Cisco WS-C3850-48F-L | Catalyst 3850 48-Port Gigabit PoE+ Switch, 800W, LAN Base

Q: What network modules are compatible with the WS-C3850-48F-L?
A: The switch supports three optional network modules: C3850-NM-4-1G (4x 1G SFP), C3850-NM-2-10G (2x 10G SFP+ or 4x 1G SFP), and C3850-NM-4-10G (4x 10G SFP+). These modules are field-replaceable and hot-swappable. The switch ships without an uplink module installed; you must select and purchase separately based on your uplink requirements.

Q: How much PoE power is available per port on this switch?
A: Each of the 48 ports supports IEEE 802.3at PoE+ standard, delivering up to 30W per port. The total PoE budget is 800W with the included 1100W AC power supply, allowing you to power IP phones, wireless access points, IP cameras, and other PoE-enabled devices simultaneously across the switch.

Q: Can I stack multiple WS-C3850-48F-L switches together?
A: Yes, you can stack up to 9 Catalyst 3850 switches using StackWise-480 technology, which provides 480 Gbps of stack throughput and a single management plane. All stacked switches must run the same IOS feature set. StackPower capability allows shared power redundancy across the stack using optional StackPower cables.

Q: What is the difference between LAN Base and IP Services feature sets?
A: The WS-C3850-48F-L includes the LAN Base feature set, which supports Layer 2 switching, basic Layer 3 static routing and RIP, up to 255 VLANs, QoS, security features like 802.1X and DHCP snooping, and the integrated wireless controller. For advanced Layer 3 routing protocols (OSPF, EIGRP, BGP) and features like VRF-lite and policy-based routing, you can upgrade to IP Services using a software license.

Q: Does this switch have built-in wireless controller functionality?
A: Yes, the Catalyst 3850 Series includes an integrated Cisco wireless controller that supports up to 100 access points and 2,000 wireless clients per switch or stack. It delivers up to 40 Gbps of wireless throughput capacity on 48-port models and is 802.11ac-ready, enabling converged wired and wireless management from a single platform.