A 370 W Power over Ethernet budget across 24 Fast Ethernet 10/100 access ports is what the Cisco Catalyst 2960-Plus 24PC-L brings, with 2 dual-purpose combo uplinks and the LAN Base software image. PC in the designation is Cisco's own marker for the full PoE budget alongside combo uplinks, approximately three times the pool the LC models in the same range are given.
Every port powered, at the class this series supports
The arithmetic here is the reason to choose this model and it is rarely spelled out. Cisco documents IEEE 802.3af-compliant Power over Ethernet on the Catalyst 2960-Plus series, which sets a ceiling of 15.4 W on any single port. Twenty-four ports at that ceiling consume 369.6 W. The shared budget on this switch is 370 W. Every port on the front panel can therefore draw the full class simultaneously with nothing left over and nothing short.
That is an unusual property. Most powered access switches are budgeted for partial population, and the low-power models in this same range cover only 7 ports at full class from their 123 W pool. Here the budget and the port count are matched exactly, which removes power planning from the deployment entirely: if every device is 802.3af, every port works.
| Specification | Catalyst 2960-Plus 24PC-L |
|---|---|
| Part number | WS-C2960+24PC-L |
| Access ports | 24 x 10/100 Fast Ethernet |
| PoE standard | IEEE 802.3af, up to 15.4 W per port |
| PoE budget | 370 W combined |
| Ports at the 15.4 W ceiling | 24, the full front panel |
| Uplinks | 2 dual-purpose combo, one port active per pair |
| Uplink options per pair | 1 x SFP or 1 x 1000BASE-T |
| Software image | LAN Base |
| Stacking | Not offered on this series |
The ceiling that still applies
Full population at 802.3af is not the same as full population at any class. The per-port ceiling on this series is 15.4 W and it cannot be exceeded, so a device requiring the 30 W of IEEE 802.3at PoE+ will not be correctly powered here regardless of how much of the 370 W pool is free. That distinction catches people who read the budget and assume it implies the newer standard.
Practically, this switch is built for telephones, door controllers, badge readers, intercoms, clocks and fixed cameras. It is not built for current-generation wireless access points, most of which want PoE+ to enable all radios, and no amount of spare budget changes that.
Combo uplinks: two paths from four connectors
Each of the two uplinks holds one SFP slot and one 1000BASE-T copper port, with a single port active per pair. There are four connectors and two usable paths. The arrangement means one part number serves both a fibre closet and a copper one, and changing between them is a transceiver swap rather than a hardware change, but it also means no design can draw four uplinks from this chassis.
Nothing in this series stacks
The Catalyst 2960-Plus offers no stacking, and that applies to every model and both software images. There is no module to fit, no cable to order and no licence to buy. Where a closet holds more than one of these switches they remain separate devices, each with its own configuration file and its own management address, and any change has to be applied to each one individually.
Where the 24PC-L sits in the 2960-Plus range
Two variables separate the 24-port models: the size of the power pool and the software image. This model takes the larger pool with the larger image, which is the top of the 24-port ladder.
| Model | PoE budget | Ports at 15.4 W | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2960-Plus 24PC-L | 370 W | 24 | LAN Base |
| 2960-Plus 24PC-S | 370 W | 24 | LAN Lite |
| 2960-Plus 24LC-L | 123 W | 7 | LAN Base |
Where the endpoints need PoE+ at 30 W or Gigabit access ports, the Catalyst 2960S-48FPS-L belongs to a later sub-series that provides both. The current-generation counterpart at this port count is a Catalyst 9300 24-port model, and the routing tier usually paired with a powered closet of this size is a Cisco ISR 4331.
Support position for this series
This page publishes no lifecycle dates because no Cisco end-of-life notice for the Catalyst 2960-Plus series appears in our verified source material. Everywhere else across our Catalyst 2960 pages a date is shown, it is tied to a named Cisco announcement, and holding that standard means leaving a gap here rather than filling it with an assumption.
For anyone planning support, the right step is to look the exact part number up in Cisco's own end-of-life listing rather than to infer dates from the 2960-S or 2960-X families, which are different hardware with their own notices. As a Fast Ethernet platform the sensible working assumption is a continuity role covered by spares rather than by a forward Cisco contract.
Condition, testing and what ships
Units are refurbished enterprise hardware carrying the original Cisco part number. Each is tested on receipt, then disassembled, cleaned, inventoried and returned to stock; on order it is rebuilt to the requested configuration, configured and bench tested again before packing, with the powered ports exercised across the front panel. Whole systems including this switch carry the 2-year Enterasource warranty, and shipping is free FedEx Ground to the lower 48 states.
SFP transceivers and rack hardware are separate line items unless quoted with the chassis. Cisco software entitlement is not included and does not transfer with used hardware.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Catalyst 2960-Plus 24PC-L power all 24 ports at once?
Yes, at the 802.3af class this series supports. Twenty-four ports each drawing the full 15.4 W consume 369.6 W and the shared budget is 370 W, so the pool and the port count are matched almost exactly. That makes it the one 24-port model in this range where power planning is unnecessary provided every endpoint is an 802.3af device.
What does PC stand for in the 2960-Plus 24PC-L designation?
Power over Ethernet at the full budget for this range, combined with combo uplinks. Across the series PC marks the 370 W pool, LC marks the reduced 123 W pool, TC marks a data-only chassis and PST marks the single model with four independent uplinks. The final L indicates the LAN Base software image rather than LAN Lite.
Will a 2960-Plus 24PC-L run an 802.3at PoE+ device?
Not at full draw. The per-port ceiling on this series is 15.4 W under the IEEE 802.3af standard, and a device that needs the 30 W permitted by 802.3at will not receive it here no matter how much of the 370 W pool is unused. Devices of that class need a switch from the 2960-S, 2960-SF or 2960-X sub-series instead.
How many uplinks does a Catalyst 2960-Plus 24PC-L have?
Two usable paths, presented across four connectors. Each of the two combo uplinks contains one SFP slot and one 1000BASE-T copper port with a single port active per pair. The benefit is that one switch model suits both fibre and copper closets; the limit is that no topology can draw four simultaneous uplinks from this chassis.
What condition is a refurbished 2960-Plus 24PC-L supplied in?
Cleaned, tested and configured to the order. The chassis is bench tested on receipt, then stripped, cleaned and inventoried, and tested a second time after reassembly immediately before packing, with the powered ports checked across the panel. Cosmetic wear is graded against the individual unit and any defect appears on its listing. The catalogue is on the Cisco networking hardware page.
