Which Juniper Networking Equipment Should You Buy?

Buy Juniper by role: EX switches for offices and campuses, QFX switches for data centers, SRX firewalls for branch and edge security, and MX routers for the WAN edge. All of them run the same operating system, Junos, and Juniper Mist manages switches and Wi-Fi from the cloud.

The short version: for a new office or campus, start with the EX4100 for access and the EX4400 for larger closets or aggregation. Buy the EX2300 and EX3400 only to match switches you already run.

Juniper equipment by role

	Job	Buy it for
EX2300	Entry access switching (older)	Matching an existing EX2300 stack
EX3400	Access switching with Virtual Chassis (older)	Expanding an existing EX3400 stack
EX4100	Office and campus access	New access closets, including multigigabit and PoE
EX4400	Large closets and aggregation	More PoE, faster ports, campus fabrics (EVPN-VXLAN)
QFX5120	Data-center leaf and spine	Server racks at 10G, 25G and 100G
SRX	Firewall, routing and VPN	Branch and data-center edges

Which EX switch fits an office or campus?

The EX4100-24P is the default access switch for a new Juniper network: 24 PoE ports, Virtual Chassis stacking and Mist support. For Wi-Fi 6 and 7 access points, the EX4100-48MP adds multigigabit ports.

Step up to the EX4400 for closets with heavy PoE loads, aggregation between closets, or a campus fabric built on EVPN-VXLAN. Most closets don’t need it.

Read the full part number. “EX4400” alone doesn’t say whether it’s copper or fiber, PoE or not, multigigabit or Gigabit, or which way the fans blow.

When do the EX2300 and EX3400 still make sense?

When you’re adding to a stack of them. The EX2300 hit its last-order date on September 30, 2026, with support until September 30, 2031, so it’s a good spare or expansion and a poor foundation for a new network. The EX3400 is still common in Virtual Chassis stacks; match the model and Junos version of the stack you’re adding to. Juniper’s newer EX4000 is the entry-level switch for new installs.

When should you buy QFX instead?

When the switch connects servers rather than people. QFX switches are built for data-center leaf and spine designs. The QFX5120-48Y has 48 ports at 25G with 100G uplinks; the QFX5130 serves larger, 400G fabrics.

Check the airflow suffix before ordering: AFO models blow front to back, AFI models back to front. The wrong one blows hot air into your cold aisle.

Which SRX belongs at a branch?

The SRX300 and SRX320 cover small branches, and the SRX380 covers larger offices. Juniper’s newer SRX400 family is the current branch line for new projects.

Size an SRX by throughput with security services on. The SRX300 is rated at 1.9 Gbps of firewall traffic but 200 Mbps with intrusion prevention. Our guide to upgrading Juniper firewalls covers replacement timing.

What does Juniper Mist add?

Mist Wired Assurance onboards, configures and monitors EX switches from the cloud, alongside Mist access points, with AI-driven troubleshooting that flags problems like a bad cable or a missing VLAN. It’s a subscription, priced separately from the hardware. The switches run fine without it from the Junos command line.

What about Juniper routers?

The MX series is Juniper’s routing platform for the enterprise WAN edge and service providers. Our Juniper router guide covers MX, ACX and PTX.

Get a quote

Send us your Juniper part numbers and quantities, and we’ll quote them the same business day. Link US is an authorized Juniper reseller, and new Juniper units carry the full manufacturer warranty.