FS S3900-R vs. S3900 Series Switches: The Key Competitive Comparison

Choosing the right gigabit switches is crucial for optimizing network efficiency. In this article, we’ll delve into the key differences between two series of gigabit switches, S3900-R vs S3900 series switches, providing a detailed comparison to help you make an informed decision on which one best suits your needs.

Overview of S3900-R and S3900 Gigabit Switches

The FS S3900-R and S3900 series gigabit switches are designed for small to medium-sized businesses and enterprise networks.

The FS S3900 series, introduced a few years ago, was designed to meet enterprise access layer needs with models like the S3900-24T4S and S3900-24F4S, offering a mix of Gigabit RJ45 and SFP ports with 10G uplinks for flexible network deployment. To better cater to evolving user requirements, FS launched the S3900-R series, which includes three Layer 2+ managed stackable switches with distinct port configurations: the S3900-48T6S-R offers 48x 10/100/1000BASE-T ports and 6x 10Gb SFP+ uplinks, the S3900-24T4S-R features 24x 10/100/1000BASE-T ports and 4x 10Gb SFP+ uplinks, and the S3900-24F4S-R provides 8x 1G RJ45/SFP Combo ports, 16x SFP ports, and 4x 10Gb SFP+ uplinks.

The S3900-R series builds on the S3900 foundation, offering enhanced performance, advanced features, and better stacking capabilities, making it a more comprehensive solution for modern networking needs. Besides, we should also be aware of the other main differences between the S3900-R and S3900 series switches.

The Key Comparison between S3900-R and S3900 Gigabit Switches

S3900-R vs. S3900: Hardware Comparison

The hardware differences between the S3900-R and S3900 series are not very significant, but specific models have distinct features that lead to different outcomes. The S3900-24F4S-R, with 4 additional Gigabit RJ45/SFP Combo ports compared to the S3900-24F4S, offers enhanced flexibility in connecting a mix of fiber and copper cables, reducing the need for extra switches. The S3900-48T6S-R, with 2 more 10Gb SFP+ uplinks than the S3900-48T4S, provides greater bandwidth for uplink connections, supporting more robust and scalable network architectures. The S3900-24T4S and S3900-24T4S-R differ primarily in chipsets, where the S3900-24T4S uses Broadcom chips and the S3900-24T4S-R uses FS's other chips, potentially affecting performance characteristics such as throughput and latency in different network environments.

S3900-R vs. S3900: Software Functionality

Enhanced Layer 3 Features and Management Capabilities

The FS S3900-R series gigabit switches significantly expand on the Layer 3 and management capabilities compared to the S3900 series. While the S3900 supports basic IPv4 static routing, the S3900-R introduces more advanced routing options, including IPv4/IPv6 static routing, RIP, and OSPF, allowing for more flexible and robust network configurations.

In terms of operation and management, the S3900-R is far more versatile. It includes a Console port for direct access, along with support for SSH v1/2, which provides secure remote access with modern encryption protocols. Additionally, it supports HTTPS and SNMP v1/v2/v3 for secure management and monitoring, and features like TFTP, FTP, SFTP for file transfers, NTP for time synchronization, and advanced features such as ZTP, SPAN, and RSPAN for network traffic analysis and troubleshooting. In contrast, the S3900 is limited to more basic management tools like SNMP, RMON, HTTP, and Telnet, making the S3900-R gigabit switch a superior choice for more complex and scalable network environments.

Advanced Security and IPv6 Enhancements

The FS S3900-R series gigabit switches enhances security with port isolation, which prevents devices within the same VLAN from communicating directly. The "IP+MAC+port" binding locks a device to a specific IP, MAC address, and port, preventing unauthorized access. MAC sticky remembers devices' MAC addresses, enabling seamless reconnections.

For protocol support, the S3900-R includes PPPoE+ for broadband management, IEEE 802.1x for network access control, AAA and Radius for authentication, BDTACACS+ for centralized access control, and L2/L3/L4 ACL flow identification for granular traffic management. Additionally, it features anti-attack capabilities to protect against network threats and broadcast/multicast/unknown unicast control to reduce unnecessary network traffic.

Regarding IPv6 support, the S3900-R gigabit switch offers DHCPv6 for assigning IP addresses, ACLv6 for filtering IPv6 traffic, IPv6 Telnet for remote management, and Path MTU Discovery for optimizing packet transmission. Additionally, MLD v1 and MLD Snooping help manage IPv6 multicast traffic efficiently, ensuring robust and secure network operations.

DHCP Server Capabilities

The enhanced DHCP server in the S3900-R series provides customers with greater flexibility and broader equipment usage, reducing the need for additional DHCP servers. This capability, which is supported by the S3900-R but not by the S3900, makes the S3900-R a superior choice for environments requiring advanced network management. Unlike the S3900, which lacks this feature, the S3900-R offers enhanced DHCP server capabilities that stand out by offering greater flexibility and compatibility, particularly in complex networks.

S3900-R vs. S3900: Enhancing Network Reliability with VRRP

In enterprise networks, the access layer focuses on enhancing flexibility, resiliency, and maintenance. The S3900-R 24 port gigabit switch, such as the S3900-24T4S-R shown in the image, supports VRRP, which combines multiple devices into a virtual router with a single IP address as the default gateway. This configuration ensures redundancy and network stability by allowing automatic failover between the VRRP master and backup devices. When the master device fails, the backup device takes over the traffic forwarding duties, thereby maintaining network continuity. In contrast, the standard S3900 lacks VRRP support, making it less reliable in ensuring uninterrupted network service.

S3900-R vs. S3900: Performance and ETL Certification

The S3900-R gigabit switches offer enhanced performance over the S3900, with improvements in both switching capacity and forwarding rate. The routing table capacity has been expanded from 256 to 2040 entries, supporting extensive IPv4 and IPv6 routing attributes. This makes the S3900-R series a more cost-effective choice, particularly when deployed as a small core switch in small to medium-sized enterprise networks.

In response to customer feedback and market demand, FS introduced the S3900-24T4S-R (ETL) 24 port gigabit switch within the S3900-R series. This model meets ETL certification requirements, addressing the needs of customers in North America who require strict compliance with UL and ETL safety standards. If you also have feedback or need to get in touch, please contact us.

Which One Suits Your Needs Best?

The S3900-R series gigabit switches hold a clear performance advantage, featuring enhanced security, more versatile operation and maintenance options, and intelligent stacking capabilities, supporting up to 8 units, compared to 6 in the S3900.

Additionally, the S3900-R’s comprehensive IPv6 functionality makes it a robust choice for advanced users. However, the S3900 series remains a cost-effective option with strong performance, particularly in scenarios like a small office network with minimal IPv6 needs and no extensive stacking requirements, where the advanced features of the S3900-R may not be fully utilized.

If you want to learn more about the comparison between the S3900 and S3900-R series switches, please check out FS S3900-R Series and S3900 Series Switches Competitive Comparison.