Category: PoE Injector

Power over Ethernet is a technology that allows you to send both power and data over twisted-pair Ethernet cables. The edge devices such as IP Cameras, VoIP Phones, and Wireless Access Points can be powered by the same cable that connects them to a network.

The IEEE PoE earliest standard is 802.3af-2003, which provides 15.4 watts of DC power over standard Cat3 and Cat5 network cables. However the newer devices required more power, so a new standard was created in 2009 – IEEE 802.3at – with a maximum of 30W and 25.5W remaining power budget actually reaching the devices. These standards still exist today and are often sold to help you easily get started with your PoE installation. The latest standard IEEE802.3bt employs all 4 twisted pairs to send the power which makes the maximum power output come to 90W and the remaining power budget still have 71W at the edge.

What is PoE++?

The latest update to Power over Ethernet is the IEEE 802.3bt standard, known as PoE++. The major difference between PoE++ and PoE+ is that PoE++ power sources can provide over twice as much power to their PDs.

The PoE++ takes all 4 twisted pairs to send the power, and PoE/PoE+ only uses half (2 twisted pairs) to transfer the power.

In order to achieve 71W high power, both PSE (PoE switch or injector) and the PDs (IP camera, access point) must compatible with the latest standard. If the PoE switch only supports PoE+, the switch will not supply enough power and the whole link will downgrade to PoE+. The latest standard is backward compatible with PoE+/PoE.

How Does Power Over Ethernet Work?

In the fast network (10/100Mbps), only half of the twist pairs are being taken to transfer the data. It leaves two spare twisted pairs which can be used to send the power. This is a very primitive idea to design the PoE system. Actually, the passive PoE system still uses this method to send the power over an Ethernet cable.

With IEEE802.3 specification, one important mechanism – power handshaking was added to the system. The PSE (PoE switch and injector) need to verify and classify the edge device before it releases the power over the Ethernet cable. If the PSE can’t verify the edge device is PoE compatible, it will not send the power.

Now the PoE camera can go through the same twisted pair as the data. It is the PDs’ job to split the power from the data. According to IEEE802.3, the PDs should be able to accept power from data pairs (12-36) or spare pairs (45-78). Some of the products like the access point don’t fully implement the standard and keep the spare pairs (45-78) for passive PoE (24VDC). It will create an unexpected issue when the PoE++ switch is being used to supply power because the PoE++ switch will send 48V through all 4 twisted pairs.

How to Upgrade to Power Over Ethernet?

Adding PoE to your network is as straightforward as it gets, and there are two ways you can do so——POE switches and a POE injector:

PoE switches are network switches that have a Power source built-in. Simply connect PoE compatible IP devices to the switch, and the switch will automatically detect whether they’re compatible with PoE or not and enable power, there is power handshaking we mentioned above.

PoE injectors are devices that can convert non-PoE-switch to PoE compatible. These devices aren’t as powerful as PoE switches, but they work in a pinch. The PoE injector takes its power from an AC power source and converts it into the correct voltage for a PoE device. A POE injector is typically either a multi-port rack-mounted unit or a single port injector that is connected via a patch cable.

It’s also possible to upgrade non-PoE PDs such as IP cameras with PoE using a PoE splitter. The PoE splitter takes the network connection from the cable and taps it off before converting the power into the DC low voltage used by the camera.

How Much Power can PoE Devices supply?

PoE+ devices supply a maximum of 30 watts per port, while PoE devices supply a maximum of 15.4 watts per port, PoE++ the latest standard supplies 90 watts, but that’s not all. Some power will get lost over the length of the cable; the longer the cable, the more power will lose.

The lowest guaranteed power available at a PD is 12.95 watts per port for PoE, 25.5 watts per port for PoE+ and 71W for PoE++.

PSEs also have a maximum budget, which can be measured in watts. Most PSEs don’t have enough power budget to give every PoE-capable PD all the power they want, because most people don’t need all that much. Usually, the PoE switch shares the power source. Just make sure you calculate your needs before you buy a PoE-capable PSE.

What Are the Benefits of Using PoE?

Power over Ethernet (PoE) is a way to send both power and data over a single Ethernet cable. It is typically used to provide both electricity and data to network devices such as PoE Wireless Access Point, PoE Switch, PoE IP Camera, VoIP phones, and networking equipment. Moreover, PoE has many economic and efficiency benefits for businesses of any size.

