Power over Ethernet switch or PoE switch is a network switch which injects PoE to your network. This is one the most practical ways to use Power over Ethernet when you have more than a couple of PoE enabled devices like security cameras or access points.
This guide will help you to understand what a PoE switch is, how it works, and what’s the difference between managed and unmanaged switch. We also researched and tested multiple PoE switches to give you the recommendation for the best PoE switches in 2020.
With a plethora of options available in the market, we’ve decided to choose BV-Tech POE-SW502 as our best pick. With 4 PoE+ ports and 2 Ethernet uplink ports, BV-Tech 4 Port PoE+ Switch will be a perfect choice for the majority of users to power up to 4 PoE devices. It is a very practical and reliable product that automatically figures out what PoE power your devices. It supports PoE, PoE+ and even Hi-PoE devices and one of the most practical choices amongst the others.
For larger setups, BV-Tech POE-SW811 will be a perfect choice with 10 PoE/PoE+ ports. Ubiquiti US-8 is the best passive 24 volt PoE switch that has 4 auto-sensing PoE ports along with 8 Gigabit Ethernet ports. For a gigabit PoE switch, we recommend Netgear GS108PP that delivers a power supply of impressive 123 Watts.
As for a PoE+ rackmount switch, No products found. Ports Switch can be considered as a good option. The compact design of this switch makes it perfect for a desktop use also.
Our Top Picks
Best PoE Switch: BV-Tech POE-SW502
$27.99 on AmazonAmazon Reviews:
- 4 PoE+ ports
- 2 Ethernet uplink ports at 10/100Mbps
- Port 1 supplies 60W of power; port 2-4 delivers 30W power
- PoE and PoE+ and Hi-PoE
- Automatically detects required power; Built to high heat tolerances
- Do not support passive PoE device
- why this model?
Best PoE Switch For Cameras: BV-Tech POE-SW811
$59.99 on AmazonAmazon Reviews:
- 8 PoE+ Ports at 10/100Mbps each
- 2 Uplink ports at 10/100/1000Mbps each
- Port 1 supplies 60W; Port 2-8 supplies 30W
- PoE and PoE+ and Hi-PoE
- Automatically detects required power; Features lightning protection
- why this model?
Best 24 Volt PoE Switch: Ubiquiti US-8
$128.98 on AmazonAmazon Reviews:
- 8 Gigabit Ethernet Ports 4 x Auto-Sensing 802.3af PoE Ports
- Delivers 15.4W of power per port
- PoE and passive PoE
- Integrates perfectly into the UniFi platform; Easy to setup
- Slightly higher priced; Gets pretty warm
- why this model?
Best Gigabit Switch: Netgear GS108PP
$139.99 on AmazonAmazon Reviews:
- 8 Gigabit PoE and PoE+ ports
- Supplies a power of 123W, 30W per port
- PoE and PoE+
- Reliable performance; Traffic prioritization
- More expensive than competition; Can’t be rack- mounted
- why this model?
Now, let’s start with what a PoE switch is?
What Is A Poe Switch?
PoE switch is a dedicated device that features multiple Ethernet ports to provide power and network communications. As an example, PoE switch can expand the number of ports that the NVR system has as you can connect security cameras to the PoE switch instead.
As PoE switch expands a network created by the router, it must be connected directly to a router on the same network as your NVR.
Compared to PoE Injector, PoE Switch is more practical to use when you have more than two PoE Devices. It also better support pore power hungry devices and generally more reliable.
How A Poe Switch Works?
The diagram below shows the most common way to integrate PoE powered Switch in your network. It expands the network connecting your PoE enabled devices to your router.
It is easy to start using a PoE switch.
- Connect the router to the LAN port on the switch using Ethernet cables.
- Connect the power cable to the PoE switch and a surge protector or power outlet.
- Then, connect IP cameras to any of the port on the PoE switch using the Ethernet extension cables.
- Finally, add the cameras to the Network Video Record for viewing the video feed and enable recording. If you require long distances, you can connect the router to the internet.
What Is The Difference Between A Poe Switch And An Injector?
PoE switch is an all-in-one device with no additional appliance, and the ports can be used to manage both power and network whereas PoE injector can be added to existing cabling with no need to change the switch. It is also easy to mount anywhere.
Another main difference between the two is, if PoE switch breaks, all PoE powered devices will be switched off. However, if a PoE injector goes out, it will only affect one or two devices. This adds resilience to your network, but per port, price will be very high.
As the cost of PoE injector is lower than that of the switch, it is a good choice if you have just a few things to power.
What Is The Difference Between Managed And Unmanaged Switch?
An unmanaged switch allows network devices to communicate including network printer or PC, and those are usually what we call plug and play. They have a fixed configuration that is difficult or impossible to change. Furthermore, this type of switch is used in small networks. It can also be used to add temporary workgroups to larger networks. Unmanaged switch is cheaper compared to managed one, but perfectly sufficient for the majority of home users.
