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

Q: What is the PoE budget and how many PoE+ devices can this switch power?
A: The WS-C3650-48FQM-S provides 775W of PoE power from its fixed 975W power supply. It supports IEEE 802.3at PoE+ and can deliver up to 30W per port, allowing you to power IP phones, wireless access points, IP cameras, and other PoE-enabled devices across all 48 ports with appropriate power planning.

Q: What makes this a mini switch and what are the deployment benefits?
A: The 48FQM is part of the Catalyst 3650 mini series with a compact depth of less than 12 inches (11.62 inches), significantly shallower than standard switches. This makes it ideal for tight wiring cabinets, shallow racks in branch offices, retail locations, and remote sites where cabinet depth is limited. It features fixed fans for quieter operation compared to standard 3650 models.

Q: Can this switch function as a wireless controller?
A: Yes, with the IP Base license the WS-C3650-48FQM-S includes integrated wireless controller capability. It can manage up to 25 Cisco Aironet access points and 1,000 wireless clients per switch or stack, supporting 40 Gbps of wireless bandwidth. This enables unified wired-wireless policy enforcement and simplified network management without requiring a separate wireless controller appliance.

Q: How does stacking work and what redundancy options are available?
A: The switch supports optional StackWise-160 stacking modules to create a unified stack of up to 9 switches with 160 Gbps of stack bandwidth. Unlike standard 3650 models, the 48FQM has a fixed power supply and cannot use modular redundant PSUs, but it does support the external Cisco RPS2300 redundant power system for power redundancy in mission-critical deployments.

Q: What uplink flexibility does this model provide?
A: The WS-C3650-48FQM-S includes 4 fixed uplink ports that support either 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP+ transceivers or 1 Gigabit Ethernet SFP modules, providing flexibility for both high-speed aggregation links and cost-effective connectivity. This allows you to use 10G fiber uplinks for core connectivity while maintaining compatibility with existing 1G infrastructure.