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TP-Link TL-SG105S-M2 vs TL-SG108S-M2: Do You Need 5 or 8 Ports?

Choose the TL-SG105S-M2 if four downstream ports are enough and its smaller published chassis fits your setup. Choose the TL-SG108S-M2 if you need five to seven downstream ports and have room for its longer chassis.

Published by Pickoryx · Published 2026-10-14

Source checked 2026-10-14 18:33 UTC

Products compared

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The buying question

After reserving one switch port for the router uplink, are four downstream ports enough, or do you need up to seven—and does the larger chassis fit your placement?

The TL-SG105S-M2 has five ports in a smaller published chassis; the TL-SG108S-M2 adds three ports but has a longer and slightly wider chassis.

Quick verdict

When to skip: You need more than seven downstream ports after the router uplink, or you need a managed switch rather than an unmanaged switch.
When the recommendation changes
  • If your router or network design uses more than one port on the switch for upstream links, recalculate the number of device ports remaining.
  • If you need more than seven downstream device ports after the uplink, neither model meets that layout by port count.

The differences that matter

Port Count And Wired Layout

TP-Link TL-SG105S-M2 5-Port 2.5G Switch

5 × 2.5GbE ports. With one port used for an upstream router connection, up to 4 remain for wired devices.[1, 2, 3]

TP-Link TL-SG108S-M2 8-Port 2.5G Switch

8 × 2.5GbE ports. With one port used for an upstream router connection, up to 7 remain for wired devices.[4, 5, 6]

What this changes: Count the router uplink in your layout: the eight-port model leaves three more switch ports for endpoints, while the five-port model can fit a smaller downstream device list. This is a port-count calculation, not a speed or capacity test.[1, 4]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Physical Footprint And Placement

TP-Link TL-SG105S-M2 5-Port 2.5G Switch

Published chassis dimensions: 99.8 × 98 × 25 mm (about 3.9 × 3.9 × 1.0 in).[2, 3]

TP-Link TL-SG108S-M2 8-Port 2.5G Switch

Published chassis dimensions: 158 × 101 × 25.4 mm (about 6.2 × 4.0 × 1.0 in).[5, 6]

What this changes: The five-port chassis is shorter and narrower on the published dimensions; the eight-port chassis needs more desk or shelf length. Both are listed for desktop or wall mounting, but check the mounting location and cable clearance against the specific unit.[2, 5, 7]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Best for your routine

A layout with no more than four downstream wired devices after one router uplink, where a smaller published chassis footprint is useful.

Best fit: TP-Link TL-SG105S-M2 5-Port 2.5G Switch

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

Its five ports leave four after the stated single uplink, and its published chassis is shorter and narrower.

View TP-Link TL-SG105S-M2 5-Port 2.5G Switch on AmazonPaid link

A layout needing five to seven downstream wired devices after one router uplink.

Best fit: TP-Link TL-SG108S-M2 8-Port 2.5G Switch

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

Its eight ports leave seven after the stated single uplink; confirm the larger chassis fits the placement.

View TP-Link TL-SG108S-M2 8-Port 2.5G Switch on AmazonPaid link

Value and trade-offs

One or both observed offers have eligibility conditions, so no unrestricted price difference is shown.

The higher live offer only makes sense for a buyer who will use the additional ports and has room for the larger chassis; no durable price advantage is established here.

Current offer data is only a snapshot and does not establish a longer-term price pattern, so there is not enough history for a buy-now or wait recommendation.

Limitations

  • The comparison uses TP-Link-published model specifications and installation guidance; Pickoryx did not test either switch.
  • The product listings do not establish the hardware revision in each buyer’s box. The shared port-count and chassis facts above are cross-checked against the opened US manufacturer pages and datasheets for the listed revisions; confirm the label on a unit if revision-specific support is needed.
  • A 2.5GbE port rating is not a measured internet speed or a promise of real-world throughput; the router, connected devices, cabling and network path also affect results.
  • Published chassis dimensions do not include the space needed for power and Ethernet cables. Measure the intended placement before purchase.

Questions shoppers ask

Does the eight-port model make a single connection faster?

The extra ports increase connection count; this comparison does not establish higher measured speed for a single device. Both models are published as 2.5G switches, and end-to-end speed depends on the other devices and network path.

How many device ports remain if I connect the switch to my router?

With one port used as the router uplink, the five-port model leaves four, while the eight-port model leaves seven. If your topology uses additional upstream connections, subtract those too.

Methodology and sources

Compared the TP-Link TL-SG105S-M2 and TL-SG108S-M2 using TP-Link's US product pages, official revision datasheets, and the installation guide, focusing on port layout and chassis placement. Port counts after one uplink are arithmetic from the published port totals. Chassis dimensions come from official datasheets, with package contents listed separately. No speed, noise, reliability, or other performance test was conducted.

AI-assisted research and writing; no hands-on test was performed.

View 7 sources
  1. 1.TL-SG105S-M2 | 5-Port 2.5G Multi-Gigabit Desktop SwitchTP-Link US · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-14 18:33 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Overview and Specifications; model page: Identifies the TL-SG105S-M2 as a five-port 2.5G unmanaged switch, fanless, with desktop and wall-mount options.
  2. 2.TL-SG105S-M2 Datasheet (V1)TP-Link · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-14 18:33 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Product Overview and Specifications, pages 1-2; hardware revision V1: Lists five 2.5G ports and chassis dimensions 99.8 × 98 × 25 mm; package contents are separately listed.
  3. 3.TL-SG105S-M2 V2.6 DatasheetTP-Link US · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-14 18:33 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Product Overview and Specifications, pages 1-2; hardware revision V2.6: Lists five 2.5G ports and chassis dimensions 99.8 × 98 × 25 mm; package contents are separately listed.
  4. 4.TL-SG108S-M2 | 8-Port 2.5G Multi-Gigabit Desktop SwitchTP-Link US · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-14 18:33 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Overview and Specifications; model page, V2 view: Identifies the TL-SG108S-M2 as an eight-port 2.5G unmanaged switch, fanless, with desktop and wall-mount options.
  5. 5.TL-SG108S-M2 Datasheet (V1)TP-Link US · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-14 18:33 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Product Overview and Specifications, pages 1-2; hardware revision V1: Lists eight 2.5G ports and chassis dimensions 158 × 101 × 25.4 mm; package contents are separately listed.
  6. 6.TL-SG108S-M2 Datasheet (V2)TP-Link · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-14 18:33 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Product Overview and Specifications, pages 1-2; hardware revision V2: Lists eight 2.5G ports and chassis dimensions 158 × 101 × 25.4 mm; package contents are separately listed.
  7. 7.5/8-Port 2.5G Multi-Gigabit Switch Installation GuideTP-Link US · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-14 18:33 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Product introduction and mounting-hole spacing; TL-SG105S-M2 example: Covers both 5-port and 8-port 2.5G models and lists different mounting-hole spacing (52 mm vs 110 mm). It does not establish universal bracket compatibility.

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