Cisco Catalyst C9300-48P-E — 48× 1G PoE+ access with modular 1/10/25/40G uplinks (Network Essentials)

What it is: A stackable, enterprise Layer-3 Catalyst 9300 switch with 48 × 10/100/1000 RJ-45 PoE+ ports and a modular uplink bay so you can pick uplink speed now and swap later. Runs IOS-XE and ships with the Network Essentials (-E) feature set. Dual hot-swap PSUs and field-replaceable fans make it service-friendly for busy wiring closets.

Why buyers pick C9300-48P-E (plain English)

• Full-floor PoE+: powers modern APs, phones, cameras, and IoT at up to 30W per port.

• Uplink flexibility: choose modules for 1G / 10G / 25G / 40G today, upgrade later without replacing the switch.

• High-bandwidth stacking: StackWise-480 lets up to 8 switches behave like one, with fast failover.

• Core L3 features included: Network Essentials covers the routing/security most access layers need.

• Designed for uptime: hot-swap PSUs/fans + Perpetual/Fast PoE keep closets stable during maintenance.

60-second spec box (C9300-48P-E)

Access ports

• 48 × 10/100/1000 RJ-45

• PoE+ (802.3at), up to 30W/port

Uplinks (modular bay — order one network module)
Common options:

• 4 × 1G SFP module

• 4 × 10G SFP+ module

• 8 × 10G SFP+ module

• 2 × 40G QSFP module
  (9300 ecosystem also supports specialty modules in some regions.)

Power / PoE

• Two PSU bays, supports 1+1 redundancy

• Typical default PSU: 715W AC

• Available PoE budget ~437W with one 715W PSU; scales higher with larger/dual PSUs

• Perpetual/Fast PoE supported

Stacking / HA

• StackWise-480 (up to 480 Gbps stack bandwidth)

• Up to 8 members per stack

• StackPower supported for pooled power across the stack

Switching / performance (model typical)

• Switching capacity ~256 Gbps

• Forwarding rate ~190 Mpps

Software / features (Network Essentials)

• L3 routing: static, OSPF, EIGRP-lite; VRF-lite

• Security/segmentation: ACLs, 802.1X/MAB, DHCP snooping, DAI, TrustSec hooks

• Ops/telemetry: WebUI/CLI, model-driven telemetry, NetFlow/Flexible NetFlow, Catalyst Center ready

Hardware serviceability

• Hot-swap PSUs (AC/DC by region)

• Hot-swap/FRU fans

Form factor

• 1U rack-mount, closet-friendly acoustics

What to order with it (common adds)

• Uplink module that matches your core (4G / 4X / 8X / 2Q, etc.)

• SFP/SFP+/QSFP optics or DAC/AOC cables

• Second PSU for redundancy and/or more PoE headroom

• DNA subscriptions if you’re doing SD-Access or centralized automation

Where it fits (and when to choose something else)

• Perfect for: campus/branch access layers with lots of PoE endpoints and the need for flexible uplink speeds.

• Choose C9300-48P-A if you want Network Advantage (richer routing/segmentation).

• Step down to C9200/C9200L for lower-cost access when modular uplinks aren’t critical.

• Step up to mGig C9300 models (24UX/48UXM) if you need 2.5/5/10G copper for high-throughput APs.

TL;DR

C9300-48P-E is your enterprise PoE+ workhorse: 48 powered 1G ports, modular uplinks up to 40G, StackWise-480, hot-swap PSUs/fans, and the Network Essentials feature set—built for closets that want power, resilience, and upgrade headroom without going full Advantage.