Cost efficiency-You don’t have to hire a specialized electrician or spend money on network installation costs to install PoE.

Time savings-Power over Ethernet doesn’t require electrical power cabling to be installed and it doesn’t need a qualified electrician to fit network cables, saving both time and installation costs.

Quick deployment-Power over Ethernet eliminates the need to have an expensive electrical contractor come in, and is easy to set up and reposition.

Flexibility-As power isn’t always needed from an electrical outlet, you can place your devices where they are most needed even the AC outlet doesn’t present nearby.

Safety-Electrical power can be delivered via 48VDC which is considered safe by UL standards. PoE also has built-in safety features, such as if there’s a disruption in power, the PSE automatically stops sending the power.

Reliability-As a company or user, if you’re using PoE, you don’t have to worry about what device is plugged in where, as every device gets power from the network. This also means that the installation and distribution of network connections are super easy and effective. It’s easy to control the power supply to disable or reset devices, too.

Scalability-When installation and distribution of network connections is simple and effective, this makes connecting new offices simpler as well. This means that there is a cost-effective way for businesses to grow in the future.

Security-As PoE devices attached to networks with high-level security enjoy the same security protection as other network assets, Power over Ethernet devices do not rely on security from the device itself but rather from the network.

Devices that use Power over Ethernet

As technology advances, and we’re being pushed further into the Internet of Things (IoT) and connected devices, the range of products and equipment that can be powered by PoE has been increasing. Power over Ethernet supports the following devices:

VoIP Phones-The original PoE application. For an IP phone to work, it must be connected to a power outlet and have a single connection to a wall socket. It can also be remotely powered down if it doesn’t need to be used, just like with older analog systems.

IP Cameras-The use of IP cameras has spread throughout the world and has become an industry standard for fast and easy installation. This has ensured that small to large-scale security systems can be created.

IP Intercoms– IP intercoms can use PoE, as they’re door intercom systems that work in the same way as a “IP camera”, transmitting power and data signals over the same network cable.

IP Speakers-These are the latest audio systems for music and public addresses, where the entire audio system is connected via a LAN or WAN network. This allows the IP speakers to be connected via Ethernet cable, along with Ethernet power from a PoE switch.

Wireless IP Access Points-Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and RFID readers are all devices that are commonly PoE compatible. This allows them to be remotely located or relocated, wherever there is access to power over Ethernet.

What Are PoE Standards?

IEEE 802.3at, IEEE 802.3bt, IEEE 802.3bt+ and IEEE 802.3af are power supply standards released by the IEEE to ensure interoperability across a broad range of devices (PDs) and power sources (PSEs). They help devices and power sources operate at the same voltage levels but deliver different wattage. What’s the difference between the four standards?

1. Power over Ethernet (PoE)-The IEEE 802.3af standard supplies up to 15 watts of DC power from a Power Source Equipment (PSE) to PoE-enabled devices and 12.95 watts from the PD to a powered device because of losses on an Ethernet cable. It uses two pairs of wires like CAT3 or CAT5 cables as a medium.

• Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE+)-The IEEE 802.3at standard is also referred to as High PoE supplies power up to 30 watts of DC power from PSE and 25.5 watts from PD because of losses on an Ethernet cable. It also uses two pairs of wires such as CAT5 cable or higher as a medium.

• PoE++- The latest IEEE standard after IEEE 802.3af & 802.3at standards for taking all 4 twisted pairs to send the power. PoE++ supply up to 90 watts of DC power from the PSE and 71 watts from PD due to losses in the cable. This standard uses four pairs of wires as a medium, like traditional CAT5e or CAT6 cables.

Is Power over Ethernet Safe to Use?

IEEE 802.3af/at/bt-compliant PoE (Power over Ethernet) technology is safe and is not a threat to any device that’s not designed to work with PoE. If a PSE intends to send power, it initiates a handshake procedure with the PD (Power Device), which establishes how much power the PD requires.

This handshake is harmless, and can only be completed if there’s a PSE and PD on both ends of the cable. If this handshake isn’t completed, then no power is sent to either device – making it inherently safe. However, the passive PoE system which removes the power handshaking could cause harm to your edge device. There is a significant difference between the standard PoE and passive PoE.

