Growing businesses require cost effective, networking solutions that can scale with ever changing business needs. The Linksys SLM224G4S Smart switch brings a whole new level of intelligence and security to the network infrastructure at a cost effective price. It offers 24 10/100 Ethernet (copper) ports with four 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet copper or optional optical (SFP) interfaces for uplinking connected users to the core network. Network security is a top priority in any size business and unauthorized access to the network and mission critical data is a constant concern. The SLM224G4S is able to secure the network through 802.1X port authentication and MAC Filtering. 802.1X requires clients to authenticate themselves before the port will pass data.