What is a PoE Switch?

A PoE switch is a conventional Fast Ethernet or Gigabit network switch with built-in Power over Ethernet capability. Any Local Area Network, or “LAN” (pronounced “lan”), relies on network switches as its backbone.

On this page, you’ll discover how to tell a PoE-enabled switch apart from a conventional LAN switch, when to use a PoE switch versus a PoE injector, and what Power over Ethernet technology is all about.

What is Power over Ethernet (PoE)?

PoE is a technology that allows wireless access points, IP cameras, and VoIP phones to receive power and data over a twisted-pair Ethernet connection. Instead of having separate cables for data and power, it allows one RJ45 patch cable to provide both to connected edge devices.

Meaning of network switch

A network switch is a piece of hardware that connects devices on a local area computer network (LAN). Computers, wireless access points, printers, and other network-enabled devices can all interact with each other using this protocol.

The Layer 2 switch is the most popular network type or Ethernet switch. MAC addresses are used by every OSI-model Layer-2-compliant Ethernet switch to direct traffic where it needs to go.

Layer 2 switches keep a MAC address table of all connected LAN clients so that traffic can be forwarded to the recipient’s chosen destination port. This distinguishes them from older, simpler network hubs, which did not know the specific ports connected to the network devices.

Meaning of Power over Ethernet (PoE) Switch

A PoE switch is a conventional Fast Ethernet or Gigabit network switch with built-in Power over Ethernet capability. A Power over Ethernet switch allows network clients to communicate while also providing power to PoE-enabled edge devices like VoIP phones, network surveillance cameras, and wireless access points utilizing the same RJ45 network connection.

A PoE switch enables compatible devices to work in locations without power outlets or network connections. This fundamental feature of PoE can save businesses a lot of money on electrical and network cable costs (more on that below) while still allowing edge devices to work where they’re needed. PoE switches come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Categories of PoE Switches

The following characteristics can be used to classify PoE switches:

1. The number of PoE ports:

PoE switches can have four to 48 PoE output ports, sometimes known as PSE (or “Power Sourcing Equipment”) ports.

2. Network bandwidth

Most Power over Ethernet (PoE) switches give connected devices Gigabit speeds (1000 Mbps). However, Fast-Ethernet (100 Mbps) is still available and sufficient for many PoE edge devices.

3. Managed or Unmanaged

A managed PoE switch can do much more than move traffic where it needs to go and provide power to devices to satisfy more complicated network requirements. A controlled PoE switch may partition network traffic into groups and provide much more insight into the condition of the network, the connected clients, and its power status, among other things.

4. LCD Display

On the front panel of certain unmanaged PoE switches is an LCD. These LCD status screens show network administrators real-time power data, such as how much power each connected PoE device consumes, the overall power consumed by all connected devices, and the total power available.

It’s also great for sending out alarms and warnings about potential problems like overload, high temperature, and short-circuit protection, among other things.

5. Budget for the PoE

The amount of the Power over Ethernet switch’s power supply, which can range from just over 50 watts to well over 500 watts, determines how well it can power connected devices. This power budget directly impacts how much power the switch can give per port to connected devices.

Benefits of using a PoE Switch

1. Cost Savings During Installation

Bringing standard power to areas where there is none costs a lot of money. Let’s imagine you wish to install cameras in an area of a warehouse that lacks power outlets. Because a network administrator is unlikely to complete the electrical installation without PoE, you’ll need to see a certified electrician.

Anyone can run network cables (or PoE network cables) from the cameras to a PoE switch using the low-voltage use of Power over Ethernet. Using PoE eliminates the need for power outlets, electrical cable, and breaker boxes, saving you even more money.

2. Greater Flexibility

You can easily deploy PoE edge devices in situations with no power outlets. Those formerly difficult-to-reach spots can now be accessed with greater ease since they are no longer limited by the necessity for a standard outlet to work.

Because you only need one network cable to gain power and network connections, mounting a PoE network camera high on the wall or on the roof isn’t as difficult as it formerly was.

3. Remote Power Management

Accessing controlled PoE switches over the Internet or a local network is handy. This access includes the ability to remotely power-cycle failing edge devices.

Physical involvement from a person on site is no longer required for a network camera that has crashed or a VoIP phone that has to be rebooted. All that is required for either of the devices to restart is using the switch administration interface.

4. Power over Ethernet (PoE) WatchDog / Guard / Powered Device Monitor

Some Managed Power over Ethernet Switches can keep track of all connected PoE devices and automatically restart any that haven’t communicated for a certain amount of time. For example, if a security camera fails in the middle of the night, such a function can be extremely valuable.

Disadvantages of PoE Switches

1. Hardware cost:

The average Power over Ethernet switch is significantly more expensive than its non-PoE-enabled counterpart. When laying out the network, be cautious. How many PoE ports do you now require? What number of PoE ports will you require in the future? Will a few PoE injectors placed in strategic spots suffice?

2. Central Point of Failure:

The repercussions of a PoE switch failure are severe. It’s possible that your entire phone system is down or that your security cameras aren’t working. Non-PoE devices would also be impacted.

Backup power via a UPS is required as a precaution, and having a strategy in place for the event that a mission-critical component such as a PoE switch fails is a smart idea. This disadvantage isn’t exclusive to Power over Ethernet switches; it also applies to standard Ethernet switches.

What is the difference between a PoE switch and a standard switch?

A PoE switch is a networking device that includes numerous Ethernet ports to connect network segments and supports PoE passthrough. The non-PoE switch, as the name implies, is a standard switch that can only deliver data to network devices. The standard switch does not support PoE, which provides electrical power to end users through Ethernet.

Why do you need PoE?

The primary benefit of PoE is that it minimizes network device cabling needs. Any device that uses an ethernet cable to connect to the Internet or a LAN network will also require a power cable to transmit the data and another cable to provide the electrical current to power the device.