QNAP QGD-1602-C3558-8GB-US 16- Port - QGD-1602-C3558-8G-US

QNAP QGD-1602-C3558-8G-US Smart Edge Switch with 2.5GbE and 10GbE Uplinks

The QGD-1602-C3558-8G-US is a 16-port smart edge switch that does something most managed switches don't: it runs a full Intel Atom C3558 quad-core processor at 2.2 GHz with 8 GB of DDR4 RAM, turning the switch itself into an edge compute node. For network switch deployments where you want PoE delivery, multi-speed connectivity, and on-box processing without adding a separate server, this is the architecture to evaluate. QNAP positions the QGD-1602 line at the intersection of campus switching and edge intelligence — a niche, but a real one in modern surveillance and distributed IT infrastructure.

Port Configuration and Throughput

• 8x 2.5GbE RJ45 ports: 2.5 Gigabit copper ports give you 2.5× the throughput of standard Gigabit on the same Cat5e/Cat6 cabling you already have installed. For IP camera feeds, high-res video workstations, or NAS connections, this headroom matters — a single 4K camera stream with analytics overhead can easily saturate a 100 Mbps link but sits comfortably within 2.5 Gbps.
• 8x 1GbE RJ45 ports: Standard Gigabit ports handle legacy devices, access points, and lower-bandwidth endpoints without forcing you to upgrade every connected device at once. Mixed-speed environments are common in phased infrastructure upgrades, and having both port speeds on the same switch eliminates the need for separate access-layer hardware.
• 2x 10GbE SFP+ uplink ports: Fiber uplinks at 10 Gbps connect this switch to your core LAN, a NAS, or a compute node with enough bandwidth to aggregate all 16 downstream ports simultaneously. In a surveillance deployment with 16 cameras, a 10GbE uplink to an NVR ensures no upstream bottleneck even when every camera is streaming full resolution.

Edge Compute Platform

• Intel Atom C3558 quad-core at 2.2 GHz: This is not a typical switch ASIC. The C3558 is the same processor class used in entry-level network appliances and edge servers. With 4 cores and enough headroom for lightweight containerized workloads, you can run QNAP's QTS-based applications — including local NVR software, network analytics, or VPN concentrator functions — directly on the switch, reducing rack footprint.
• 8 GB DDR4, expandable to 64 GB: The single memory slot ships with 8 GB installed and accepts modules up to 64 GB. If your workload expands — more containers, heavier analytics, or a larger NVR channel count — you can upgrade memory without replacing the unit. Most dedicated switches offer zero memory expandability.
• 2x M.2 SSD slots: Built-in SSD bays let you install local storage for video buffering, log retention, or application data. This keeps surveillance footage or configuration backups on the device itself, reducing dependency on remote storage during WAN outages.

PoE Delivery

• 90W PoE budget: The QGD-1602-C3558-8G-US delivers power over Ethernet across its port complement within a 90W total budget. For a PoE switch in a surveillance role, 90W supports a mix of cameras — plan for roughly 12–15W per standard PoE camera and verify your total per-port draw against the aggregate budget before finalizing camera counts. The QGD-1602P variant offers a higher PoE budget if your deployment exceeds 90W total.

Integration and Compatibility

The QGD-1602-C3558-8G-US runs QNAP's QTS operating system, which means it integrates natively with the broader QNAP surveillance and storage ecosystem — including QVR Pro for NVR functionality, QuMagie for AI-based media management, and Container Station for Docker-based applications. The 10GbE SFP+ uplinks support direct high-speed interconnects to QNAP NAS units or external LAN infrastructure. For IT architects planning converged surveillance and network infrastructure, the ability to consolidate switching, edge compute, and local NVR into a single 1U-class device is the key design consideration. Review your camera channel requirements and per-port PoE draw against the 90W budget as part of any pre-deployment sizing exercise. See the network switch buying guide for guidance on PoE budgeting and uplink planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the total PoE power budget on the QGD-1602-C3558-8G-US?

