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mGig and UPoE combination powered high-demand endpoints reliably.
WS-C3850-12X48U-S
Cisco Catalyst 3850 48 Port (12 mGig+36 Gig) UPoE IP Base
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WS-C3850-12X48U-S
- Description:
- Cisco Catalyst 3850 48 Port (12 mGig+36 Gig) UPoE IP Base
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- Brand:
- Cisco
- GTIN:
- 818250666446
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- Warranty:
- 3
- List Price:
$15,300.00
- Price:
$5,449.0064.4% off
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WS-C3850-12X48U-S Overview
WS-C3850-12X48U-S is a high-performance stackable switch engineered with a robust architecture that delivers both Layer 2 and Layer 3 capabilities. It features 48 built-in 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports for access connectivity paired with 12 high-speed 10G SFP+ uplink ports, making it ideal for enterprise campus, branch, and distributed networks requiring flexible stacking and scalable performance.
WS-C3850-12X48U-S offers multiple power options with an AC power supply and supports redundant power supply configurations to ensure continuous operations. Its advanced performance, streamlined interface design, and efficient stacking technology make it a versatile choice for environments where high throughput and network resiliency are critical.
WS-C3850-12X48U-S price is $5,449.00, a 64.4% saving from the Cisco list price of $15,300.00. WS-C3850-12X48U-S is in stock and available for next-day dispatch. (terms applied)
Request bulk order quote for WS-C3850-12X48U-S for additional pricing. Browse the full Catalyst 3850 Switches series or explore all Cisco products.
WS-C3850-12X48U-S Specifications
- Product Type
- Switch
- Power Source
- AC Power Supply
- Layer Supported
- Layer 2 / Layer 3
- Form Factor
- Rack-mount
- Power Consumption
- 350 W
- Number of Ethernet Ports
- 24–48 Ports
- Number of Downlink Ports
- 12 Ports
- Manageable
- Managed
- Ethernet Technology
- 10/100/1000
- Media Type Supported
- Combo
- Redundant Power Supply Supported
- Yes
- Manufacturer Part Number
- WS-C3850-12X48U-S
- Uplink Configuration
- 10G
- IOS
- IP Services
- POE Support
- Non POE
- SFP Ports
- 12 SFP Ports
- Memory
- 4 GB
- Rack Units
- 1 RU
- Interface Ports
- 10/100/1000
- Port/Expansion Slot Details
- 12 x 10G SFP+ uplink ports, 48 x 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports
- Flash Memory
- 256 MB
- Switching Capacity
- 176 Gbps
- Switching Capacity with Stacking
- 480 Gbps
- Product Name
- Cisco Catalyst 3850-12X48U Series Switch
- Height
- 1.75 inches
- Width
- 17.5 inches
- Depth
- 14.5 inches
- Weight
- 29 lbs
WS-C3850-12X48U-S Use Case
High-Performance mGig Switching for 4K Workstations
In a design firm requiring ultra-high bandwidth for 4K CAD workstations and HD video conferencing, the WS-C3850-12X48U-S Cisco Catalyst 3850 (12 mGig + 36 Gig) UPoE IP Base switch provides converged multi-gigabit connectivity and power over Ethernet. Integrated Layer 3 routing and advanced QoS ensure deterministic performance and low latency for critical applications. Outcome: 50% latency reduction, 30% faster large-file transfers, and 25% fewer network devices.
Unified Campus Wireless Access Backhaul
A university deploying 200+ Wi-Fi 6 access points requires centralized PoE and high-throughput aggregation. The WS-C3850-12X48U-S Cisco Catalyst 3850 (12 mGig + 36 Gig) UPoE IP Base switch handles multi-gigabit wireless backhaul while delivering up to 60 W per port for advanced APs. Outcome: 40% improvement in overall Wi-Fi performance, seamless roaming for 10,000+ clients, and simplified stackable management across five buildings.
