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Rectangular metal network switch with 48 front ports and four SFP slots

3Com

3Com 5500G-EIProduct 48-Port Switch Module

SKU CH-9F20-8JXRX MPN 5500G-EIProduct

A stackable Layer 3 switch with 48 Gigabit Ethernet ports, four SFP expansion slots and Enhanced Image software for high-availability networks

  • Plug typeLayer 3 Switch
  • 48 Gigabit ports handle heavy traffic loads
  • Stackable design scales network capacity easily
  • Four SFP slots add fibre uplink flexibility
  • Layer 3 routing manages complex network segments
  • Enhanced Image software targets five 9s uptime

3Com 5500G-EI 48-Port Layer 3 Switch

The 3Com 5500G-EI is a stackable Layer 3 switch built for enterprise networks that demand high availability. It delivers 48 Gigabit Ethernet ports with four dual-purpose SFP slots for fibre uplinks. An expansion module slot adds further Gigabit or 10-Gigabit connectivity. Enhanced Image software targets five 9s uptime for critical applications.

Who This Suits and Who Should Look Elsewhere

Network managers needing a manageable, stackable core switch with Layer 4 awareness and redundant stacking will fit this hardware. Buyers who require Power over Ethernet for phones or cameras must choose a different model. Sites without rack space or fibre uplink needs may find the feature set excessive.

Deciding Specification — 48 Ports

The decisive detail is the 48-port 10/100/1000Base-T density combined with four shared SFP slots and a dedicated expansion module bay. This specific port count and uplink architecture determines whether the switch matches the planned network topology.

How it compares

Measured against everything we stock in Switch Modules, Transceivers & Add-Ons, at today’s prices. Recalculated every night.

Price $245.99
Pricier than about 81% of the 1,517 comparable items (median $68.99).

Specifications

Product
Brand nameHP
Power
Plug typeLayer 3 Switch

Questions about this item

How is the 3CR17251-91 switch module installed into a 5500G-EI chassis, and what step is often missed?

Slide the module into an empty chassis slot until the ejector levers lock, then secure both captive screws; the step often missed is tightening those screws, which ensures proper backplane contact and grounding.

What maintenance or replacement will the 48-port Gigabit switch module need over time?

The four SFP transceivers inserted into the shared SFP slots are the only field-replaceable optics; clean or swap them when link errors appear, while the fixed copper ports require no scheduled maintenance.

What limit appears first on the 5500G-EI 48-port module under sustained full-duplex traffic?

The backplane bandwidth shared with other stack members becomes the bottleneck before any individual 10/100/1000Base-T port saturates, so aggregate throughput is constrained by the chassis stacking capacity.

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