NETGEAR targets reliability and scale in AV-over-IP with new M4350 IP switches and offline network design
At Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2026 in Barcelona earlier this month, NETGEAR unveiled two new Internet Protocol (IP) switches in its M4350 series alongside version 2.4 of its Engage™ Controller software. The launches mark a strategic step in how the company addresses the operational realities of professional audio-visual (AV) and broadcast networking. In an exclusive interview with MoveTheNeedle.news, John Henkel, Product Marketing Director at NETGEAR AV, explained why reliability, bandwidth headroom, and off-site network design have become non-negotiable for system integrators.
The announcements respond to persistent challenges in AV-over-IP deployments, including physical connection failures, growing data volumes driven by uncompressed 4K video, and the time and cost associated with configuring networks on site. The new M4350 switches are scheduled to be available from March 2026, while Engage Controller 2.4 is expected to be released in February.
Tackling failure at the physical layer
One of the two new switches, the M4350-16M4V, is designed specifically for environments where physical connections are most likely to fail. Unlike conventional enterprise switches, it uses Neutrik locking connectors throughout: etherCON® for Ethernet networking, opticalCON® for fibre connections, and powerCON® TRUE1 for power. These connectors are widely used in professional audio and stage production because they lock into place and resist vibration, movement, and accidental disconnection.
Henkel said the design was driven by repeated feedback from customers working in live events and broadcasting. “We kept hearing from our customers that one of the biggest vulnerabilities is found with the connections,” he said. “With the M4350-16M4V, we are using Neutrik locking connectors throughout… Nothing disconnects accidentally.”
The switch provides 16 ports operating at 2.5 gigabits per second with Power over Ethernet Plus Plus (PoE++), delivering up to 1,130 watts of power in total. This allows devices such as cameras, displays, and encoders to receive both data and power through a single cable. Four 25-gigabit uplink ports support higher-speed connections to the rest of the AV-over-IP network.
A key feature is its modular uplink card slot, which allows integrators to change interface cards as project requirements evolve. Henkel emphasised that this flexibility reflects how AV projects develop over time. “You can buy one switch and swap cards as project requirements evolve, reducing inventory complexity and the need to purchase different switch models for different deployments."
From feasibility to reliability
The second new model, the M4350-16C, addresses bandwidth limitations in large AV-over-IP and broadcast networks. Designed for aggregation and core layers, it provides 16 ports of 100-gigabit connectivity, enabling it to handle multiple high-resolution video streams simultaneously.
Henkel framed the launch as a response to a clear shift in customer expectations. “The market stopped asking ‘can we do this?’ and started asking ‘how do we do this reliably?’. Uncompressed 4K is the baseline now.”
This shift has coincided with AV-over-IP moving into more demanding environments, as Henkel explained. “Outdoor festivals, touring productions, pop-up venues, and installations where a switch might live on a touring truck for months, for example. Enterprise-grade hardware was never built for that kind of abuse. The market needed purpose-built tools.”
Broadcast organisations are feeling this pressure most acutely. “These customers are consolidating remote production infrastructure,” Henkel said. “They are handling multiple 4K feeds simultaneously at aggregation points. Large venue integrators face similar constraints. They are hitting bandwidth limits on 25G and 40G switches faster than expected. And customers anticipate further increases in stream counts in the coming years."
A broader M4350 platform
With the addition of the M4350-16M4V and M4350-16C, the M4350 portfolio now comprises 18 models, covering network speeds from 1 gigabit to 100 gigabit. The range supports high-power PoE++, redundant modular power supplies, and timing standards such as SMPTE ST 2110, which is used in broadcast environments to synchronise audio, video, and data streams.
NETGEAR confirmed that Trade Agreements Act (TAA)-compliant versions are available, making the platform suitable for government and public sector projects.
For integrators, this breadth enables standardisation on a single switch family while still accommodating a wide variety of project sizes, performance requirements, and regulatory constraints.
Designing networks before arriving on site
Alongside the hardware launches, NETGEAR presented version 2.4 of its Engage Controller software at ISE. The update introduces offline provisioning, allowing integrators to design, configure, and test networks without physical access to switches or access points.
Using virtual switches and WiFi 7 access points, engineers can model complete networks in advance, validate configurations, and export them for deployment. Once on site, devices can be connected and configured with minimal manual intervention.
Henkel described this capability as a structural change in how AV projects are planned and priced. “Configuration becomes a fixed cost instead of a variable one,” he said. “Integrators can design the entire network before arrival and catch problems at their desks rather than on-site when the complete installation is down.”
Offline provisioning also supports repeatable deployments through templates. Henkel pointed to scenarios such as corporate offices with multiple identical conference rooms. “They build the network once as a template, then reuse that template over and over,” he said. “That changes project economics significantly.”
Reducing time, risk, and disruption
The ability to move configuration work off site has direct implications for both integrators and their clients. “If you can reduce on-site time from three days to one day, you will make the project more profitable,” Henkel said. “Integrators can take on more projects with the same staff.”
For clients, shorter installation windows translate into less disruption. “Shorter installation windows mean less downtime, particularly in environments such as active venues, broadcast facilities, and public spaces."
Henkel also highlighted the value of offline design in locations where access is limited or expensive, including stadiums, museums, high-security facilities, and remote sites. “Anywhere configuration mistakes would be costly to fix” stands to benefit most from this approach.
Beyond hardware supply
Henkel positioned Engage Controller and the broader M4350 strategy as evidence of NETGEAR’s distinct approach to the professional AV market. “Enterprise vendors approach AV as an application to enable,” he said. “We approach networking with AV at its core.”
This focus is reflected in certified configuration profiles for widely used AV protocols, including Dante, AES67, NDI, and SMPTE ST 2110, which are designed to reduce configuration errors and lower the barrier to deploying complex AV networks.
Henkel contrasted this approach with traditional hardware-centric models. “A hardware supplier sells you a switch and moves on,” he said. “A solution partner helps you run your business more efficiently.”
NETGEAR at ISE 2026
During ISE 2026, which took place from 3 to 6 February in Barcelona, NETGEAR demonstrated the new M4350 switches and Engage Controller 2.4 through live demonstrations and educational sessions. The company also hosted a webinar led by John Henkel and Laurent Masia outlining the technical and operational implications of the launches.
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