Labthrift Labthrift Buy the boring upgrade. Skip the rest.

Notes / Used vs new

Editorial, 22 Aug 2026. Specs from maker pages and recent street reports. We have not burned these units in. Affiliate tags are not live.

TRENDnet lifetime vs Cisco SmartNet you cannot transfer

The used-enterprise pitch is “Cisco quality + SmartNet.” On a closet lot you do not get SmartNet. You get a gray box and a firmware story. Buy new paper you can actually call.

Cisco SmartNet is a contract. It is not a transferable perk that rides along on a used Catalyst. We are not sending you to an eBay “SmartNet included” listing. The affiliated replacements are a new TRENDnet or TP-Link with a published limited-lifetime policy in the US/Canada, or a new UniFi with UI Care sold on the same invoice.

TRENDnet TEG-S380: lifetime manufacturer protection, US/Canada only. Street $75–88 — see the 2.5G myth post. TP-Link TL-SG108S-M2 Amazon copy says “Limited Lifetime Protection.” Street $55–80. UniFi Switch Ultra 60W: UI Care 5-year add-on $29/unit on the same store invoice. Switch $159 / $171 surcharge-incl. on the UI store 22 Aug 2026 — sibling note Ultra vs used Catalyst PoE.

TRENDnet TEG-3102WS (8× 2.5G + 2× 10G SFP+, web smart, fanless): official store $219.99. Amazon ASIN B0BPJZCQ5J. Existing 2.5G guide cited ~$200. Package contents list a 12 V / 1.5 A adapter. Some TRENDnet spec tables also print “max 152.3 W” and “internal power supply.” That 152.3 W line looks like a PoE-series leftover. Do not treat 152 W as closet draw. Believe the 12 V / 1.5 A brick in the box (18 W at the wall if you take the label literally). We have not metered one.

The short list

BoxPaperStreet, 22 Aug 2026Buy if
TRENDnet TEG-S380Lifetime, US/Canada only. Fanless. Max 7.26 W.$75–88 street. Maker list $87.99.You want published lifetime on a new 8-port 2.5G.
TRENDnet TEG-3102WSLifetime*. Fanless. 12 V / 1.5 A brick in the package. Ignore the 152.3 W spec line.Official $219.99.VLANs plus two 10G SFP+ and you still want TRENDnet paper.
UniFi Switch Ultra 60WUI Care 5-year, $29, same invoice.$159 / $171 surcharge-incl., 22 Aug 2026 UI store.You already live in UniFi.

Skip

Skip used Catalyst + “SmartNet included.” That contract does not transfer because a listing said so. Skip Amazon Renewed as a substitute for manufacturer paper. Skip inventing an HPE Renew closet switch — there was no live closet CPO page on 22 Aug 2026. The heater test is still used vs new.

Sources

TRENDnet TEG-S380. TEG-3102WS store (package: 12 V 1.5 A; spec table also prints 152.3 W). Amazon TEG-3102WS. UI Ultra 60W. Cisco SmartNet is a contract, not a used-lot perk. Street moves.

Also in this lane

If the PSU wants 208 V, it does not belong in a closetA closet is a 120 V duplex. Buy the brick. 1U is for a rack. A closet gets a pizza box.Used 1U is deep, loud, and wants rails. The closet objects are pizza boxes. UniFi Switch Ultra 60W: new fanless PoE, not a used 48-port CatalystIf the house is already UniFi, buy the Ultra 60W new.