Vivotek GEV-288A-370 vs Cradlepoint SW2400P-GN

NETWORK SWITCH COMPARISON

Vivotek GEV-288A-370 vs Cradlepoint SW2400P-GN: Specification Comparison

Both the Vivotek AW-GEV-288A-370 and the Cradlepoint LS01-SW2400P-GN are 24-port, rack-mount, managed Gigabit PoE switches with identical 370W power budgets — a configuration a buyer would genuinely cross-shop for IP camera deployments, branch IDF closets, or mixed surveillance/data edge installations. The comparison examines three decision-relevant dimensions: port architecture and switching throughput; PoE standard and operating environment; and management ecosystem and security feature depth.



How do the port architectures and switching throughput differ between the GEV-288A-370 and SW2400P-GN?

The Vivotek AW-GEV-288A-370 provides 24 Gigabit RJ45 PoE ports plus 4 Gigabit Combo uplink ports, yielding 28 total ports. Its switching bandwidth is specified at 56 Gbps with a forwarding capacity of 41.7 Mpps. The MAC address table holds 8K entries and jumbo frames are supported up to 9,216 bytes.

The Cradlepoint LS01-SW2400P-GN specifies 24 Gigabit ports and 4 SFP slots. Its switching capacity is listed at 128 Gbps — more than double the Vivotek figure. MAC address table size, forwarding rate in Mpps, and jumbo frame support are not stated in the provided Cradlepoint specifications.

For installations requiring raw switching headroom or uplink density, the Cradlepoint's 128 Gbps figure is the higher published number. However, the Vivotek provides a complete, verifiable forwarding rate (41.7 Mpps) and an explicit 28-port total count including combo uplinks, enabling precise capacity planning.


Which switch supports higher per-port PoE output and operates across a wider temperature range?

The Vivotek AW-GEV-288A-370 implements a mixed PoE architecture: ports 1–20 are rated at IEEE 802.3af/at (up to 30W each), while ports 21–24 comply with IEEE 802.3bt and deliver up to 90W each (4-pair PoE). Total PoE budget is 370W. Advanced PoE management features are specified: per-port on/off scheduling, PoE alive checking (watchdog reboot of powered devices), non-stop PoE during switch reboots, and extended PoE mode reaching up to 250m at 10 Mbps.

The Cradlepoint LS01-SW2400P-GN lists a 370W PoE budget compliant with IEEE 802.3at (PoE+, 30W maximum per port). Per-port wattage maximums beyond the 802.3at ceiling and advanced PoE management features such as scheduling, watchdog, or extended-reach mode are not specified in the provided data.

Operating environment: the Vivotek is rated -10°C to 50°C operating and -20°C to 70°C storage. The Cradlepoint is labeled 'Industrial temperature' with a stated range of -5°C to 45°C. Despite carrying the 'industrial' label, the Cradlepoint's specified lower bound (-5°C) and upper bound (45°C) are narrower than the Vivotek's on both ends based on the provided specs.


How do the management ecosystems and Layer 2/security feature sets compare?

The Vivotek AW-GEV-288A-370 is a fully self-contained managed switch. It carries an extensive Layer 2 feature set: 802.1D/w/s spanning tree, LACP and static link aggregation, 4,096 VLAN IDs (802.1Q tag-based, port-based, private, MAC-based, protocol-based, voice, IP-subnet-based, Q-in-Q, MVR), 8 hardware QoS queues with WRR and DSCP, IGMP/MLD snooping, and DHCP server/relay. Security includes RADIUS/TACACS+, 802.1X (IGMP-RADIUS), SSL, port security, IP source guard, DHCP snooping, storm control, and ACL filtering across MAC, VLAN, IP, TCP/UDP, DSCP, 802.1p, ICMP, Ethernet type, and TCP flags. Management protocols: SNMP v1/v2c/v3, RMON (groups 1, 2, 3, 9), LLDP/LLDP-MED, UPnP, S-Flow, NTP, and port mirroring. A built-in surveillance-aware GUI adds auto-discovery of up to 256 Vivotek devices, topology/floor/Google Map views, VLAN grouping, and camera reboot/restore functions.

The Cradlepoint LS01-SW2400P-GN is managed via Cradlepoint NetCloud, a cloud-based centralized policy platform suited for multi-site branch deployments. Specific Layer 2 protocols (STP variants, LACP, VLAN range), QoS queue count, security ACL depth, SNMP support, and local CLI/GUI feature sets are not enumerated in the provided specifications. USB connectivity is listed.

Buyers standardized on Cradlepoint NetCloud and managing distributed branch sites gain centralized policy control from the Cradlepoint switch. Buyers deploying Vivotek IP cameras or requiring deep on-premises Layer 2 configuration, granular ACLs, and surveillance-specific device management gain a more fully documented and surveillance-integrated feature set from the Vivotek switch.


Which should you choose: the GEV-288A-370 or the SW2400P-GN?