Converged UPoE for Enterprise IP Surveillance and IoT
A manufacturing plant implementing HD PTZ cameras and sensor-driven IoT devices needs reliable power and bandwidth at the network edge. The WS-C3850-12X48U-S Cisco Catalyst 3850 (12 mGig + 36 Gig) UPoE IP Base switch supplies 60 W UPoE and enforces granular Layer 3 segmentation for secure device connectivity. Outcome: 25% reduction in cabling infrastructure costs, zero packet loss in real-time analytics, and centralized policy enforcement.
Quality Certifications
To get the detailed certification, please go to the Compliance Center.
Product Comparison Table 
 WS-C3850-12X48U-S |  WS-C3850-48UW-S |  WS-C3850-48T-E |  WS-C3850-48PW-S |  WS-C3850-16XS-E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depth | 14.5 inches | 19.3 inches | 12 inches | 12.8 inches | 12.8 inches |
| Ethernet Technology | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 |
| Flash Memory | 256 MB | 256 MB | 256 MB | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Form Factor | Rack-mount | Rack-mount | Rack-mount | Rack-mount | Rack-mount |
| Height | 1.75 inches | 1.75 inches | 1.73 inches | 1.73 inches | 1.75 inches |
| IOS | IP Services | IP Services | IP Services | IP Services | IP Services |
| Interface Ports | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 |
| Layer Supported | Layer 2 / Layer 3 | Layer 2 / Layer 3 | Layer 2 / Layer 3 | Layer 2 / Layer 3 | Layer 2 / Layer 3 |
| Manageable | Managed | Managed | Managed | Managed | Managed |
| Manufacturer Part Number | WS-C3850-12X48U-S | WS-C3850-48UW-S | WS-C3850-48T-E | WS-C3850-48PW-S | WS-C3850-16XS-E |
| Media Type Supported | Combo | Twisted Pair | Twisted Pair | Twisted Pair | Fiber |
| Memory | 4 GB | 4 GB | 4 GB | 4 GB | 512 MB |
| Number of Downlink Ports | 12 Ports | 48 Ports | 48 Ports | 48 Ports | 16 Ports |
| Number of Ethernet Ports | 24–48 Ports | 24–48 Ports | 24–48 Ports | 24–48 Ports | 12–24 Ports |
| POE Support | Non POE | POE+ | Non POE | POE+ | Non POE |
| Port/Expansion Slot Details | 12 x 10G SFP+ uplink ports, 48 x 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports | 48 PoE+ Ethernet ports and 4 fixed 10G SFP+ uplink ports | 48 Ethernet ports, 4 SFP uplink ports, StackWise-480 stacking | 48 x 10/100/1000 PoE+ ports, 4 x 1G SFP uplink ports, stacking module | 16 fixed 10G SFP+ ports |
| Power Consumption | 350 W | 435 W | 335 W | N/A | 370 W |
| Power Source | AC Power Supply | AC Power Supply | AC Power Supply | AC Power Supply | Redundant Power Supply / AC Power Supply |
| Product Name | Cisco Catalyst 3850-12X48U Series Switch | Cisco Catalyst 3850-48UW-S | Cisco Catalyst 3850-48T-E | Cisco Catalyst 3850-48PW-S | Cisco Catalyst 3850-16XS Enhanced |
| Product Type | Switch | Switch | Switch | Switch | Switch |
| Rack Units | 1 RU | 1 RU | 1 RU | 1 RU | 1 RU |
| Redundant Power Supply Supported | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| SFP Ports | 12 SFP Ports | 4 SFP Ports | 4 SFP Ports | 4 SFP Ports | 16 SFP+ Ports |
| Switching Capacity | 176 Gbps | 160 Gbps | 176 Gbps | 128 Gbps | 320 Gbps |
| Switching Capacity with Stacking | 480 Gbps | 480 Gbps | 480 Gbps | 160 Gbps | 480 Gbps |
| Uplink Configuration | 10G | 10G | 1G | 1G | 10G |
| Weight | 29 lbs | 26 lbs | 31 lbs | 25 lbs | 25 lbs |
| Width | 17.5 inches | 17.5 inches | 17.5 inches | 17.5 inches | 17.5 inches |
Reviews & Ratings
W
Wesley Grant
4
LAN Base performance was stable under load.
