Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Pro Max 16 Gigabit 16-Ports 12xGbE + 4x2.5Gbe USW-PRO-MAX-16

The Ubiquiti USW-Pro-Max-16 is a managed switch designed to operate under the UniFi system. It features 12 gigabit Ethernet ports (10/100/1000 Mbps), 4 2.5G Ethernet ports (1000/2500 Mbps), and 2 SFP+ slots (10 Gbps). It boasts a maximum switching capacity of 84 Gbps and a packet forwarding rate of 62 Mpps. Switches from the Pro Max series are known for their advanced management features. In addition to supporting Layer 2 functions such as IGMP Snooping, port isolation, Voice VLAN, and DHCP Snooping, they also provide basic Layer 3 functionalities. The device supports DHCP, DHCP relay, Inter-VLAN routing, static routing, and network isolation based on access control lists. The Pro Max 16 is suitable for any UniFi network that requires a high-performance switch with robust management capabilities.

Port Configuration & Performance

• 12x Gigabit RJ45 Ports: Standard 10/100/1000 Mbps ports for connecting most clients like computers, printers, IoT devices, and access points.

• 4x 2.5G Multi-Gig RJ45 Ports: These are a major highlight. They auto-negotiate to 100M/1G/2.5G, making them perfect for:

  • Connecting modern Wi-Fi 6/6E access points (like the U6-Enterprise) that can utilize more than 1Gbps uplinks.

  • Servers or workstations with 2.5GbE network cards.

• 2x SFP+ Fiber Ports: 10 Gigabit ports for high-bandwidth uplinks. You can use them to:

  • Connect to another switch or a core router (10G uplink).

  • Connect to a server with a 10G network interface card (NIC).

  • Use with SFP+ to RJ45 transceivers for 10G copper connections.

• Performance: The 84 Gb/s switching capacity and 42 Gb/s non-blocking throughput confirm that all ports can run at full duplex, wire-speed simultaneously without any congestion.

Hardware & Design

• Enclosure: Made of SGCC steel, making it far more durable and robust for rack mounting than switches with plastic enclosures. It also helps with heat dissipation.

• LCM Touchscreen: The 1.3" touchscreen is a unique feature that provides at-a-glance information like switch name, IP address, uptime, and network activity. It can be used for quick configuration changes and port status checks without opening the UniFi controller.

• Power Efficiency: A remarkably low max power consumption of 25W for a switch of this capability, thanks to its efficient design and external power adapter.

Software & Management

• Managed by UniFi Network Application: This switch is not standalone. It requires a UniFi controller (software running on a PC, cloud key, or self-hosted) for setup and management. The specified version is 8.1.127 or later.

• Layer 2 Features: It includes a comprehensive suite of enterprise-grade switching features:

  • STP/RSTP: Prevents network loops.

  • LACP: Allows link aggregation to combine multiple ports for higher bandwidth and redundancy.

  • IGMP Snooping: Optimizes multicast traffic (e.g., for video streaming).

  • ACLs (Access Control Lists): For detailed security policies and device isolation.

  • DHCP Snooping/Guarding: Protects against rogue DHCP servers.

  • 802.1X: Provides port-based network access control (enterprise authentication).

• Layer 3 Features: This is what makes it a "Pro" model. It can perform inter-VLAN routing and static routing directly on the switch. This offloads traffic from your main router/gateway, improving overall network performance and efficiency for local traffic between VLANs (e.g., between a "Guest" network and a "Servers" network).

Power

• Method: Powered by an external USB Type-C adapter. This is modern and convenient but note that it uses a single power source without a redundant option.