Cisco WS-C3850-24XU-E | Catalyst 3850 24-Port Multigigabit UPoE Switch, 580W, IP Services

Q: What is multigigabit Ethernet and why is it important?
A: Multigigabit Ethernet (mGig) allows the WS-C3850-24XU-E to auto-negotiate speeds of 100Mbps, 1G, 2.5G, 5G, or 10G over standard Cat 5e/6/6a cabling. This is essential for supporting next-generation 802.11ac Wave 2 and Wi-Fi 6 access points that require more than 1 Gbps bandwidth, without requiring costly cabling upgrades.

Q: Does this switch include network modules for uplinks?
A: No. The WS-C3850-24XU-E has one network module slot, but modules are sold separately. Compatible modules include C3850-NM-8x10G (8x 10G SFP+) and C3850-NM-2x40G (2x 40G QSFP+), allowing flexible 10G or 40G uplink options for data center and core connectivity.

Q: What is UPoE and how is it different from standard PoE?
A: Universal Power over Ethernet (UPoE) delivers up to 60W per port (802.3bt Type 3), compared to 30W for PoE+ (802.3at). This enables the switch to power high-performance devices such as pan-tilt-zoom cameras, video conferencing endpoints, thin clients, and high-density 802.11ac/Wi-Fi 6 access points.

Q: Can this switch function as a wireless LAN controller?
A: Yes. The WS-C3850-24XU-E includes embedded wireless controller functionality, supporting up to 100 Cisco Aironet access points and 2,000 wireless clients per switch or stack. This converges wired and wireless management on a single platform, reducing complexity and eliminating the need for standalone controllers in many deployments.

Q: What is included in the IP Services feature set?
A: IP Services (formerly IP Services) is Cisco's advanced feature set, including full Layer 3 routing (OSPF, BGP, EIGRP, IS-IS), policy-based routing, 24,000 IPv4 routes, advanced QoS, security features, and Flexible NetFlow for deep application visibility. It is the highest feature tier for the Catalyst 3850 series and is ideal for core/aggregation layer deployments.