LAN Lite and no Power over Ethernet are what define the Cisco Catalyst 2960S-48TS-S: 48 Gigabit access ports that source no power at all, 2 SFP uplink slots at 1 Gbps, and a software image capped at 64 active VLANs. The trailing S on the model designation is the marker for that image, specifically separating it from the LAN Base models sitting beside it in the same sub-series.
LAN Lite is a hardware-level ceiling, not a licence
Cisco states plainly that LAN Lite models cannot be upgraded to the LAN Base feature set, and on this hardware generation that is a permanent property of the chassis rather than something a purchase order can change later. The practical consequences are measurable: LAN Lite carries 50 Gbps of forwarding bandwidth, 100 Gbps of switching bandwidth and 64 active VLANs, where LAN Base on the same sub-series carries 88 Gbps, 176 Gbps and 255 active VLANs.
Sixty-four VLANs is generous for a single-tenant office and restrictive for a campus, a school district or a managed-service closet. If the VLAN plan is already past 40 and growing, this is the wrong model and no amount of configuration recovers it. If the closet runs a handful of VLANs and will keep doing so, the ceiling never comes into play and the image costs nothing in practice.
| Specification | Catalyst 2960S-48TS-S |
|---|---|
| Access ports | 48 x 10/100/1000 Ethernet |
| Power over Ethernet | None |
| Uplinks | 2 x SFP, 1 Gbps |
| Software image | LAN Lite |
| Forwarding rate | 74.4 mpps |
| Forwarding bandwidth | 50 Gbps |
| Switching bandwidth | 100 Gbps |
| Active VLANs | 64 |
| Rack height | 1U, 1.75 x 17.5 x 15.2 in |
Forwarding rate is 74.4 mpps, which is respectable for the sub-series and shows where LAN Lite does and does not bite: raw packet movement is close to the LAN Base models, while forwarding bandwidth of 50 Gbps and the 64-VLAN ceiling are where the image draws its line.
Two SFP uplinks, and what that constrains
Uplink provision on this model is 2 SFP slots at 1 Gbps rather than the 4 slots the LAN Base 48-port models carry. That gives 2 Gbps of aggregate uplink capacity, or a single active path with one standby if the design prefers resilience to bandwidth. For a data-only closet feeding desktops it is usually sufficient; for a closet carrying wireless backhaul it is the first thing to check against the expected peak.
No PoE at all, and when that is the right answer
Not one of the 48 ports on this switch sources power. That is a genuine advantage in three situations: where telephones and access points are powered by midspan injectors or local adapters, where the closet's electrical and cooling budget is already tight, and where a floor has no powered endpoints at all. A switch with no PoE stage draws less, runs cooler and has one less subsystem that can fail.
Where the 48TS-S sits in the 2960-S range
Within the 48-port Gigabit members of this sub-series the variables are the image, the uplink count and whether power is sourced at all. This model is the floor on all three, which is exactly why it needs stating plainly rather than being described as an equivalent.
| Model | Access ports | PoE budget | Uplinks | Image / VLANs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2960S-48TS-S | 48 Gigabit | None | 2 x SFP, 1 Gbps | LAN Lite / 64 |
| 2960S-48TS-L | 48 Gigabit | None | 4 x SFP, 1 Gbps | LAN Base / 255 |
| 2960S-48FPS-L | 48 Gigabit | 740 W | 4 x SFP, 1 Gbps | LAN Base / 255 |
Where powered ports are needed the Catalyst 2960S-48FPS-L is the same chassis with a 740 W budget and the LAN Base image. Where the closet uplinks into a 10 Gigabit distribution layer, the Catalyst 2960X-48FPD-L covers it on a generation Cisco still supports, and the Catalyst 9300 family is the current-generation replacement line.
Lifecycle and support horizon
This model is named in Cisco end-of-life notice EOL10043, which covers the Catalyst 2960-S and 2960-SF families together. End-of-Sale was 6 November 2015, the Last Ship Date was 4 February 2016, End of Software Maintenance was 5 November 2016, End of Vulnerability and Security Support was 5 November 2018 and the Last Date of Support was 30 November 2020.
Stated without decoration: Cisco neither sells, patches nor services this platform. What it still does very well is replace a failed unit in a closet built around it, without a configuration migration and without disturbing anything that already works. That is the buying case, and it is why these units keep moving on the secondary market a decade after End-of-Sale.
Condition, testing and what ships
Every unit is refurbished enterprise hardware bearing the original Cisco part number. The bench process runs twice: an inbound test on receipt, then disassembly, cleaning, inventory and stock, and on order a reassembly, configuration and a second outbound test immediately before packing. Whole systems including this switch carry the 2-year Enterasource warranty, with free FedEx Ground delivery to the lower 48 states.
SFP transceivers and rack hardware are quoted separately unless they are specified with the switch. Cisco software licensing is not included with used hardware and the image on the unit is the image described above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Catalyst 2960S-48TS-S be upgraded from LAN Lite to LAN Base?
No. Cisco states that LAN Lite models cannot be upgraded to the LAN Base feature set, and on this hardware generation the image is a property of the model rather than a licence that can be bought later. A unit purchased as LAN Lite stays LAN Lite for its entire service life, so the VLAN ceiling and the feature set have to be checked against the requirement before the order rather than after it.
How many VLANs does a 2960S-48TS-S support?
Sixty-four active VLANs, against 255 on the LAN Base models in the same sub-series. Forwarding bandwidth is likewise 50 Gbps against 88 Gbps, and switching bandwidth 100 Gbps against 176 Gbps. Those three figures are the practical shape of the LAN Lite image: it is not a slower switch so much as a smaller-scale one, and the VLAN count is usually the number that decides a deployment.
Does the Catalyst 2960S-48TS-S supply Power over Ethernet?
No port on it sources power. The T in the model designation is Cisco's marker for a data-only switch across the whole 2960-S sub-series, where FP marks the 740 W budget, LP marks 370 W and P marks 370 W on a 24-port chassis. Powered endpoints behind this switch need midspan injectors or local power adapters of their own.
How many uplinks does a 2960S-48TS-S have?
Two SFP slots running at 1 Gbps, which is half the uplink provision of the LAN Base 48-port models in the same sub-series. That yields 2 Gbps of aggregate uplink capacity across both slots, or one active path plus a standby if the topology is built for resilience instead. Transceivers are separate items and are not supplied with the chassis.
What condition will a refurbished 2960S-48TS-S arrive in?
Cleaned, tested and configured to whatever specification the order carries. Testing happens twice, once on receipt to establish the hardware is sound and once on despatch after reassembly and configuration. Cosmetic wear is graded against the individual chassis rather than described in general terms, and any defect is disclosed on that unit's listing. The full catalogue is on the Cisco networking hardware page.