Power over Ethernet (PoE) is a technology that transmits both electric power and data over a single Ethernet cable. It eliminates the power source at the edge. With PoE, it not only saved the cost but also the time to deploy the network system.

The PoE devices usually installed in networks are including PoE Switch, PoE Injector, PoE NVRs, PoE IP cameras, PoE access points, etc. PoE Injectors and switches each have their own role to play in the network and can be used individually for different situations.

Let’s try to understand what each one does, as well as their pros and cons, and how to choose which one to use for your network.

PoE Switch vs PoE Injector: What Are They?

PoE Switch:

PoE switches are a type of network switch that applies Power over Ethernet technology. By using a PoE switch, you can connect your IP devices by using a single Ethernet cable to receive both power and data. There are many different kinds of PoE switches on the market.

Commonly seen are 4-port, 8-port, 16-port, and 24-port PoE switches based on the number of ports. You can also find PoE switches that have varying levels of control, such as unmanaged PoE switches and managed PoE switches.

PoE Injector:

A power injector is a device that acts as a middleman between your router, switch, or hub and the PD. An active PoE injector accepts data from a non-PoE switch and transfers it by injecting power into it. A passive PoE injector, on the other hand, also injects the power to an Ethernet cable, but it removes the power handshaking. There is a significant difference between the active PoE injector and the passive PoE injector. You will need to know what you are dealing with when you work with a passive PoE injector, otherwise, it may melt your edge devices.

With a PoE injector, you can turn non-PoE switch or router to PoE compatible. PoE Injectors are a more affordable solution than replacing your entire network infrastructure.

PoE Switch vs PoE Injector: Pros & Cons

PoE Switch and PoE Injector devices have different features and capabilities. It is important to consider your network needs when making a final choice, as it will determine which PoE device will work best for your needs. We’ve outlined the features and differences of each device below and we hope it will help you make the right decision.

While many PoE injectors are quick and easy to install, switches are built for long-term use. In fact, switches are more scalable than PoE injectors but more complex

On the other hand, a PoE injector requires low installation costs since it’s just one device, while a PoE switch can range in price depending on what you want and need. For example, a switch may end up being cheaper in the long run if you need to expand your network down the line.

PoE switches and injectors offer different features. PoE switches require a little modification to your existing network. PoE injectors don’t change your network much, and they are easy to mount anywhere.

If you need to power up a single device, you should use the PoE injector. However, if you need to power up a number of devices or add PoE throughout the whole network, then you might use a PoE switch.

The downside to a PoE switch is that it’s only one device. If that’s the case and something goes wrong, production could be down for all the PoE devices attached to that PoE switch. A PoE injector, on the other hand, can be replaced easily.

Although an injector has many advantages over a switch, switches are recommended for larger networks with more complex setups.

Conclusion

Power over Ethernet (PoE) switches and injectors each have their own advantages and disadvantages, but they are each designed to solve different problems. When deciding between a switch and an injector, it is important to consider what you need. For instance, a switch would be a great solution for someone who needs to cover a large area with attached devices, whereas an injector is perfect for one or two devices that would need power separately from the network. You should also make sure your device supports PoE before connecting it to a PoE-enabled network, otherwise, you need to add a PoE splitter before your device to separate the power from data.

Power over Ethernet (PoE) is a solution that provides data transmission and electric power to devices using one cable. That means that end-users can power PoE capable devices without separate power supplies or electrical outlets near the powered device.

There are different types of PoE technology. Some PoE just provides active PoE and others provide passive. If you want to know more about the difference between active PoE and passive PoE, you can read this article.

What Is Active PoE?

Active PoE works according to a set standard specification: IEEE802.3af, IEEE802.3at, IEEE802.3bt. These are highly compatible standards. The compliant devices will complete a “power handshaking” with the PoE power supply at low power. If the power handshaking is successful, the device will negotiate the power needed and power up fully. If the handshake fails, the power supply will not deliver any power and the device will not turn on.

What Is an Active PoE Switch?

The standard/active POE switch is a PoE control chip that is built-in. It will send power to a powered device, then wait for stable transmission. If the device is disconnected, the POE switch will stop supplying power and try to detect it again.

