In short
Network infrastructure is the hardware and software a business network runs on: switches, wireless access points and controllers, firewalls, routers, cabling and the tools that manage them. Here you can build a basket of Cisco, Fortinet, HPE Networking and WatchGuard hardware with the subscriptions each product needs. We send a personalised quote and can install it for you.
Shop network hardware
Add products and licences to your basket, then check out when you are ready.
What is network infrastructure?
Network infrastructure is everything that moves data around your organisation and out to the internet: the physical equipment, the software that runs on it and the services that keep it working. For most businesses it is a small set of building blocks, repeated at each site.
| Component | What it does | Shop or read more |
|---|---|---|
| Switches | Connect wired devices (PCs, printers, servers, access points, phones, cameras) and power many of them over the network cable with PoE | Network switches, PoE switches, layer 3 switches |
| Wireless access points | Provide Wi-Fi for staff, guests and devices; Wi-Fi 7, 6E and 6 models for offices, warehouses, schools and outdoor areas | Wireless access points, Wi-Fi 7 access points |
| Wireless controllers | Manage many access points from one place, on site or as part of a firewall or gateway | Wireless controllers |
| Firewalls | Protect the edge of the network, connect sites and remote users by VPN, and run security services such as intrusion prevention and web filtering | Business firewall appliances, choosing a firewall |
| Routers and WAN links | Connect each site to the internet and to your other sites, with 4G or 5G as a primary or backup link | Cisco routers, FortiExtender 5G and LTE gateways, leased lines (opens in a new tab) |
| Transceivers and cabling | The optics, patch leads and cabling that join switches, firewalls and floors together | Cisco SFP transceivers |
| Management software | Configuration, monitoring and firmware for the whole estate, from a management appliance or the vendor's cloud | Cisco Catalyst Center, FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer appliances |
Computer network infrastructure is usually bought in layers: the core and access switches first, then wireless on top, then the firewall and WAN that connect it all to the outside world. Getting the layers to fit (enough PoE for the access points, the right uplink speeds, a firewall sized for the security services you want to run) is where most of the planning goes. Our PoE budget guide and small business firewall guide cover two of the most common sizing questions.
Compare, then add to your basket
Every product in our shop lists its order codes and licences, ready to add.
Shop by brand
Every range in the shop is listed by the vendor's own model names and part numbers, checked against the vendor's data sheets and ordering guides. Each family page shows the models, what you order with them and, where the vendor has published them, its end-of-sale dates and named replacements.
| Vendor | Ranges | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| Cisco | Catalyst 1200 and 1300 switches for small businesses, Catalyst 9200, 9300 and 9500 campus switches, Cisco Wi-Fi 7 access points, Catalyst 9800 and CW9800 wireless controllers, Cisco Secure Firewall, Cisco 8000 Secure Routers and SFP transceivers | Cisco |
| Fortinet | FortiGate and FortiWiFi firewalls, FortiSwitch switches, FortiAP access points, FortiExtender 5G and LTE WAN, FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer appliances | Fortinet |
| HPE Networking | HPE Aruba Networking CX switches and access points, HPE Networking Instant On for small sites, HPE Juniper Networking EX switches and SRX firewalls, and HPE Mist access points | HPE Networking |
| WatchGuard | Firebox T Series tabletop and M Series rackmount firewalls, and WatchGuard access points managed in WatchGuard Cloud | WatchGuard |
Forever Systems is a Fortinet Advocate Partner and an HPE Networking Business Partner. We work across every vendor in the shop, so we can recommend the range that fits your sites, your team's skills and the kit you already run, and quote a mixed estate in one basket. See all network hardware vendors or read the vendors' own overviews: Cisco switches (opens in a new tab), Fortinet next-generation firewalls (opens in a new tab), HPE Networking (opens in a new tab) and WatchGuard products (opens in a new tab).
Network infrastructure services
Hardware is half of a network project. We can design, supply, stage, install and configure the network around the equipment you buy here, as a whole project or one step at a time, with the scope confirmed at quote.
- New offices and fit-outs: switches, Wi-Fi and a firewall planned together, so the cabling, PoE and rack space match from day one
- Refreshing end-of-sale kit: replacement models mapped from the vendor's own migration tables, for example our Cisco Business 250 and 350 replacement guide and WatchGuard Firebox end of life
- Upgrading wireless: moving to Wi-Fi 7 access points, with PoE and uplink checks on the switches that feed them
- Replacing a firewall: sized for the security services you want to run, with policies and VPNs moved across
- Multi-site roll-outs: a standard design per branch, staged and labelled before it reaches site
Network installation sets out how a project runs, from the first call to handover. For network infrastructure management after installation, the vendor's management platform (Catalyst Center, FortiManager management appliances, HPE Aruba Networking Central, HPE Mist or WatchGuard Cloud) gives you one view of the estate, and we can make changes for you as your needs grow.
Not sure what you need?
Tell us about your sites and we will recommend the right kit and licences.
How the quote basket works
- Find the hardware. Browse by category or vendor, or search for a model or part number such as C9300-48P or FG-70G.
- Add it to your basket. Where a product needs a subscription or support contract, you choose it in the same step and it goes into the basket with the hardware. You can also pick 'No licence or unsure' and leave it to us.
- Request a quote. Check out from the basket with your details. There are no prices on the site and nothing is ordered at this stage.
