AVPro Edge's MXnet ecosystem gives integrators a complete AV-over-IP stack, encoders, decoders, control boxes, and the network switches that tie it all together, but the switch choice is where most MXnet designs go sideways. The wrong switch family doesn't fail outright; it just runs out of uplink bandwidth or PoE headroom six months after handover, right as the client asks for two more rooms.
AVPro Edge just added the AC-MXNET-SW24XF to the lineup, a 24-port 10G fiber switch that slots between the existing 8-port P-Series and the 48-port X-Series core. This guide covers how the E-Series, P-Series, and X-Series switch families differ, how to size bandwidth and PoE before you order, and where the new SW24XF actually fits.
Quick answer: Pick the MXnet ecosystem first (USP, 1G Evolution I/II, or 10G SDVoE) - that alone eliminates two of the three switch families. E-Series covers cost-effective single-switch 1G systems; P-Series covers higher-capacity 1G systems and multi-switch topologies; X-Series covers the 10G SDVoE ecosystem. Calculate total encoded bandwidth per uplink (encoders × bitrate) with at least 20% headroom, and total PoE demand (endpoints × max power draw) with 15-20% reserve, before choosing a specific model. The new AC-MXNET-SW24XF fills the gap between the 8-port P-Series switch and the 48-port X-Series core - a 24-port 10G fiber switch sized for mid-scale SDVoE deployments that don't need a full 48-port chassis.
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Where MXnet Switch Selection Goes Wrong
The most common mistake is picking a switch by port count alone, without first confirming which MXnet ecosystem the project is actually running. MXnet USP, 1G Evolution I, 1G Evolution II, and 10G SDVoE are not interchangeable: an Evolution II encoder won't talk to an Evolution I decoder, and a 10G SDVoE deployment needs switch silicon the 1G families don't carry at all. Confirm the ecosystem before comparing a single switch spec sheet.
The second failure is sizing uplinks from average bandwidth instead of worst-case. A multi-switch MXnet design only pushes the unique streams actually requested by devices on other switches across each uplink, not the full encoder count, but that figure still has to be calculated per uplink rather than assumed. A project that scales from twenty to thirty encoders without rechecking uplink math is a common way a working system starts dropping frames after a routine expansion.
Third, PoE gets sized on average consumption rather than maximum draw. Every MXnet endpoint publishes a maximum power figure, and that number, not the typical runtime draw, is what the switch's PoE budget has to cover with reserve left over. A switch that looks adequate on paper against average consumption can still brown out under simultaneous startup load if every endpoint pulls its maximum rating at once.
Finally, teams confirm copper, fiber, SFP+, SFP28, or QSFP connection types after the switch is already ordered rather than before. Each MXnet series supports a different mix of physical connections, and getting this wrong after the cable plant is already pulled is an expensive fix.
How to Select a MXnet Switch
Work through the decision in this order: ecosystem, endpoint count, topology, uplink bandwidth, connection type, then PoE.
Confirm the ecosystem first
Identify whether the project runs MXnet USP, 1G Evolution I, 1G Evolution II, or 10G SDVoE before shortlisting any switch. This single decision eliminates two of the three switch families immediately, since X-Series is 10G-only and E-Series/P-Series only serve the 1G ecosystems.
Count endpoints and determine topology
Count every required port, then decide single-switch versus multi-switch. This matters more for E-Series than it sounds: MXnet Evolution I and Evolution II deployments built on E-Series switches are limited to a single-switch topology by design. If the project needs multiple interconnected switches on a 1G Evolution system, that requirement alone moves the design to P-Series.
Calculate total encoded bandwidth per uplink
Multiply encoder count by bitrate per encoder to get total encoded bandwidth, then confirm each uplink can carry the unique streams crossing it with at least 20% headroom for management traffic, audio, USB, and future growth. A 1080p60 stream on MXnet USP runs about 12 Mbps; the same resolution on 1G Evolution I or II runs roughly 300 Mbps, and 4K60 on Evolution I/II runs around 800 Mbps. The ecosystem choice changes this math by more than an order of magnitude, which is why it has to be locked in first.
Confirm connection type, then size PoE last
Match copper, fiber, SFP+, SFP28, or QSFP requirements to the physical plant, then total maximum PoE demand across every endpoint (not average draw) and confirm the switch's PoE budget covers it with 15-20% reserve remaining.
E-Series: Cost-Effective 1G Switching
E-Series switches are the entry point for MXnet USP, Dante/AES67, and smaller single-switch 1G systems. The AC-MXNET-SW24 provides 24x 1G RJ-45 ports with 4x 1G SFP uplinks and a 370W PoE budget, while the AC-MXNET-SW48 steps up to 48x 1G RJ-45 ports with 6x 10G SFP+ uplinks and a 740W budget. Both support standard PoE (15.4W) and PoE+ (30W).
The constraint to remember: MXnet Evolution I and Evolution II deployments on E-Series switches are limited to a single-switch topology. E-Series is the right call for MXnet USP at any scale, and for Evolution I or II only when the design genuinely needs just one switch. The moment a second switch enters the topology on an Evolution system, move to P-Series.
