What are the options for 4-port/8-port/16-port/24-port Gigabit POE switches?

POE power supply technology has become the darling of security monitoring, wireless coverage, smart grid and other scenarios by simplifying the deployment of power-consuming equipment, as well as its advantages of energy saving, safety and reliability. In security monitoring projects, we often use POE switches to power wireless APs, Internet phones, network cameras and other devices. Do you know what a POE switch is? What are the categories of POE switches? How to choose a POE switch?

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1. What are the classifications of POE switches?

A POE switch is a switch that, in addition to having the functions of an ordinary switch, also has a POE power supply function, which can power network devices such as wireless APs, network cameras, and Internet phones, thereby eliminating the need for cumbersome power wiring. So what are the categories of POE switches? The specific categories are as follows:

• According to the number of POE ports, POE switches can be divided into 4-port/8-port/16-port/24-port POE switches.
• According to the different transmission rates, POE switches can be divided into 100M POE switches and 1000M POE switches. 100M POE switches are generally used in small network environments (such as shopping mall monitoring), and 1000M POE switches are generally used in small and medium-sized enterprise network environments.
• Depending on whether the switch chip has its own microprocessor, POE switches are divided into managed POE switches and unmanaged POE switches. In addition to the power supply function, the managed POE switch can also be configured through ports and has some intelligent functions (such as port priority distinction, total power setting, port power allocation, etc.), while the unmanaged POE switch only has the power supply function.
• POE switches are classified differently according to the standards they follow: Since there are currently two standards for POE switches, IEEE802.3af and IEEE 802.3at, POE switches are divided into three types: the first type is a POE switch that complies with the IEEE802.3af standard. The power supply power of this type of POE switch is 15.4W (the actual power supply power is 12.95W); the second type is a POE switch that complies with the IEEE 802.3 at standard. The power supply power of this type of POE switch is 30W (the actual power supply power is 25.5W); the third type is a POE switch that supports both IEEE802.3af and IEEE 802.3at standards. The power supply power of this type of POE switch can be adaptive.

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2. What are the options for 4-port/8-port/16-port/24-port Gigabit POE switches?

There are many types of POE switches, such as 4-port/8-port/16-port/24-port POE switches, Gigabit/100M POE switches, and the same type of POE switches with different power supplies, such as 60W/130W/150W/250W/400W. Since the port transmission rate of a general POE switch is between 40% and 60%, and the network bandwidth requirements are getting higher and higher, it is best to choose a Gigabit POE switch. So how should you choose a 4-port/8-port/16-port/24-port Gigabit POE switch? What are the options?

1. Number of power receiving terminals

POE switches are generally used to connect powered terminals and act as access switches. Therefore, the number of POE switch ports should be selected based on the number of powered terminal devices.

2. Power supply standards and maximum power supply parameters

Since different APs support different power supplies and the maximum power supplies of POE switches are different, when selecting the power supply of a POE switch, it should be consistent with the standard supported by the AP. At the same time, the maximum power consumption of a single AP and the number of connected APs should be considered. Calculate the total power consumption and compare it with the parameters of the POE switch to see if it can meet the requirements.

The POE switch is a switch that integrates security, high performance, high service quality, centralized management and other network control functions. It can improve the availability of key business applications, protect sensitive information, optimize network bandwidth, and provide a reliable infrastructure for your business network. It is suitable for industrial, surveillance, IP phones, IP cameras, SMBs for wireless applications, and entry-level enterprises.

3. Things to note when choosing a POE switch

Through the above introduction, do you think that the selection of POE switch is actually very simple? In fact, it is not. We need to pay attention to the following two points when choosing:

1. Don’t use price as your main reference point

At present, the domestic market is mixed, and the types, brands, quality, and prices of POE switches vary greatly. Some users who are new to POE switches do not know how to choose POE switches and only pursue low prices. Although low prices can effectively save costs, cheap POE switches may not necessarily meet your wiring needs. At the same time, the chips, hardware and other accessories used in some cheap POE switches may not be of high quality, and the power supply may be unstable or completely unavailable.

2. Choose a standard POE switch

Although most of the current POE switches comply with the IEEE802.3af and IEEE 802.3at standards, there are still a small number of POE switches that do not comply with the standards. These POE switches may have the risk of burning out equipment and some safety hazards. Standard POE switches do not have such safety hazards because they can automatically identify network devices and power their matching devices.

IV. Conclusion

As POE technology becomes more and more mature, I believe that higher-power POE switches will come into being in the near future to power more wireless APs, IP phones and other network devices, and will be crazily sought after by operators.