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Extreme Networks 5720-48MXW 48-Port Multi-Gigabit 90W PoE Universal Switch

Manufacturer identifier
5720-48MXW
Variant
48-port 100M/1/2.5/5/10Gb 90W PoE with VIM and QSFP28 ports
Region
US
Verified
Official product page

The MXW port set changes the access-layer decision

The 48 copper ports support rates through 10G and 90W PoE capability. Unlike a high-power gigabit W model, the 5720-48MXW can address both a faster copper requirement and a substantial endpoint power requirement.

That makes it relevant to dense AP estates, but the two capabilities still need separate validation. Existing cabling must support the intended link operation, and the supply configuration must support the allocated power. The hardware is most valuable when both requirements are real. A campus whose endpoints remain gigabit and modest-power may gain less from paying for this port set.

Full access capability creates substantial concentration demand

Forty-eight ports at 10G represent 480Gbps of one-direction access line rate. That is an interface calculation, not an application benchmark. The VIM choice and universal-port assignment determine how much of that potential traffic can reach the rest of the network.

The intended traffic pattern decides whether concentration is reasonable. Many APs rarely sustain their maximum wired rate at once, while other designs can produce large coincident transfers. Cartennas would make that assumption explicit and evaluate the remaining paths after a failure. The largest access-port figure should not be presented as guaranteed end-to-end capacity.

Power density must be engineered at the chassis and rack

The documented base hardware has two unpopulated supply positions. Forty-eight maximum 90W allocations would total 4,320W, so the access-port rating cannot be used as evidence that an unspecified configuration powers every port at that level.

The switch, feeds and upstream protection need to be assessed as a complete electrical load. The endpoint allocation that must survive a source failure is a separate requirement from the ordinary load. This is particularly consequential when many demanding devices share one chassis: a power shortfall can affect the functions of multiple endpoints even while their data links remain present.

The strongest stack mode does not transfer unchanged to mixed hardware

The all-5720 Switch Engine stack supports the V400 arrangement. Mixing with 5520 hardware uses the supported V200 design and imposes primary/backup role restrictions described in Extreme’s support guidance. Fabric Engine does not provide that traditional stack.

The support record is more useful than a general assertion of stack flexibility because it identifies an actual unsupported configuration. A refresh plan must account for the members, roles and operating persona that will exist during the transition, not only the final all-new estate. The 5720 is a capable platform for dense access, but its capacity and resilience come from a coherent system configuration rather than the union of every family feature.

Onsite installation support

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Cartennas assessment

Choose 5720-48MXW when a large portion of the access estate needs both multigigabit data and substantial PoE. Size the uplinks, supplies and failure paths to the intended workload, then select the operating persona. A lower model is more defensible when those access capabilities will remain unused.

Cartennas analysis of manufacturer specifications, applicable technical documentation and available firsthand operating evidence. Review methodology. Cartennas provides product procurement and onsite services. Product review terms.

Official manufacturer information

Confirm the exact model, specifications, licensing, warranty, and support terms directly with the manufacturer.

Product information was checked on September 5, 2026. Specifications, licensing, warranty, availability, and pricing can change.