |
| AC Input Voltage | 100 to 240 V | 100 to 240 V |
| AC Input Frequency | 50 to 60 Hz | 50 to 60 Hz |
| Power Input Type | AC input; optional DC power supplies on supported modular and fixed-uplink PoE models | AC |
| Heat Dissipation | 137 BTU/h | Not listed |
| Power Redundancy | Redundant power with an optional second compatible supply | Optional external Cisco RPS 2300 redundant power system |
| Stacking and resiliency | ||
| Stacking Technology | Standalone; no switch stacking | Cisco FlexStack-Plus (optional), up to 8 switches |
| Stack Bandwidth | Not applicable | 80 Gbps |
| Maximum Stack Members | Not applicable | 8 |
| StackPower | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Fan Modules | Fanless; no fan modules | Fanless design |
| Memory and software | ||
| Operating System | Cisco IOS XE | Cisco IOS |
| Minimum Software Release | Cisco IOS XE 16.9.2 | Cisco IOS 15.0(2)EX |
| DRAM | 4 GB | 0.5 GB |
| Flash Memory | 8 GB | 0.125 GB |
| CPU | Not listed | APM86392 600 MHz dual-core |
| Physical and environmental | ||
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 44 × 269 × 244 mm | 43.9 × 444.5 × 280.2 mm |
| Weight | 2.99 kg | 5.8 kg |
| Operating Temperature | -5 to 45 °C; -5 to 40 °C | -5 to 45 °C |
| Storage Temperature | -40 to 70 °C | -25 to 70 °C |
| Storage Humidity | Not listed | 10% to 95% |
| Operating Humidity | 5% to 90% | 10% to 95% |
| Operating Altitude | Up to 3,048 m | Up to 3,000 m |
| MTBF | 704,430 hours | 462,680 hours |
| Warranty | Cisco Enhanced Limited Lifetime hardware warranty (E-LLW) | Cisco Enhanced Limited Lifetime Warranty (E-LLW) |
| Acoustic Rating | 0 dBA; fanless | Fanless (no acoustic noise) |
| Environmental Compliance | RoHS compliant | Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) including EU Directive 2011/65/EU |
| Safety Certifications | UL/CSA 60950-1; EN/IEC 60950-1 | UL 60950-1, CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 60950-1, EN 60950-1, IEC 60950-1, AS/NZS 60950-1 (Second Edition) |
| EMC Certifications | FCC Part 15 Class A; EN 55032 Class A; CISPR 32 Class A; ICES-003 Class A | FCC Part 15 Class A, EN 55022 Class A, CISPR 22 Class A, EN 61000-3-2, EN 61000-3-3, VCCI Class A, ICES-003 Class A |
| Mounting | 19-inch rack mount | 19-inch rack mount |
| Airflow | Front-to-back airflow | Not published by Cisco |
“Not listed” means that no confirmed value is currently available for that model and parameter.
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