Another similar product is the standard/active PoE injector. The PoE injector doesn’t provide switching function. It simply injects the power to the Ethernet cable and sends it together with data to the edge device. It is a handy tool to turn non-PoE switch or routers into PoE compatible equipment.

It is safe for standard PoE switch to work with non-PoE devices such as PC computers because of the power handshaking. The POE switch will only send the data without power when the non-PoE device is attached to the standard PoE switch.

What Is Passive PoE?

Passive Power Over Ethernet, or passive POE, is a type of power input to Ethernet cable that does not require power handshaking. It’s very important to understand the specifications of your device and make sure it requires the same type of POE as the input you are going to provide. For example, many CCTV cameras are passive POE but they need a 12v power supply using either a DC power balun or passive POE injector. However, there are more expensive POE cameras that have an active POE handshake and will negotiate with the switch for the correct input. The same can be said for PoE access points, which require a passive 24v power supply.

What Is Passive PoE Switch?

Non-standard/ Passive POE switches come with safety hazards. They don’t come with a POE control chip, so they can’t tell the difference between PoE cameras and other devices. This can result in transient voltages and may burn out any device connected to it. The price of non-standard PoE switches is cheaper, but you risk sending too much voltage to your devices. Please be aware that passive non-standard PoE switches deliver power without negotiation. If you aren’t sure how to install one of these, we recommend considering a standard PoE switch with active PoE control to prevent the potential hazards. All of the recommendations below are based on a standard PoE switch.

Active PoE Switch vs Passive PoE Switch: The Key Differences

Passive PoE switches deliver power over Ethernet cables, but they don’t comply with any IEEE standard. Active PoE switches, on the other hand, are compliant with IEEE standards, and there is a difference in the power supply pins of these two types of PoE switches. If safety is your top priority, you should use an active PoE switch; if you have a limited budget and cost is your main concern, a passive one might be a better choice.

Security camera systems: Active PoE Switch vs Passive PoE Switch

Active PoE: In this case, IP cameras will not turn on unless it completes a handshake between the PoE power supply and the device. If the handshake isn’t approved, then the camera won’t turn on.

Passive PoE: When using passive PoE, the camera will turn on regardless of its power parameters. Since there’s no power handshaking, you may risk burning out the camera if it’s receiving a higher voltage than it can handle.

Cost: Active PoE Switch vs Passive PoE Switch

The cost of an active PoE switch differs from the passive PoE switch mainly because the active PoE switch has a built-in power controller, which the passive one does not. This means that the passive PoE switch relies on information from outside sources to detect and classify the PD (power demand) system. As a result, it’s not surprising that the active PoE switch costs more than the passive PoE switch.

Active PoE Switch vs Passive PoE Switch: Which is the Better Choice for Your Network?

One way to keep your network safe is by using a PoE switch. We suggest active PoE switches because they can detect power wiring issues and help prevent accidents. We may also use passive PoE switches if cost is a concern, but be aware that they do not have any power detection function. It is important to make sure the passive PoE switch you buy matches the power specifications exactly to the device you are powering on, otherwise you can easily damage your device. Finally, it’s never okay to connect computers and other non-PoE devices to the passive PoE switch. Read Everything you need to know about Power over Ethernet to dive into the PoE technology.

Confronting awful WiFi signal coverage is annoying right? When you are walking into the stairs, the WiFi suddenly disappeared. If you have tried the common solutions like upgrade firmware and play with antenna to improve your WiFi signal, but they didn’t make good result. Here are some practical tips to offer. First of all, let’s figure out what causes the poor WiFi connectivity.

The WiFi employs 2.4Ghz or 5.8Ghz to transmit the signal in the air which is easier to weaken by the obstructions such as the walls. One wall will weaken WiFi signal to 80%, and two walls will go down to 50% left. Some people think 5.8Ghz WiFi router can improve WiFi signal, which may not always true. If the WiFi is weaken by obstructions, the 5.8Ghz WiFi router only makes it worse. Although the 5.8Ghz WiFi router is capable of carrying higher volume data, meanwhile it compromises the penetrating capacity, which means its transmission distance is shorten than the 2.4Ghz WiFi router. An instinct way to bypass the obstructions is relocating the WiFi router. However, sometimes you will have no condition to move the router. Because WiFi router has to set closed to the network entrance. The first practical tip is that you can use a repeater to receive the WiFi signal from the main router and transmit forward to the destination. Look at the image below. There are 4 walls between the WiFi router and the bedroom which causes the dark zone. Now if we place a repeater at the living room will reduce the obstructions to 2 walls. The key is to find the path for the WiFi signal to bypass the obstructions, usually it is the L shape. The repeater should be placed at the turning point of the L.