- Get your personalised quote. We check compatibility, quantities, subscription terms and part numbers, apply any vendor deal registration or opportunity-based pricing that is available, and send you a quote with our advice.
Prefer to talk it through first? Contact us with a rough list or a floor plan and we can build the basket with you.
On-premises or cloud-managed?
The hardware sits in your building either way. What changes is where it is managed from:
- On-premises management: a wireless controller, management appliance or the device's own interface, for example Cisco Catalyst 9800 controllers with Catalyst Center, or FortiGate firewalls managing FortiSwitch switches and FortiAP access points through the FortiLink protocol
- Vendor cloud management: the configuration and monitoring live in the vendor's cloud, for example HPE Aruba Networking Central, HPE Mist, WatchGuard Cloud or the HPE Networking Instant On app
Both kinds of equipment are in this shop. If you want Cisco's cloud-managed range, Cisco Meraki, it is on our sister site cloudnetworking.uk, whose guide to cloud vs on-premise networking (opens in a new tab) sets out the trade-offs.
Licences and subscriptions you buy with the hardware
Much business network hardware needs a software subscription, support contract or security service to run fully, and some of it cannot be ordered without one. The basket asks for these as you add each product, so the quote is complete.
| Hardware | What goes with it | Vendor source |
|---|---|---|
| Cisco Catalyst 9000 switches | A Network Essentials or Advantage licence comes with the switch; a Cisco DNA or Cisco Catalyst software subscription (3, 5 or 7 years) is mandatory at purchase, or a Cisco Networking Subscription (Switching Essentials or Advantage), and the order needs a Cisco Smart Account, which we can set up or link | Catalyst 9300 ordering guide (opens in a new tab), Networking Subscription data sheet (opens in a new tab) |
| Cisco Wi-Fi 7 access points and Catalyst 9800 controllers | A Cisco Networking Subscription (Wireless Essentials or Advantage) per access point; Cisco says unified licences are required for Wi-Fi 7 access points | Networking Subscription data sheet (opens in a new tab), wireless ordering guide (opens in a new tab) |
| Cisco Secure Firewall | Threat Defense subscriptions (T, TC, TM or TMC); a high availability pair needs one per appliance | Network Security ordering guide (opens in a new tab) |
| FortiGate and FortiWiFi firewalls | A FortiGuard bundle (Advanced Threat Protection, Unified Threat Protection or Enterprise Protection, each with FortiCare Premium support) or FortiCare support on its own | FortiGate security bundles (opens in a new tab) |
| HPE Aruba Networking switches and access points | For management in HPE Aruba Networking Central, a Foundation or Advanced subscription per device | Central licensing FAQ (opens in a new tab) |
| HPE Mist access points and HPE Juniper Networking EX switches | Mist access points need the Wireless Assurance subscription; EX switches ship with the Standard tier, with Flex and Wired Assurance subscriptions as options | HPE Mist subscriptions FAQ (opens in a new tab) |
| HPE Networking Instant On | No subscription: HPE says security is included at no extra cost, and the network is run from the Instant On app | Instant On |
| WatchGuard Firebox firewalls and access points | Standard Support or a Basic, Prime or Total Security Suite for a Firebox; Standard Wi-Fi or USP Wi-Fi for access points | WatchGuard security services (opens in a new tab) |
Renewing rather than buying new? Cisco and WatchGuard renewals are on our sister site softwarelicensing.uk (Cisco licensing (opens in a new tab), WatchGuard Firebox licensing (opens in a new tab)); FortiGuard and FortiCare renewals are covered on our FortiGuard bundles page.
How we can help with your network
Forever Systems can design, supply, stage, install and configure the network around the hardware you buy here, as a project or one step at a time.
- Design: we look at your sites, users and existing kit and size the switches, wireless and firewalls to fit
- Supply: every order gets a personalised quote by part number, with the subscriptions and support each product needs
- Stage: we can pre-configure and label equipment before it reaches site
- Install: we can rack and mount switches, access points and firewalls on site
- Configure: VLANs, wireless, firewall policy, VPNs and management platforms set up and documented at handover
Scope is confirmed at quote, so you only pay for the parts of the project you need.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as network infrastructure?
The switches, wireless access points, controllers, firewalls, routers, cabling and management software that connect your users, devices and sites. Servers, storage and end-user devices sit on the network but are usually treated as separate infrastructure.
How is network infrastructure managed?
Either on site, through controllers, management appliances and each device's own interface, or from the vendor's cloud, such as HPE Aruba Networking Central, HPE Mist or WatchGuard Cloud. Many estates use both. We can set up the management platform when we install the network and make changes for you later.
How often should network hardware be replaced?
There is no fixed cycle. The practical trigger is usually the vendor's end-of-sale date (last order) and end-of-support date (after which security updates and replacements stop), or a need the current kit cannot meet, such as Wi-Fi 7 or more PoE. Each family page here shows, where the vendor has published them, its end-of-sale dates and named replacements.
Why are there no prices on the site?
Vendor list prices are rarely what businesses pay. Every basket gets a personalised quote, and we apply the vendor's deal registration or opportunity-based pricing wherever it is available, so ask us for a quote.
Can I mix vendors in one network?
Yes. Switches, access points and firewalls from different vendors work together over standard protocols, so you can run, say, FortiGate firewalls with HPE Aruba Networking switches. Staying with one vendor gives you a single management platform, so we talk through the trade-off when we quote.
Ready to order?
Build your basket and check out when you are ready.