A managed switch has all the features of an unmanaged switch. Also, it provides the ability to manage, configure and monitor your LAN. Also, it gives you more control over the LAN traffic and provides an advanced feature to control that traffic.
What is PD detection in PoE powered switches?
A PoE switch uses power detection to understand if a PoE powered device is connected and what protocol to use. PoE switches typically do not turn on the port unless a powered device is detected.
When a powered device is connected to a PoE switch port, the switch uses one of the following methods to identify the powered device:
- DC Detection sometimes referred to as IEEE or 802.3af standard detection. Cisco IP phones support DC and AC detection.
- Cisco discovery, also known as pre-standard or AC detection. PreStandard Cisco IP phones use this method.
The detection of the powered device occurs when an Ethernet device is connected to a PoE port. However, if a non-PoE device is connected to the PoE Switch the detection is disabled. If the non-PoE device is subsequently disconnected and replaced by a powered device, the switch may not detect it instantly. A timeout of few seconds must expire before the detection is re-enabled and active after a linkup and link-down change.
Best PoE switch: BV-Tech POE-SW502
- IEEE802.3af, IEEE802.3at and hi-PoE compliant
- Support 48-57 volts
- 4 PoE+ ports at 10/100M speed
- Port 1 supplies 60W of power; port 2-4 delivers 30W power
- 2 Ethernet uplink ports at 10/100Mbps speed
- Manufacturer Page
WHAT WE LIKED
- Compact and lightweight design
- Easy plug and play functionality
- Fanless design of the switch provides reliable power without making any sound
- Convenient status lights ensure your wiring is good
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
- Cannot be used on 802.3at mode at 100 meters as the power supply is only 48V
- The ports shut down at 850 mA load
- Some users complain about port speed not being clear in the description
BV-Tech 4 Port PoE+ Switch is an unmanaged 6-port PoE switch with a total power of 60 watts. All ports run at 10/100 Mbps. Also, the ports can provide up to 30W per port through IEEE802.3at standard, and port 1 can provide up to 60W through Hi-PoE. It makes it ideal for high power devices like IP PTZ cameras.
The device also has 2 Ethernet uplink ports to allow communication without sacrificing any PoE ports. It also makes network setups more convenient and easier. You can connect one uplink port to the router, after which the other port can be connected to another PoE switch, any non-PoE equipment or an NVR. It allows you to save a port on your main switch/ router.
The device also features an ‘extend’ switch that allows PoE transmission of up to 820 feet. It reduces data transmissions to 10Mbps. The device has PD detection that automatically detects required power for the devices and protects the non-PoE equipment from being damaged.
Lastly, the device has no wall-mount or rack mount option. The only negative review about this switch is that the power connectors are on the opposite side of the box. Also, the Ethernet jack doesn’t have link status lights. However, there is a separate LED panel that is sometimes difficult to read.
So, if you want an affordable and reliable switch with PoE+ ports, you should definitely pick BV-Tech POE-SW501G. Having only 100Mbps ports might be a limitation, but it is unlikely that you end devices all will use Gigabit bandwidth, so the ports will be more than enough for almost any IP camera setups. The nice aluminium housing of the switch is also a plus.
Most common questions
It says PoE+ (24w) but 60w total / 4 = only 15w per port so is this not full PoE+ to all ports?
Yes, the only port is PoE+. You can shift the power of port 1 up to 60W and the other ports up to 30W.
It does not seem to support “passive” PoE. Is this correct? Please mention this in the description.
Yes, it doesn’t support passive PoE. As passive PoE is a non-standard implementation of PoE, most switches do not support it.
Alternatives
If you have more than 4 cameras or devices to connect, you can go for No products found. as it has been commented on delivering reliable services within a reasonable price range.
Also, you can consider BV-Tech POE-SW1602A, which is an unmanageable switch and works well for devices required only 100MB ports.
User feedback
“Setup to power a mix of PoE and PoE+ Ubiquiti Access Points. Worked out of the box without any issues. Haven’t looked back.” – Gregory Colburn
“description for all of these BV tech products does not make clear if the POE ports are 100m or gig, they bury it down deep in the text. If they update the descriptions to be more clear, i will update this review to 5*.” – Bill
Best PoE switch for cameras: BV-Tech POE-SW811
- IEEE802.3af (PoE), IEEE802.3at (PoE+), Hi-PoE complaint
- Supports DC48-57V
- 8 PoE Ports at 10/100Mbps each
- 2 Uplink ports at 10/100/1000Mbps
- Port 1 supplies 60W, Port 2-8 supplies 30W
WHAT WE LIKED
- 19” rack-mountable
- LED indicators for PoE and data on all ports
- Built to be air-cooled without the use of a fan
- A plug and play configuration
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
- None
Verdict
The device features 8 PoE+ ports at 10/100Mbps each and 2 uplink ports at 10/100/1000Mbps each. The PD detection feature of this switch automatically detects and provides the required power for your PoE devices. The switch is an unmanaged Power over Ethernet switch that has a total of 95 watts of power.
