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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

  • Electrical Outlet 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.

Highlights

  • 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

Specifications

BrandHP
Electrical Outlet 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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