MikroTik CRS518-16XS-2XQ-RM Switch – High-Performance Enterprise Network Switch

The MikroTik CRS518-16XS-2XQ-RM is an enterprise distribution-layer switch with 16 x 25 Gigabit SFP28 ports and 2 x 100 Gigabit QSFP28 ports, designed for enterprise networks and data centers where high-speed port density, complete redundancy, and 1.2 Tbps switching capacity are standard operational requirements. It is widely used as a distribution switch in topologies with CCR2216 at the core layer, connecting all access-level devices to the main network and handling traffic filtering and network policy enforcement. Hot-swappable power supplies and fans eliminate planned maintenance downtime in critical production environments.

The switch is built on the Marvell Prestera Aldrin2 98DX8525 chip — the same platform as the CCR2216 — with a QCA9531 processor at 650 MHz and 64 MB RAM, managed via RouterOS v7 (License Level 6). The 16 SFP28 ports support 25G, 10G, and 1G for full compatibility with access-layer devices across different generations, while the 2 QSFP28 ports provide 100G uplinks to the core layer. The Marvell Prestera Aldrin2 switch chip handles L3 hardware offloading, VLAN 802.1Q and 802.1ad, ACL, LACP, MLAG, Jumbo frames, and IGMP/MLD snooping — the complete feature set required of an enterprise distribution switch.

The CRS518-16XS-2XQ-RM mounts in a standard 19" rack via the included rack ears and is powered by two hot-swappable AC power supplies with a wide 100-240V, 47-63 Hz input range — replaceable without powering down the equipment. Four hot-swappable fans provide active cooling in dense rack environments, while the 10/100 management Ethernet port, RJ45 console, and USB Type-A port with USB Power Reset enable direct access for configuration and emergency recovery independent of the production network.

It is recommended for data centers and enterprise networks requiring a 25G/100G distribution switch with 1.2 Tbps switching capacity and full redundancy of critical components, multi-tier topologies with CCR2216 at the core and CRS518 at distribution for large-scale traffic management, virtualization and storage infrastructures with 25G per-server requirements and 100G uplinks, and any production environment where hot-swappable power supplies and fans without downtime are a mandatory operational requirement. An operating temperature range of -40°C to +70°C and CE certifications confirm suitability for high-availability technical environments.