Cisco WS-C3650-48FQM-E | Catalyst 3650 48-Port Gigabit PoE+ Switch, 775W, 4x 10G SFP+

Q: What is the difference between the 48FQM-E, 48FQM-S, and 48FQM-L models?
A: The suffix indicates the software license tier: -L includes LAN Base (Layer 2 features), -S includes IP Base (entry-level Layer 3), and -E includes IP Services (advanced Layer 3 routing with BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, IS-IS, and policy-based routing). All three have identical hardware specifications.

Q: How many PoE+ devices can this switch power simultaneously?
A: With a 775W PoE budget, the WS-C3650-48FQM-E can power up to 24 devices at full 30W PoE+ (802.3at) simultaneously, or more devices if they draw less power. The switch intelligently manages power distribution across all 48 PoE-capable ports.

Q: Can this switch be stacked with other Catalyst 3650 models?
A: Yes, the 48FQM-E supports StackWise-160 technology and can be stacked with other Catalyst 3650 series switches using optional stacking modules, creating a single logical switch with up to 9 physical units and 160 Gbps stack bandwidth.

Q: Does this model support modular power supplies?
A: No, the 48FQM is a mini form-factor model with a fixed 975W power supply and fixed fans. However, it does support the optional Cisco RPS2300 Redundant Power System for external power redundancy, unlike standard 3650 models.

Q: Is this switch suitable for deploying Wi-Fi 6 access points?
A: Yes, with 775W PoE budget and 10 Gigabit uplinks, this switch can effectively support Wi-Fi 6 access points. However, it does not include multigigabit ports, so access points will connect at Gigabit speeds, which may limit throughput for the highest-density Wi-Fi 6 deployments.