MikroTik CRS305 vs MikroTik CRS304
Illustration
Highly recommended
Illustration
Highly recommended
Our verdict
Editorial opinionOur verdict
Same idea, four 10 GbE ports with RouterOS, different connectors. The CRS305 has SFP+ cages: cheap and cool with DAC cables or fibre. The CRS304 has RJ45: ordinary Cat6 cable and also 2.5/5 GbE, at more power. Match your network cards.
| Factual data | MikroTik CRS305 | MikroTik CRS304 |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 4 × SFP+ + 1 × 1 GbE | 4 × 10 GbE + 1 × 1 GbE |
| Total ports | 5 | 5 |
| Management | Managed | Managed |
| VLANs | Yes | Yes |
| PoE output | No | No |
| Max power (without PoE) | 18 WAdvantage | 21 W |
| Cooling | Fanless (silent) | Fanless (silent) |
| Size | 141 × 115 × 28 mm | 176 × 128 × 35 mm |
| Price from | $149Advantage | $199 |
What each one is good forDerived from the specs
| Uses | MikroTik CRS305 | MikroTik CRS304 |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 GbE network | LimitedNo 2.5 GbE RJ45 ports: only SFP+ cages, which need 2.5G/10G RJ45 modules (hot, about 2–3 W each) | Great fit4 RJ45 ports at 2.5 GbE or faster |
| 10 GbE | Great fit4 × SFP+ (DAC cables or modules, sold apart) | Great fit4 × 10 GbE RJ45 (Cat6 cable) |
| VLANs | Great fit802.1Q tagged VLANs | Great fit802.1Q tagged VLANs |
| PoE | Not suitableIt can be powered by PoE, but supplies none | Not suitableIt can be powered by PoE, but supplies none |
| Homelab core | Limited5 ports, VLANs | Limited5 ports, VLANs |
| 10-inch rack | Good141 mm wide: fits on a 10-inch shelf | Good176 mm wide: fits on a 10-inch shelf |
| Silent | GoodNo fan | GoodNo fan |