The Cisco Catalyst 2960-Plus 48PST-S is the only model in this range with four genuinely separate uplinks rather than two combo ports: 2 SFP slots and 2 copper 1000BASE-T ports, all four of them usable at the same time. Below those four uplinks sit 48 Fast Ethernet 10/100 access ports, collectively drawing on a 370 W Power over Ethernet budget under the LAN Lite image.
Four uplinks, and why that is unique here
Every other Catalyst 2960-Plus model provides two dual-purpose combo uplinks, where each pair holds one SFP slot and one copper port and only one of the two is active. Two paths from four connectors. This model breaks that pattern: it carries 2 SFP slots and 2 copper 1000BASE-T ports as four independent uplinks, and all four can carry traffic simultaneously.
The design consequences are real. Four uplinks allow two links to each of two distribution switches, or a fibre pair to one upstream device and a copper pair to another, giving a topology that survives the loss of a fibre, a transceiver or an entire upstream chassis. No other model in this series can be built that way, and a site that designed a closet around four paths cannot substitute a sibling without collapsing to two.
| Specification | Catalyst 2960-Plus 48PST-S |
|---|---|
| Part number | WS-C2960+48PST-S |
| Access ports | 48 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 of 48 |
| Fibre uplinks | 2 x SFP |
| Copper uplinks | 2 x 1000BASE-T |
| Total simultaneous uplinks | 4 |
| Software image | LAN Lite |
| Stacking | Not offered on this series |
370 W across 48 ports means half the panel
The power arithmetic on this model differs from the 24-port members of the range and it is worth stating precisely. The pool is 370 W and the per-port ceiling under the IEEE 802.3af standard is 15.4 W, so 24 ports can draw full class simultaneously. That is half of the 48 available. Unlike the 24-port full-power models, this chassis cannot power its whole front panel at the class the series supports.
In practice a floor of desk telephones drawing 6 to 8 W each will fill considerably more than 24 ports before the pool runs out, so the limit is less restrictive than it first appears. The reliable method remains the same: total the real draw of the devices being connected rather than dividing the budget by the maximum.
LAN Lite on a 48-port chassis
This model carries the LAN Lite image, marked by the trailing S, which is the smaller of the two feature sets Cisco offers on the series and carries a lower ceiling on active VLANs than LAN Base. The image is set at manufacture and cannot be changed. On a 48-port switch that ceiling is worth checking harder than on a 24-port one, because port count and VLAN count tend to grow together.
Nothing in this series stacks
Cisco offers no stacking on any Catalyst 2960-Plus switch, so this model cannot be joined to another under a single configuration. In a room needing more than 48 Fast Ethernet ports the outcome is a second independent device to configure, monitor and update. Where the four-uplink arrangement is the reason for choosing this switch, that limitation is usually acceptable, since the design intent is diverse paths rather than extra port capacity.
Where the 48PST-S sits in the 2960-Plus range
Against the other 48-port models the difference is stark: this is the only one that both supplies power and offers four independent uplinks.
| Model | Access ports | PoE budget | Uplinks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2960-Plus 48PST-S | 48 Fast Ethernet | 370 W | 2 SFP plus 2 copper, four active |
| 2960-Plus 48TC-S | 48 Fast Ethernet | None | 2 combo, one active per pair |
| 2960-Plus 24PC-S | 24 Fast Ethernet | 370 W | 2 combo, one active per pair |
Where the endpoints need PoE+ at 30 W per port or Gigabit access, the Catalyst 2960S-48FPS-L is a later sub-series that supplies both. The current-generation counterpart at this port count is a Catalyst 9300 48-port model, and the routing tier usually paired with a closet built for path diversity is a Cisco ISR 4331.
Support position for this series
No lifecycle dates are published on this page. The Catalyst 2960-Plus series has no Cisco end-of-life notice in our verified source material, and every date carried elsewhere across our Catalyst 2960 pages is attached to a specific named announcement. Meeting that standard here means showing the gap rather than closing it with an estimate.
Check the exact part number against Cisco's own end-of-life listing before building a support arrangement around this hardware. Dates published for the classic 2960, the 2960-S, the 2960-SF or the 2960-X families belong to different products and cannot be carried across on the strength of a similar name.
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; at order time it is rebuilt, configured and bench tested again before packing, with the powered ports, both SFP slots and both copper uplinks exercised. 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
How many uplinks can a Catalyst 2960-Plus 48PST-S use simultaneously?
All four. It carries 2 SFP slots and 2 copper 1000BASE-T ports as independent uplinks, unlike every other model in the series where two combo pairs provide only two usable paths. That allows two links to each of two distribution switches, or a fibre pair to one upstream device and a copper pair to another.
Can a 2960-Plus 48PST-S power all 48 of its ports?
Not at full class. The shared budget is 370 W and the per-port ceiling under IEEE 802.3af is 15.4 W, so 24 ports can draw the maximum simultaneously, which is half the front panel. Because typical desk telephones draw well under the ceiling, real deployments usually power considerably more than 24 devices before the pool is exhausted.
What does PST mean on a Catalyst 2960-Plus switch?
It marks the combination of Power over Ethernet on the access ports with both SFP and 1000BASE-T uplinks provided separately rather than as combo pairs. Elsewhere in the series LC marks the 123 W budget with combo uplinks, PC marks the 370 W budget with combo uplinks and TC marks a data-only chassis. The final letter gives the software image.
Why is this model harder to substitute than other 2960-Plus switches?
Because nothing else in the series provides four independent uplinks. A closet designed around two fibre paths and two copper paths cannot be rebuilt on a combo-uplink sibling without dropping to two paths in total, which changes the resilience of the design rather than just its capacity. Like-for-like replacement is usually the only option that preserves the topology.
What testing does a used 2960-Plus 48PST-S receive?
Two bench passes. The first on arrival confirms the switching fabric, all four uplinks and the power stage; the chassis is then cleaned, inventoried and stored as known-good stock. The second follows reassembly and configuration to the order, immediately before packing. Condition is graded per serial and any defect is disclosed on that listing. The range is on the Cisco networking hardware page.
