Skip to content
Pickoryx

TL-SG108E vs TL-SX105: Match Your Devices, Ports and Controls

Choose TL-SG108E for Gigabit expansion when you need more connections or configurable VLANs. Choose TL-SX105 for an actual 5/10GbE NAS or workstation link when its five-port layout and unmanaged operation fit. Neither supplies both 5/10GbE links and configurable VLANs.

Published by Pickoryx · Published 2026-10-12

Source checked 2026-10-12 07:30 UTC

Products compared

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

Does your actual equipment need 5/10GbE links, more direct connections, or configurable VLANs at this switch?

TL-SG108E combines eight Gigabit ports with optional configuration; TL-SX105 provides five multi-gig ports reaching 10GbE with unmanaged operation.

Quick verdict

Choose TP-Link TL-SG108E if

  • You need five to seven wired endpoints plus one router uplink, and Gigabit is enough.
  • You need VLAN configuration on this switch, even with fewer devices.
View TP-Link TL-SG108E on AmazonPaid link

Choose TP-Link TL-SX105 if

  • Your equipment and cabling support a needed 5/10GbE link, your connections fit five ports, and you do not need switch-level VLAN configuration.
View TP-Link TL-SX105 on AmazonPaid link
When to skip: Both 5/10GbE links and configurable VLANs are required in the same switch.
When the recommendation changes
  • Your port inventory includes additional uplinks or devices: subtract every occupied connection, not just the router.
  • You need both 5/10GbE and configurable VLANs in this switch; look beyond these two models.
  • Your NAS or workstation adapter does not support the intended link rate, or the cable run does not meet the link requirements.

The differences that matter

Endpoint Links And Connection Budget

TP-Link TL-SG108E

Eight RJ45 ports supporting 10/100/1000 Mbps. Reserving one port for a router uplink leaves seven endpoint ports (8 − 1 = 7).[1, 2]

TP-Link TL-SX105

Five ports supporting 100 Mbps and 1/2.5/5/10 Gbps. Reserving one port for a router uplink leaves four endpoint ports (5 − 1 = 4).[3]

What this changes: Start with the actual network adapter and NAS port modes, then count every connection. The TL-SX105 accommodates a required 5/10GbE link, but a five-device plan plus one router cable needs six ports and will not fit. The TL-SG108E fits that count if Gigabit links suffice. These are connection limits, not throughput measurements.[1, 2, 3]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Configurable Switch Functions

TP-Link TL-SG108E

Configurable VLAN functions are documented; basic plug-and-play use is also supported.[1, 2]

TP-Link TL-SX105

The manufacturer classifies TL-SX105 as unmanaged and describes plug-and-play operation.[3]

What this changes: Choose TL-SG108E when you need to configure virtual network groups (VLANs) on this switch and Gigabit links suffice. TL-SX105 fits a 5/10GbE endpoint plan without that configuration requirement. If both are mandatory in one switch, neither meets the combination.[1, 2, 3]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Best for your routine

A 10GbE NAS, a 10GbE workstation, two other devices and one router uplink

Best fit: TP-Link TL-SX105

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

That example uses all five TL-SX105 ports. Verify the NAS and workstation adapters, cable runs and any intervening links for the intended rate; there is no spare port for another device. Its unmanaged design does not provide the configurable VLAN requirement addressed by TL-SG108E.

View TP-Link TL-SX105 on AmazonPaid link

Five Gigabit endpoints plus a router, with optional VLAN configuration

Best fit: TP-Link TL-SG108E

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

Six connections fit TL-SG108E’s eight ports, leaving two unused. Its configuration functions can serve a VLAN requirement, but none of its ports provides a 5/10GbE link.

View TP-Link TL-SG108E on AmazonPaid link

Value and trade-offs

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

If TL-SX105 costs more, justify the difference with a link your equipment can use. Do not pay for its higher port-rate ceiling as a substitute for required configuration or enough physical ports.

There is not enough verified price history here to recommend buying now or waiting; compare current offers after checking fit.

Limitations

  • The exact retail hardware revisions are unknown. TL-SG108E guidance uses functions shared by the reviewed V1 and V6 documentation, not a promise of identical interfaces, software or firmware. Check the actual unit’s revision and matching instructions.
  • Port rates and port-count arithmetic do not establish file-transfer speed, latency or reliability. No hands-on or controlled comparative testing was conducted.
  • VLAN support alone is not a security or isolation guarantee; the wider network configuration matters.

Questions shoppers ask

What should I write down before ordering?

List every device and upstream connection, the required link mode of each NAS port or computer network adapter, and the category and length of each relevant cable run. Then mark whether VLANs must be configured on this switch. For TL-SX105, TP-Link describes Cat6a or higher for 10G connections up to 100 meters; verify your actual installation rather than assuming an existing cable will deliver 10G.

Does “unmanaged” mean TL-SX105 cannot carry VLAN-tagged traffic?

That is not established by the unmanaged label. This comparison distinguishes configuring VLANs on the switch from carrying tagged traffic. It does not verify tagged-traffic behavior in a particular network; check that exact requirement separately.

Must I configure TL-SG108E before adding ordinary wired devices?

No. TP-Link also documents basic plug-and-play use. Its optional controls matter when you have a configuration task; they do not require every buyer to set up VLANs.

Methodology and sources

Compared documented port modes, physical connection counts and configuration functions. One-uplink examples are arithmetic; cabling guidance is manufacturer-stated, not a transfer benchmark.

AI assisted source comparison and drafting.

View 3 sources
  1. 1.TL-SG108E V6 | 8-Port Gigabit Easy Smart SwitchTP-Link · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-12 07:30 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Overview bullets; Management Made Easy; Hardware Interface; Software VLAN features. Captured lines 113–116, 169, 189–190, 210–222.: Eight Gigabit RJ45 ports, optional management with VLAN functions and monitoring, and basic plug-and-play use. Retail revision is not identified.
  2. 2.TL-SG108E V1 | 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Pro SwitchTP-Link · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-12 07:30 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Overview bullets and What This Product Does, captured lines 98–110.: Corroborates eight Gigabit ports and optional VLAN/management functions despite the Unmanaged Pro label. Used for common capabilities, not software-version promises.
  3. 3.TL-SX105 | 5-Port 10G Desktop SwitchTP-Link · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-12 07:29 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Unmanaged classification line 221; overview 262–268; Same Cables, New Speed line 430; Interface line 447; transfer caveats 481–483.: Five auto-negotiating ports support 100 Mbps and 1/2.5/5/10 Gbps; unmanaged plug-and-play design. Cat6a-or-higher guidance for 10G up to 100 meters is conditional, not measured throughput.

Continue comparing