The Cisco Catalyst 2960X-48FPD-L puts 48 PoE+ capable Gigabit access ports and 2 SFP+ uplink slots into a single rack unit, with a 740 W shared PoE budget and the LAN Base image. It is the model to specify when a closet has to power every port and still leave the room on 10 Gigabit fibre, instead of four separate Gigabit links.
What the 740 W budget covers across 48 ports
PoE on this switch is a shared 740 W pool drawn on demand by whatever is plugged in. Cisco's published maximums for this model are 24 ports at the full 30 W an IEEE 802.3at PoE+ endpoint may draw, and 48 ports at the 15.4 W ceiling of standard PoE. Neither figure is a configuration setting; they are simply the budget divided by the class draw. A closet of desk phones will populate all 48 ports and leave watts unused, while wireless access points and heated outdoor cameras will consume the pool long before the ports run out.
| Specification | Catalyst 2960X-48FPD-L |
|---|---|
| Access ports | 48 x 10/100/1000 Ethernet |
| PoE budget | 740 W combined |
| Max ports at 30 W PoE+ | 24 |
| Max ports at 15.4 W PoE | 48 |
| Uplinks | 2 x SFP+, 1/10 Gbps |
| Software image | LAN Base |
| Forwarding bandwidth | 108 Gbps |
| Switching bandwidth | 216 Gbps |
| Active VLANs | 1023 |
| Stacking | FlexStack-Plus, 80 Gbps, 8 members |
| Rack height | 1RU, 1.75 in |
Two SFP+ uplinks instead of four SFP, and why that is the trade
Uplink media is the difference between the D and S models across the 2960-X sub-series. This switch takes 2 SFP+ slots that run at either 1 or 10 Gbps; the S models take 4 SFP slots fixed at 1 Gbps. Twenty gigabits of aggregate uplink on two fibre pairs beats four gigabits on four pairs for almost any closet carrying wireless traffic, and the SFP+ slots will still accept 1G optics, so a site can commission on Gigabit today and move to 10G without replacing the switch.
The cost side of that trade is optics and fibre count, not the switch. Where a building's riser is already provisioned for four Gigabit pairs per closet and there is no 10G distribution layer to uplink into, the S model is the cheaper and equally valid answer.
Stacking with FlexStack-Plus
FlexStack-Plus gives this switch 80 Gbps of stack throughput across up to eight members, managed as a single logical switch with one configuration and one address. It is backward compatible with the older FlexStack found on the 2960-S and 2960-SF, so a mixed stack is legal, but it runs at 40 Gbps and caps at four members. Stacking with a 2960-XR is not supported in either direction. The FlexStack-Plus module and its cables are separate parts from the chassis.
Where the 48FPD-L sits in the 2960-X range
Within the 48-port 2960-X models with 10 Gigabit uplinks, the only variable is the PoE budget, and it steps in three places. That single column decides the model, because the ports, the uplinks, the image and the stack fabric are otherwise identical.
| Model | Access ports | PoE budget | Max ports at 30 W | Uplinks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2960X-48FPD-L | 48 Gigabit | 740 W | 24 | 2 x SFP+ |
| 2960X-48LPD-L | 48 Gigabit | 370 W | 12 | 2 x SFP+ |
| 2960X-48TD-L | 48 Gigabit | None | None | 2 x SFP+ |
The Catalyst 2960X-48FPS-L is the same switch with 4 Gigabit SFP uplinks in place of the SFP+ pair. The Catalyst 2960S-48FPD-L is the previous generation in the same layout, and it is the correct choice only when the requirement is to match an existing 2960-S stack. Both sit in the wider Cisco networking hardware range.
Lifecycle and support horizon
This model is named in Cisco end-of-life notice EOL13603 for the Catalyst 2960-X product family. End-of-Sale for the hardware was 31 October 2022 and the Last Ship Date was 30 January 2023. The Last Date of Support for the hardware and the End of Vulnerability and Security Support milestone both fall on 31 October 2027, with End of Service Contract Renewal on 29 January 2027.
A supported hardware window that runs several years past the point Cisco stopped shipping the product is exactly the condition that makes a refurbished purchase rational rather than merely cheap. It is worth confirming the specific model on the notice before assuming coverage, because one fanless member of this sub-series is excluded from EOL13603 and carries its own separate notice.
Condition, testing and what ships
Refurbished enterprise hardware carrying the original Cisco part number. Each unit is tested inbound, then disassembled, cleaned, inventoried and returned to stock; on order it is picked, assembled, configured and bench tested again 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, FlexStack-Plus modules and stacking cables are quoted as separate lines. Cisco software entitlement does not transfer with used hardware.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the SFP+ ports on a 2960X-48FPD-L accept 1 Gigabit optics?
Yes. The SFP+ uplink slots on the D models run at either 1 or 10 Gbps, so a Gigabit transceiver is a supported fit and a closet can be brought up on the existing fibre plant before any 10G distribution work happens. That dual-rate capability is the main reason to buy the D model even at a site whose uplinks are still Gigabit on the day of installation.
How many access points can a Catalyst 2960X-48FPD-L power?
It depends on the class each one draws, and the honest planning number is watts rather than ports. From a 740 W budget the switch supports 24 endpoints at the full 30 W PoE+ ceiling. A typical indoor dual-radio access point sits well under that, so real deployments commonly land between 24 and 48 powered devices. Total the actual class draws before assuming the port count is the constraint.
What does the D in 2960X-48FPD-L mean?
It designates the uplink type. A trailing D across the 2960-X sub-series means 2 SFP+ slots capable of 10 Gbps, and a trailing S means 4 SFP slots fixed at 1 Gbps. The preceding letters carry the PoE budget: FP is the full 740 W, LP is the reduced 370 W and T is a data-only model with no PoE at all.
Can this switch stack with a Catalyst 2960-S already in the rack?
Yes, provided both carry the LAN Base image and the correct stacking modules, because FlexStack-Plus is backward compatible with FlexStack. The mixed stack runs at 40 Gbps with a maximum of four members instead of the 80 Gbps and eight members a pure 2960-X stack reaches. Stacking with a Catalyst 2960-XR is not supported in either direction.
Is the Catalyst 2960X-48FPD-L still supported by Cisco?
Yes, until 31 October 2027. Notice EOL13603 sets the Last Date of Support for the hardware and the End of Vulnerability and Security Support on that date, having closed End-of-Sale on 31 October 2022 and the Last Ship Date on 30 January 2023. End of Service Contract Renewal is 29 January 2027, which is the deadline for placing Cisco coverage rather than for the hardware itself.
What state are your refurbished 2960-X switches in when they arrive?
They are cleaned, tested and configured to the specification on the order. The bench process runs twice on every unit: once on receipt to establish that the hardware is sound, and again on despatch after the switch has been reassembled and configured. Cosmetic wear is graded per chassis and any defect is written into the listing for that specific unit rather than described in general terms.