There are two ways to repeat the WiFi signal. If you already have an old WiFi router in hand, now this is a chance to re-use it. What you should do is to connect your old router to the main router through WiFi. Actually it is not complicated as you think.

• Re-use your Existed WiFi Router

Firstly, power up the old router and make the connection by using a laptop or Mobil phone, then login the router in the web browser. If you don’t remember the IP address or the login account, usually you can find the information at the bottom of the router. Find the reset button and depress for more than 10 seconds after the router is powered up. This operation can restore the factory setting which allows you to login with default account. In the Wifi setting page, you can see the WDS option unchecked. Mark the checkbox and it will present the network search option in the page. Use this search option to connect this router to your main WiFi network. There are two more steps to go through. Turn off the DHCP and change the IP address of this router in case that it may have IP conflict with your main router. Once you have done these setting properly, the WiFi router will work as WiFi repeater.

• Pick WiFi Repeater

If you feel too much bother to tweak the setting in the router, you can simply buy a WiFi repeater. WiFi repeater (aka WiFi extender) works much similiar as your old router here. But the setting is simpler. The DHCP and IP address conflict issues are avoided by the default setting as the product is designed for WiFi repeating purpose. Simply plug the repeater to the AC outlet, it will create internal WiFi which allows you to access by using the mobile phone or tablet. After you login the repeater, you can connect the repeater to your main WiFi network, and the repeater will start forwarding the WiFi which works exactly the same as the above WiFi router.

• Move Antenna Outside

The WiFi signal is being transmitted through the antenna. While there are thick walls that weaken the signal, move the antenna to another side to bypass the walls which could improve the WiFi signal. This solution doesn’t always work, because some of the WiFi signal could be consumed while transmitting along with the extension cable. It’s too weak for the remained signal to spread out. People mentioned to turn to high power antenna, I don’t recommend it, as the antenna needs to match the original power design of your router. Replace with high power antenna while the router can’t provide enough power which makes the case worse.

WiFi router and repeater try to bypass the obstructions by changing the direction. It only reduces the obstructions but not eliminates it. The seconds practical solution is to mix wire and WiFi connection. Use the wire cable to transmit network signal to the dark zones and create WiFi signal from there. There are several ways to make it.

• Powerline Adaptor

The power line adaptor takes used or existed AC power line to transmit network data. The network signal is converted before being injected to the power line with adaptor and picked up at other AC outlet by another adaptor. After that, it will generate new WiFi signal. If you have WiFi birdhouse camera in the garden, it relies on the WiFi connectivity. Use the power line adaptor can easily extend the WiFi signal closed to the camera as long as the AC outlet is nearby. Two important things about the power line solution. The adaptor only works in the same electric meter. Both transmitter adaptor and receiver adaptor need to stay in the same meter. And the second thing is that power line requires qualification cables in the building. If the building is very old with poor cabling job, the power adaptor may have problem to transmit the data.

• PoE WiFi access point

PoE WiFi access point receives network signal by using the Ethernet cable and generates new WiFi dignal in the field. The connection between PoE WiFi access point and the main router is cable link, which can provide reliable high speed up to 1000 gigabytes. Moreover, multiple WiFi access points can be deployed to improve the WiFi signal to coverage different areas. The advantages of PoE WiFi access point is both power and data can be transmitted to the access point by using signal Ethernet cable. Wherever the cable is, the power source follows. The power is added to cable at the router by using the PoE injector.