The device is a perfect pick if you are happy with our top pick for Power Over Ethernet switch, but want to power more than 4 devices.
Best 24 volt Passive PoE switch: Ubiquiti US-8
- IEEE802.3af compliant
- 8 x RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet Ports at 10/100/1000 Mbps with 4 (Port 5, 6, 7, 8)Auto-Sensing 802.3af PoE Ports
- Supports 48V DC
- Delivers 15.4W of power per port
- Manufacturer’s Page
- Manuals
WHAT WE LIKED
- Integrates perfectly into the UniFi platform
- Gigabit ports
- Easy to set up
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
- Gets pretty warm even when mostly idle
- Activity LEDs are very bright.
There are two main types of PoE, with one of those split into various subtypes.
- Passive PoE is 24v and is either on or off, so no auto-sensing on ports.
- 802.1af/at is 48v and is auto-sensing so it will only turn the power on if it detects a PoE device connecting to it.
In some cases, your end devices might need 24V (which is true for many Access Point and especially made by Ubiquity).
Ubiquiti US-8 is an 8-port gigabit switch including four 802.3af PoE ports. The auto-sensing ports deliver up to 15.4W of power per port.
This switch features Gigabit Ethernet ports in a compact design. It supports up to 8 Gbps for its total and non-blocking throughput. The switch provides the forwarding capacity to process traffic on all ports concurrently at line rate without any packet loss and with a switching capacity of 16 Gbps.
The device is perfect adding Ethernet ports where needed cleanly, with passthrough to keep the PoE device powered. So, if you are looking for a switch that is fully manageable, delivers robust performance and intelligent switching for the networks, you should consider US-8-60W switch.
Installation and Use
To get started, you need to download and install the latest version of UniFi Controller software. After following the on-screen instructions, you need to run the UniFi wizard. Then, enter the admin name and password you’ve created to sign in.
To connect Ethernet, you need to connect an Ethernet cable from your LAN or DHCP server to any port on the UniFi Switch. Then, connect your PoE devices to port 5-8, and it will be automatically activated.
Best gigabit switch: Netgear GS108PP
- IEEE PoE 802.3af and PoE+ 802.3at compliant
- 8 Gigabit PoE and PoE+ ports
- Supports 54V
- Supplies a power of 123W, 30W per port
- Manufacturer Page
- Manuals
WHAT WE LIKED
- The switch is quiet as it doesn’t feature a fan
- Setup is quite simple as this is an unmanaged switch
- Prioritize mission-critical applications like video and voice
- Deliver true Gigabit speed
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
- Software and equipment is unstable
- Can’t do over 500 Mbps
- Difficult to upgrade the firmware as this switch uses Trivial File Transfer Protocol
The switch complies with 802.3af and 802.3at and delivers a power of 30W per port and overall 123 Watts. NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch is suited for both home and small business offices. Being went through several revisions; the design is still compact and light in weight.
Although it doesn’t excel from an aesthetic point of view, this switch is all about practicality. The front of the switch has 8 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports and a power LED. Each port also features 2 LED. The overall power consumption of the device is quite low. And, as the device doesn’t have a fan, it is quiet.
For Gigabit speed, this is the ideal option, but it is expensive. The rackmount and wall mount accessories give you the flexibility to place this device in a small cabinet, in a 19” rack, on your desk or the wall.
Best PoE+ switch: No products found.
No products found.
- IEEE802.3af and IEEE802.3at compliant
- Supports 100-240V/AC
- 130W Max Power (up to 30W per port)
- 8 Gigabit PoE+ Ports that delivers 10/100/1000Mbps each
- Manufacturer Page
- Manuals
WHAT WE LIKED
- Small and low profile also makes it ideal for desktop use
- Comes with 2 brackets for wall or rack mount
- Doesn’t get warm
- Two indicators for ports to indicate the connection status
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
- Does not respond to regular 1 Gigabit switch or PC
- Only provides PoE power
- Users complain about not getting more than the 15.4W output
POE-SW800G complies with IEEE802.3af and IEEE802.3at power standard. It features 8 Gigabit PoE+ ports that deliver 10/100/1000Mbps speed each.
The PoE Powered switch has a PD detection feature that automatically detects required power for your device and also protects the non-PoE equipment from being damaged. You can also check and troubleshoot ports with data and PoE lights for each.
The lightweight and rugged metal housing design makes it easy and safe to use in various environments. Also, the device doesn’t feature a fan and is built to high tolerances. The switch provides reliable power without making a sound.
Furthermore, the device features Gigabit speed on all ports. Therefore, any connected devices will have adequate bandwidth to prevent network bottlenecks. The device comes with both wall mount and rackmount option.
So, if you want reliable services and want to connect multiple devices, this switch should be your pick
Last update on 2024-12-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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In the review of the Netgear GS108PP, under “What we liked” it says “Deliver true Gigabit speed,” and under “What we didn’t like,” it says “Can’t do over 500 Mbps.”
I’m no expert, but those statements seem to be at odds with each other. Can you clarify?