Our take: The AW-GEV-288A-370 is the stronger choice when the deployment centers on Vivotek IP cameras, requires 802.3bt (90W) per-port output for PTZ or thermal devices, or demands fully documented on-premises Layer 2 and security feature depth. The Vivotek delivers 90W on four ports versus the Cradlepoint's 30W 802.3at ceiling on all ports — a critical delta for high-draw devices. Its operating range of -10°C to 50°C undercuts the Cradlepoint's specified -5°C lower bound despite the Cradlepoint carrying an 'industrial' label. The Cradlepoint's published switching capacity of 128 Gbps is more than double the Vivotek's 56 Gbps, but forwarding rate, MAC table size, VLAN range, and security ACL depth are unspecified for the Cradlepoint, limiting direct validation. Choose the Cradlepoint LS01-SW2400P-GN if your network is already managed under Cradlepoint NetCloud and branch-policy centralization outweighs per-port PoE output requirements.


Side-by-Side Comparison

Spec-for-spec, from manufacturer data.

SpecificationVivotek GEV-288A-370Cradlepoint SW2400P-GN
Total Ports28 (24 RJ45 + 4 Combo)28 (24 RJ45 + 4 SFP)
PoE Ports2424
PoE Standard802.3af/at (ports 1–20), 802.3bt (ports 21–24)802.3at
Max Per-Port PoE Output90W (ports 21–24); 30W (ports 1–20)30W (802.3at ceiling)
Total PoE Budget370W370W
Switching Bandwidth56 Gbps128 Gbps
Forwarding Capacity41.7 Mpps
MAC Address Table8K entries
VLAN Support4,096 IDs (802.1Q, port, MAC, voice, Q-in-Q, and more)
QoS Hardware Queues8
Management PlatformOn-premises web GUI + SNMP v1/v2c/v3Cradlepoint NetCloud (cloud)
Surveillance Device DiscoveryUp to 256 Vivotek devices (auto-search)
Security ProtocolsRADIUS/TACACS+, 802.1X, IP source guard, DHCP snooping, SSL, ACL
Operating Temperature-10°C to 50°C (14°F to 122°F)-5°C to 45°C (23°F to 113°F)
CertificationsUL, CE, UKCA, FCC, VCCI, LVD, ICESTAA
Warranty24 monthsManufacturer Warranty (duration not specified)

Frequently Asked Questions

Which should you choose: the GEV-288A-370 or the SW2400P-GN?

The AW-GEV-288A-370 is the stronger choice when the deployment centers on Vivotek IP cameras, requires 802.3bt (90W) per-port output for PTZ or thermal devices, or demands fully documented on-premises Layer 2 and security feature depth. The Vivotek delivers 90W on four ports versus the Cradlepoint's 30W 802.3at ceiling on all ports — a critical delta for high-draw devices. Its operating range of -10°C to 50°C undercuts the Cradlepoint's specified -5°C lower bound despite the Cradlepoint carrying an 'industrial' label. The Cradlepoint's published switching capacity of 128 Gbps is more than double the Vivotek's 56 Gbps, but forwarding rate, MAC table size, VLAN range, and security ACL depth are unspecified for the Cradlepoint, limiting direct validation. Choose the Cradlepoint LS01-SW2400P-GN if your network is already managed under Cradlepoint NetCloud and branch-policy centralization outweighs per-port PoE output requirements.

Is the GEV-288A-370 or SW2400P-GN better for powering PTZ cameras and thermal imagers that draw over 30W?

The AW-GEV-288A-370 is the only one of the two with a specified high-power PoE output: ports 21–24 deliver up to 90W each under IEEE 802.3bt. The LS01-SW2400P-GN specifies compliance with IEEE 802.3at, which caps per-port output at 30W. If your deployment includes PTZ cameras, pan-tilt drives, or thermal imagers that require more than 30W, only the Vivotek switch provides a documented path to power them.

Which switch is better suited for a multi-site branch network managed from a single console?

The Cradlepoint LS01-SW2400P-GN is designed for exactly this scenario — it is specified as managed via Cradlepoint NetCloud, a centralized cloud platform covering branch and fixed-site deployments. The AW-GEV-288A-370 offers SNMP v1/v2c/v3 and RMON for integration with third-party NMS tools but does not specify a native cloud management platform; its built-in surveillance GUI is single-switch oriented.

Does the 'industrial temperature' label on the SW2400P-GN mean it operates in a wider range than the GEV-288A-370?

Based on the provided specifications, no. The Cradlepoint LS01-SW2400P-GN carries an 'industrial temperature' designation but its stated operating range is -5°C to 45°C. The Vivotek AW-GEV-288A-370, without that label, specifies -10°C to 50°C operating and -20°C to 70°C storage — wider on both the cold and warm ends. Buyers should verify these figures against each manufacturer's current datasheet before specifying for extreme environments.



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