• Long distance WiFi PoE extender

As we know that the cat5/cat6 cable connection is limited to 100 meters. If the WiFi signal needs to be extended over 100 meters, such as from the lake to the house, you may need the PoE extender to repeat the network signal. The PoE extender can repeat the network signal up to 500 meters. The PoE WiFi access point will be installed at the end of 500 meters and create the WiFi signal to cover the area. It’s of great convenience that the PoE extender doesn’t require power source closed to each repeater. The power is added to the cable inline by PoE injector. The power adaptors are eliminated in the daisy chain setup.

The last but not least, sometimes the poor WiFi is not caused by the obstructions, but jamed with neighbor’s WiFi, because there are too many WiFi working in the field. I saw people has more than 25 WiFi hot spots picking up in his phone, the WiFi signal is so craw so it gets jam. Sometimes you experience the poor WiFi connection occasionally such as at night or at weekend. Properly the WiFi is too crowded. People use WiFi more often in these time frames. You can simply check the WiFi hot spot with mobile phone. If in such case, except for bringing your WiFi more closely, you can switch the WiFi channel in your WiFi router to avoid the jam.

• Channel switch

What is WiFi channel?

Think of the walkie-talkie which has different channels to communicate with each other. The WiFi router has around 13 channels, it is set to auto selection in default. What you can do is to login your WiFi router and manually switch the channel to test whether the situation improved. It is important to choose the moment to make the change when WiFi connectivity became worse. Only this moment you can know which channel is being jam. Reboot the router after you switch to new channel, your mobile device will make the WiFi connection to the new channel.

The above is the all the possible solutions that I offer for help. If you do have any new idea or all above tips still can’t improve your WiFi network, please leave a message in the comment section. Here is the article about how to set up home network with PoE switch.

Before moving to the PoE IP camera, let’s make clear what is IP camera first. IP camera, also referred to Internet Protocol camera, is a digital video camera which captures image and transmits it over the network. IP camera needs power and communicating network to function.Therefore it has to be used with Ethernet cable to send data and the power to supply the camera. PoE IP camera has integrated with Power over Ethernet technology. Both data and power are transported through single Ethernet cable(Cat 5e/Cat 6) and videos are transmitted in the same cable. The PoE IP camera simplifies the cabling job and gets rid of the power adaptor closed to each cameras.

There are many ways to power a PoE IP camera. We will go through each of them below.

PoE IP camera can be connected and powered by PoE NVR. PoE NVR, or name PoE network video recorder, is little different from the traditional NVR. PoE switch is built in the video recorder, which can provide power and data to the cameras. Cat 5 or Cat 6 ethernet cable is the standard network cable to transmit data and supply power in PoE. To link PoE IP camera to PoE NVR, only one Ethernet cable is needed. Simplified installation reduces time and cost. PoE NVR can record video files and export it as forensic footage. It isolates IP video camera system from the main network. Usually PoE NVR has four or eight Ethernet ports. If you want to set up few IP cameras in the system, PoE NVR is a good choice.

PoE switch can also power PoE IP camera. The PoE switch connect to the cameras for power supplying and data exchanging. Using PoE switch can link multiple IP cameras and the network video recorder all together. You can choose the number of ports of PoE switch based on the system design. There are 8/16/24/48 ports PoE switch available in the market. This solution is made for those who want to set up PoE IP cameras for small-medium system.

The third way to power the PoE IP camera is by connecting to a PoE injector. The injector can add the power to Ethernet cable and the power is transported to remote IP camera as well as data. Power is taken from AC outlet before converting to DC48V. Usually the injector has two RJ45 ports. The data port will be linked to network hub to receive the data. PoE port will be connected IP camera for transporting the power and data. Since there is only one PoE port, single injector can power one PoE IP camera with this solution.

The PoE injector is able to work with PoE IP camera. If the camera doesn’t support PoE, a PoE splitter can be added to convert non-PoE IP camera to PoE available. The PoE injector and splitter usually work in pair. PoE splitter receives both data and power from the injector, and then separates them into two different outputs to the IP camera.

Last way to power PoE IP camera is to use passive PoE injector. The passive injector doesn’t have any protection for the power transporting. The users should possess the basic know-how to operate passive PoE splitter. The passive PoE injector simply forwards power from the external power adapter to remote IP cameras. It can only power up low voltage device. The passive PoE injector is the primitive PoE solution which works in a short distance.

The cable distance is limited to 100 meters in PoE system. Using PoE extender can extend the network beyond 100 meters.