Fortinet FS-448E FortiSwitch 48-Port

Description

The Fortinet FS-448E FortiSwitch is a 48-port enterprise-class managed switch designed for high-density wired network deployments. Its combination of 48 Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 ports and 4 × 10GbE SFP+ uplink ports provides a practical architecture for connecting a large number of endpoints while maintaining high-speed connections to core, distribution, firewall, or aggregation infrastructure.

The switch is suitable for enterprise offices, campus networks, branch locations, educational institutions, healthcare environments, retail networks, and other organizations requiring scalable Gigabit access switching.

Through Fortinet’s FortiLink architecture, the FS-448E can be integrated with compatible FortiGate platforms for centralized switch management and network security control. This allows administrators to simplify deployment and maintain consistent visibility and configuration across the wired network.

As the standard non-PoE version, the FS-448E does not provide power over Ethernet. For deployments requiring PoE, Fortinet also offers the FS-448E-POE and FS-448E-FPOE variants. The current Fortinet product information lists the FS-448E-POE with a maximum 421 W PoE budget and the FS-448E-FPOE with a maximum 772 W budget.

Key Specifications

Specification	Details
Brand	Fortinet
Product Family	FortiSwitch
Series	FortiSwitch 400 Series
Model	FS-448E
Product Type	Managed Ethernet Switch
Switching Layer	Layer 2 / Layer 3
Access Ports	48 × Gigabit Ethernet RJ45
Uplink Ports	4 × 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP+
PoE	No
Management	FortiGate / FortiLink / FortiSwitch management
Security Integration	Fortinet Security Fabric
Deployment	Enterprise, Campus, Branch, Access Layer
Form Factor	Rack-Mount
Uplink Speed	Up to 10GbE
Model Type	Standard Non-PoE

The 48-port/4 × 10GbE configuration is confirmed by Fortinet’s current product information and FortiSwitch campus documentation.

Key Features & Benefits

48 × Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 Ports for high-density wired endpoint connectivity.
4 × 10GbE SFP+ Uplinks for high-speed connections to core and aggregation switches.
Layer 2/Layer 3 Switching for flexible enterprise network deployment.
FortiGate Integration through FortiLink for centralized network management.
Fortinet Security Fabric Integration for coordinated visibility and security.
High-Density Access Switching suitable for enterprise and campus environments.
Non-PoE Design for networks where endpoint power delivery is not required.
10GbE Uplink Capacity helps eliminate bottlenecks between access and distribution layers.
Scalable Architecture suitable for growing enterprise networks.

Network & Management Capabilities

The FS-448E is designed to operate as part of a Fortinet-managed network architecture. When deployed with compatible FortiGate infrastructure, FortiLink can provide centralized management of FortiSwitch devices and help administrators simplify switch configuration and monitoring.

Typical management and networking capabilities include:

VLAN-based network segmentation
Layer 2 switching
Layer 3 networking
High-speed 10GbE uplinks
Centralized FortiGate/FortiLink management
Network visibility and monitoring
Security Fabric integration
Access-layer network deployment
Enterprise network segmentation

Recommended Applications

The Fortinet FS-448E is well suited for:

Enterprise office networks
Campus networks
Branch offices
Education and university networks
Healthcare networks
Retail environments
Government and institutional networks
Corporate access-layer deployments
Server and network infrastructure connectivity
High-density Gigabit endpoint environments
10GbE distribution and aggregation uplinks

FortiGate & Security Fabric Integration

The FS-448E is designed to work within the Fortinet ecosystem. When connected to a compatible FortiGate using FortiLink, administrators can centrally manage FortiSwitch infrastructure while benefiting from integrated network visibility and security capabilities. Fortinet positions the 448E as part of its FortiSwitch campus portfolio for secure SD-LAN and SD-Branch deployments.

PoE Variant Compatibility

The FS-448E itself is a non-PoE switch. Fortinet offers alternative 448E models when Power over Ethernet is required:

Model	Ports	PoE
FS-448E	48 × GE RJ45 + 4 × 10GE SFP+	No PoE
FS-448E-POE	48 × GE RJ45 + 4 × 10GE SFP+	48-port PoE+, up to 421 W
FS-448E-FPOE	48 × GE RJ45 + 4 × 10GE SFP+	48-port PoE+, up to 772 W

Fortinet currently lists all three variants in its Ethernet switch portfolio.

Licensing & Support

The FS-448E is the hardware switch itself. FortiCare support and service subscriptions are separate unless explicitly included in the supplied SKU or bundle.

Fortinet’s ordering documentation lists separate FortiCare service options for the FS-448E family.

Compatibility Note

Before purchase, verify the exact model and hardware variant:

FS-448E — Standard non-PoE
FS-448E-POE — 48-port PoE+
FS-448E-FPOE — 48-port higher-power PoE+

Transceivers, DAC cables, and other SFP/SFP+ accessories should be selected according to the required fiber/cabling type, distance, and network speed.