X
Xander Price
4
Excellent access-layer switch for modern offices.
Y
Yale Thornton
5
Cisco Catalyst delivered predictable uptime.
Z
Zane Cooper
5
Strong power and connectivity options.
Questions & Answers
What are the core specifications of the Cisco WS-C3850-12X48U-S Catalyst 3850 switch?
The WS-C3850-12X48U-S delivers 48 Gigabit Ethernet ports, 12 multigigabit (mGig) ports, 2 fixed 10G SFP+ uplinks, up to 144 Gbps stacking bandwidth, 715W UPoE power budget, and runs Cisco’s IOS XE with IP Base feature set.
Does the WS-C3850-12X48U-S support multigigabit (mGig) technology?
Yes. It provides twelve Cisco mGig ports that auto-negotiate from 1G to 10G on copper, facilitating high-speed Wi-Fi 6 access points and bandwidth-intensive devices without additional optics.
What is the UPoE power budget on this switch?
The switch includes an integrated 715W Universal Power over Ethernet (UPoE) budget, supporting PDs at 50W per port (class 5 devices) to power high-performance cameras, wireless APs and endpoint devices.
Which software license does the WS-C3850-12X48U-S include?
It ships with the IP Base license, offering advanced Layer 2 features, basic static and routing protocols (RIP, OSPF, EIGRP stub), Cisco StackWise-480, QoS, and security features.
How many uplink ports are available on this model?
The switch provides 2 fixed 10 Gigabit SFP+ uplink ports, enabling high-speed interconnects to aggregation or data center switches without the need for additional modules.
Can I stack multiple WS-C3850-12X48U-S switches?
Yes. It supports Cisco StackWise-480 stacking, allowing up to nine switches to operate as a single logical unit with 480 Gbps of stacking bandwidth for simplified management and redundancy.
What is the switching capacity and forwarding rate?
The Catalyst 3850-12X48U-S delivers 176 Gbps of switching capacity (non-blocking) and up to 130 Mpps forwarding performance, ensuring wire-speed throughput for demanding enterprise environments.
Which Layer 3 routing protocols are supported under the IP Base license?
Under IP Base, the switch supports static routing, Routing Information Protocol (RIP), single-area OSPF, EIGRP stub, basic policy-based routing (PBR), and PBR routed ACLs.
How do I manage and monitor this Catalyst 3850 switch?
You can manage it via Cisco IOS XE CLI, Cisco Network Assistant, web GUI, SNMP, or integrate it with Cisco DNA Center and Cisco Prime Infrastructure for centralized policy and analytics.
What are common deployment use cases for this switch?
Ideal for enterprise campus access, high-density wireless aggregation, PoE/UPoE edge access, IoT deployments, and as part of a converged wired and wireless infrastructure with unified policy.
Does the WS-C3850-12X48U-S support redundant power supplies?
Yes. It includes a single integrated PSU with hot-swap capability. You can add an optional RPS 2300 external redundant power supply for additional resiliency.
What are the dimensions and environmental requirements?
The switch measures 1.75″ H x 17.5″ W x 17.0″ D, weighs 14.8 lbs, operates at 0°C to 45°C, humidity 10–95% non-condensing, and meets NEBS and EN rack-mount compliance.
How do I upgrade from IP Base to IP Services on the 3850?
You can perform a software license upgrade by ordering the IP Services license (LIC-C3850-IPS) and installing it via the Cisco License Manager in the IOS XE CLI or using Cisco Prime.
What warranty and support options are available?
Cisco offers a limited lifetime warranty for hardware defects, supplemented by Cisco SMARTnet support for 24×7 access to TAC, software updates, and advanced replacement services.
How is Quality of Service (QoS) handled on this switch?
The IP Base license provides advanced QoS features, including classification, marking, policing, shaping, low-latency queuing, and priority flow control to meet diverse application requirements.
Can I deploy third-party SFP+ modules in the WS-C3850-12X48U-S?
Cisco recommends Cisco-branded SFP+ modules for full compatibility, performance, and support. Third-party optics may work but are not covered under Cisco’s warranty or TAC support.