A: The QGD-1602-C3558-8G-US has a 90W total PoE power budget. Plan your camera and device load accordingly — standard 802.3af cameras draw up to ~12.95W each, while 802.3at (PoE+) devices draw up to ~25.5W. If your deployment requires more total PoE wattage, consider the QGD-1602P variant which offers higher per-port and aggregate PoE capacity.

Q: Can the QGD-1602-C3558-8G-US run NVR software locally?

A: Yes. Because the unit runs QNAP's QTS operating system on an Intel Atom C3558 quad-core processor with 8 GB of RAM, you can install QNAP's QVR Pro NVR application directly on the switch. Combined with M.2 SSD storage, this enables on-device video recording without a separate NVR appliance.

Q: What is the maximum memory the QGD-1602-C3558-8G-US supports?

A: The unit ships with 8 GB DDR4 in a single memory slot and supports expansion up to 64 GB maximum. This gives you headroom to increase memory as workloads grow — for example, running more containers or supporting a higher camera channel count in QVR Pro.

Q: Does the QGD-1602-C3558-8G-US support 10GbE uplinks?

A: Yes — two built-in 10GbE SFP+ fiber ports are available for uplink connections to your core switch, NAS, or server infrastructure. These ports aggregate all 16 downstream ports without creating a bandwidth bottleneck in high-throughput surveillance or data environments.

Q: What is the difference between the QGD-1602-C3558-8G-US and the QGD-1602P?

A: Based on available evidence, the QGD-1602P variant offers 4-port 90W and 12-port 30W Gigabit PoE capabilities with a higher per-port PoE budget. The QGD-1602-C3558-8G-US delivers a 90W aggregate PoE budget across 2.5GbE and 1GbE ports. Verify the specific per-port PoE specs against your device requirements before selecting between variants.

Q: How many RJ45 ports does the QGD-1602-C3558-8G-US have?

A: It has 16 total RJ45 ports: 8 ports at 2.5GbE speed and 8 ports at 1GbE speed, plus 2 additional 10GbE SFP+ fiber ports for uplinks — 18 ports total including the SFP+ slots.

James Everett

The QGD-1602-C3558-8G-US is one of a small number of devices in the market that genuinely blurs the line between a managed switch and an edge appliance. The Intel Atom C3558 running at 2.2 GHz with 4 cores isn't there for show — it's enough compute to run QVR Pro for local NVR duties alongside the switching fabric, which changes how you size a surveillance closet. Instead of switch + NVR server + separate storage, this can consolidate all three roles if your channel count fits within what the 90W PoE budget and on-board SSD slots can support.

Technical Highlights:

• Dual-speed 2.5GbE + 1GbE copper: Eight 2.5GbE ports give you multi-gigabit camera feeds over existing Cat5e/Cat6 without re-pulling cable — useful in retrofit builds where conduit is fixed.
• 64 GB max memory: Ships at 8 GB but the single DIMM slot accepts up to 64 GB, leaving room to scale container workloads or NVR channel counts without a hardware swap.
• 2x 10GbE SFP+ uplinks: Two fiber uplinks at 10 Gbps handle the aggregated bandwidth of all 16 downstream ports simultaneously — no upstream chokepoint even in all-cameras-recording scenarios.

Deployment Considerations:

• The 90W total PoE budget is the tightest constraint in a pure surveillance deployment. With 16 ports, that averages ~5.6W per port — fine for most IP cameras, but verify your per-port draw totals before spec'ing in PoE+ PTZ cameras or multi-sensor units that can pull 25W+ each.
• The QGD-1602P variant is the alternative to evaluate if you need higher per-port PoE headroom (it offers 4-port 90W + 12-port 30W Gigabit PoE), but it ships with 1GbE ports rather than 2.5GbE — so you trade port speed for power headroom.

This unit makes the most sense in a converged IDF or surveillance closet where you're deploying 8–12 standard PoE cameras, want 2.5GbE to a local QNAP NAS or workstation, and want to avoid racking a separate NVR server. It's not the right fit for a high-density PoE deployment with heavy PTZ or multi-sensor camera loads — in that case, the aggregate 90W budget will be the binding constraint before you fill all 16 ports.