P-Series: Higher-Capacity 1G for Multi-Switch Designs
P-Series switches target MXnet Evolution I and Evolution II systems, particularly topologies that need multiple interconnected switches or substantial inter-switch bandwidth. The AC-MXNET-SW8P offers 8x 1G RJ-45 ports with 4x 10G SFP+ uplinks in a compact 120W PoE footprint, suited to smaller rooms that still need the higher-speed uplink headroom a multi-switch Evolution design requires. Larger P-Series models scale up to 48 ports with 25G SFP28 uplinks and PoE++ support for endpoint-heavy deployments.
The decision rule between E-Series and P-Series on a 1G Evolution project is straightforward: single switch stays on E-Series at the lower cost point; any design requiring multiple interconnected switches, or meaningful inter-switch bandwidth for planned expansion, moves to P-Series for the higher-speed uplinks.
X-Series: 10G SDVoE, Now With a Mid-Size Option
X-Series switches are built specifically for the MXnet 10G SDVoE ecosystem, and this is where the new AC-MXNET-SW24XF changes the available sizing. Previously, a 10G SDVoE deployment choosing fiber had to jump straight to the 48-port core switch even when the project only needed half that port density. The SW24XF closes that gap: 24x 10G SFP+ ports with 6x 100G QSFP28 stacking ports, preconfigured out of the box for SDVoE multicast, VLAN, QoS, and LAG.
Non-blocking dual-switch stacking on the SW24XF needs just 3 of its 6 QSFP28 ports for the inter-switch link, leaving 3 ports per switch free for additional endpoint expansion or a second uplink. For larger cores, the AC-MXNET-SW48XF doubles the port count to 48x 10G SFP+ with the same 6x 100G QSFP28 uplink architecture. Both switches carry full Layer 3 routing (OSPF, BGP, MPLS, VRF), which matters whenever the AV-over-IP fabric has to converge onto the building's broader IT network rather than run as an isolated segment.
The practical sizing rule: a standalone room or a small multi-room SDVoE deployment fits comfortably on the SW24XF. A campus-wide core aggregating traffic from many SW24XF edge switches, or a facility already committed to 48-port density, moves to the SW48XF. The SW24XF can also deploy beneath a larger core as a distribution or edge switch without a network redesign, so a project sized for SW24XF today doesn't have to be re-architected if it grows into SW48XF territory later.
E-Series vs. P-Series: A Quick Reference
| System Requirement | Recommended Switch |
|---|---|
| MXnet USP, single or multi-switch | E-Series |
| MXnet 1G Evolution I, single switch | E-Series |
| MXnet 1G Evolution I, multi-switch | P-Series |
| MXnet 1G Evolution II, single switch | E-Series |
| MXnet 1G Evolution II, multi-switch | P-Series |
| Dante audio system | E-Series |
What Correct Switch Selection Delivers
The measurable payoff is headroom that survives the project's first expansion. A switch sized from real encoder bitrate and endpoint PoE draw, with 20% bandwidth and 15-20% PoE reserve built in from day one, absorbs the two additional rooms a client adds eight months after handover without a forklift upgrade. A switch sized to the original room count exactly does not.
Matching the switch family to the ecosystem also keeps support simple. A floor standardized on one MXnet ecosystem and one switch family has one firmware baseline, one configuration template, and one spare on the shelf rather than three. And on 10G SDVoE projects specifically, the SW24XF/SW48XF pairing means a mid-scale deployment is no longer forced to either underspend on port density or overspend on a 48-port core it doesn't need.
Planning an MXnet Switch Deployment
- Confirm the MXnet ecosystem (USP, 1G Evolution I/II, or 10G SDVoE) before shortlisting any switch model.
- Count all required endpoint ports and identify single- or multi-switch topology; remember E-Series is single-switch-only on Evolution systems.
- Calculate total encoded bandwidth per uplink (encoders × bitrate) with at least 20% headroom.
- Calculate maximum PoE demand from endpoint max power ratings, not average consumption, with 15-20% reserve.
- Confirm copper, fiber, SFP+, SFP28, or QSFP requirements against the physical plant before ordering.
- Contact AVPro Design Services, or Creation Networks' engineering team, for topology validation on larger multi-switch designs.
If you're scoping an MXnet deployment and want the switch family, bandwidth, and PoE budget sized against your actual encoder count and endpoint list, Creation Networks can review the room list and topology and return a bill of materials before you order. Send the encoder/decoder count, bitrate, and endpoint power draw, and we'll confirm whether E-Series, P-Series, or the new SW24XF fits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's new about the AC-MXNET-SW24XF?
It's a 24-port 10G fiber X-Series switch that fills the gap between the 8-port P-Series switch and the 48-port X-Series core switch - a mid-scale option for SDVoE deployments that don't need full 48-port density, with 6x 100G QSFP28 ports for non-blocking stacking.
Can I use E-Series switches for a multi-switch MXnet system?
Only for MXnet USP. MXnet 1G Evolution I and Evolution II deployments on E-Series switches are limited to a single-switch topology - any multi-switch Evolution design needs P-Series.
How do I calculate the bandwidth my MXnet uplinks need?
Multiply encoder count by bitrate per encoder for total encoded bandwidth, then confirm each uplink carries only the unique streams crossing it (not the full encoder count) with at least 20% headroom for management traffic and future expansion.
Should I size PoE from average or maximum endpoint power draw?
Maximum. Use each endpoint's maximum specified power consumption, not typical runtime draw, and maintain 15-20% PoE reserve for startup conditions, accessories, and future expansion.
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