TP-Link TL-SG108E vs TL-SG105
Choose TL-SG108E if you need more wired connections or configurable management. Choose plain TL-SG105 if four downstream connections and unmanaged operation meet the plan. With one port used upstream, their eight and five total ports leave seven and four device connections respectively.
Published by Pickoryx · Published 2026-10-06
Source checked 2026-10-06 06:41 UTC
Products compared
Product A · ASIN B00K4DS5KU
TP-Link TL-SG108E
Last observed offer
$24.99 List Price: $39.99
Per listed package.
Offer eligibility must be confirmed on Amazon.
Checked 2026-10-19 13:23 UTC. Price and availability may change.
Product B · ASIN B00A128S24
TP-Link TL-SG105
Last observed offer
$14.99 List Price: $19.79
Per listed package.
Offer eligibility must be confirmed on Amazon.
Checked 2026-10-19 14:08 UTC. Price and availability may change.
Pickoryx may earn a commission from qualifying purchases through the paid Amazon links on this page, at no added cost to you.
The buying question
Do you need more than four downstream connections, configurable switch settings, or just unmanaged expansion?
TL-SG108E provides more ports and optional management. TL-SG105 is the five-port unmanaged choice when the smaller connection budget is enough.
Quick verdict
Choose TP-Link TL-SG108E if
- You need five to seven direct device connections after reserving one upstream port.
- You need switch settings such as VLAN configuration; confirm the exact hardware revision first.
Choose TP-Link TL-SG105 if
- Up to four direct device connections are sufficient and you do not need to configure the switch.
When the recommendation changes
- A printer, access point or other planned device pushes the downstream count above four.
- Your network plan requires switch configuration rather than unmanaged expansion.
- A specific management feature is essential but the seller cannot identify the hardware revision.
The differences that matter
Available Downstream Ports
TP-Link TL-SG108E
Eight 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 ports. With one used for the upstream connection, seven remain for directly connected devices: 8 − 1 = 7.[1, 2]
TP-Link TL-SG105
Five 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 ports. With one used for the upstream connection, four remain for directly connected devices: 5 − 1 = 4.[3]
What this changes: Count the upstream cable as well as your devices. Five to seven downstream connections fit the TL-SG108E under this one-uplink arrangement; four or fewer can fit either. These counts do not measure transfer speed.[1, 2, 3]
User Configurable Network Management
TP-Link TL-SG108E
TP-Link documents configurable management features, including VLAN options and network diagnostics, on its US V1 and V6 pages. It also supports ordinary plug-and-play use without configuration.[1, 2]
TP-Link TL-SG105
TP-Link explicitly classifies the plain TL-SG105 as unmanaged and describes plug-and-play operation without configuration.[3]
What this changes: Even with only a few devices, choose TL-SG108E when you need to configure the switch. Choose TL-SG105 when unmanaged expansion is sufficient. Confirm the purchased hardware revision before relying on a particular management method or feature.[1, 2, 3]
Best for your routine
Five wired devices plus one upstream cable
Best fit: TP-Link TL-SG108E
Based on listed features, not comparative testing.
That plan uses six ports, exceeding TL-SG105’s five. TL-SG108E has eight.
A few devices with configurable switch settings
Best fit: TP-Link TL-SG108E
Based on listed features, not comparative testing.
Management needs can justify TL-SG108E even when its extra ports are unnecessary. Verify the revision and matching documentation for the settings you require.
Four or fewer downstream devices with unmanaged operation
Best fit: TP-Link TL-SG105
Based on listed features, not comparative testing.
TL-SG105 meets that connection count without adding a need for configurable management. TL-SG108E also supports plug-and-play use, so configuration is not mandatory on the larger model.
Value and trade-offs
One or both observed offers have eligibility conditions, so no unrestricted price difference is shown.
If TL-SG108E costs more, justify the difference with ports you will use or management you need. An unmanaged four-device setup alone does not establish a reason to pay extra.
There is not enough price history here to assess purchase timing.
Limitations
- The selected retail units’ hardware revisions are unknown. The comparison uses the eight-port and configurable-management facts shared by the reviewed US TL-SG108E V1 and V6 pages; it does not promise a particular interface, VLAN count, link aggregation implementation or firmware lifecycle.
- The one-uplink calculation assumes exactly one switch port connects upstream. Any additional occupied connection reduces the remaining direct-device count.
- Gigabit is a published port-rate class. No hands-on throughput, latency, reliability, energy-use or security-isolation advantage was tested or established.
- This comparison covers plain TL-SG105, not TL-SG105E, TL-SG105-M2 or a PoE variant. The V1 TL-SG108E page’s End of Life label applies to that revision and does not establish the status of every retail TL-SG108E.
Questions shoppers ask
Does TL-SG108E require configuration before ordinary use?
No. TP-Link describes plug-and-play use without configuration as well as optional management. Needing extra ports alone can justify it; you do not have to use its advanced settings.
Why does the older TL-SG108E page say Unmanaged Pro?
That V1 page uses the Unmanaged Pro label but also explicitly lists configurable management features. Judge this choice by the documented controls and the purchased hardware revision. Plain TL-SG105 is explicitly classified as unmanaged.
Methodology and sources
Compared port counts and configurable management, including the shared facts on the TL-SG108E V1 and V6 pages. Calculated remaining ports for a setup using one upstream connection.
AI helped organize the manufacturer information and draft the comparison. Neither switch was tested hands-on.
View 3 sources
- 1.TP-Link TL-SG108E V6: US Product SpecificationsTP-Link · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-06 06:38 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- Overview and specifications: eight RJ45 ports, plug-and-play operation, and Management Made Easy: The US V6 page documents eight Gigabit ports, optional management and operation without configuration. Revision-specific limits and marketing performance claims are not transferred to an unidentified retail revision.
- 2.TP-Link TL-SG108E V1: US Product SpecificationsTP-Link · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-06 06:38 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- Overview and Additional Software Features; eight-port interface specification; V1 heading: The V1 page corroborates eight Gigabit ports, plug-and-play operation and configurable management despite its Unmanaged Pro label. Its End of Life marker is specific to the displayed revision.
- 3.TP-Link TL-SG105: US Product SpecificationsTP-Link · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-06 06:38 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- Unmanaged category heading; five-port interface; Plug and Play, No Configuration Required: The manufacturer explicitly identifies the plain TL-SG105 as unmanaged, with five Gigabit RJ45 ports and no required configuration. This does not establish the absence of every automatic traffic-handling feature.