Introduction
When putting IP cameras around your home, you don’t want the hassle of having to find a power outlet to plug each camera into. That’s where a PoE switch comes in; it delivers power and network connectivity to PoE-enabled cameras over a single Ethernet wire.
To link all devices in any network, whether it is your personal home network or an office network, you will need to install a specific switch or numerous switches. A good switch has numerous LAN ports to which you may connect all of your LAN-powered devices to form your own local network. You can also use the switches to share an internet connection with all connected devices, as well as LAN file sharing. Unless you’re installing a POE security system, you won’t need these switches at home.
A POE camera system has the advantage of allowing you to connect all of the cameras to the source with a single LAN wire. These wires transport both electricity and video footage from the cameras to the NVR. As a result, you may avoid the stress of complicated installation procedures. When purchasing a POE switch, consider the following factors:
Number of Ports:
The number of POE switch ports accessible directly correlates to the number of CCTV cameras that can be connected to the system. A separate port will be required for each camera. As a result, purchasing a POE switch with a larger number of ports is a superior alternative for future-proofing usage.
Bandwidth Capacity:
Most POE camera security systems provide remote access through specific apps and software, allowing you to see the video footage over the internet. However, this is only viable if the switch has a high bandwidth capacity and does not stifle the NVR’s performance.
Wattage Capacity:
A POE switch’s function, in addition to delivering data, is to give power to the cameras. As a result, you should carefully examine the power capacity of the POE switch to ensure that it can power all of the CCTV cameras in your system.
Along with the qualities described above, there are numerous other factors to consider when purchasing a POE switch. As a result, we’ve compiled a list of the best POW switches on the market, complete with precise specifications and a few pros and downsides. In our “Buying Guide” for the best POE switch, we will go over the crucial aspects of a POE switch in detail.
Best POE Switch 2023
NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit
TP-Link TL-SG1005P V2 POE Switch
Linksys LGS116P Business 16-Port Network Switch
Ubiquiti UniFi US-8 PoE Powered 8 Port Managed Gigabit Switch
D-Link PoE Switch
NETGEAR is a well-known brand for network-related products such as routers, modems, and switches. As a result, the NETGEAR POE switch is at the top of our list.
The NETGEAR Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged PoE Switch takes the first place. As one of the unmanaged switches on our list, it comes with factory presets and is a plug-and-play device. This switch has eight-gigabit connections and a total power capacity of 123 watts. These are all POE+ ports that do not require any software or configuration to function.
You may effortlessly connect the NETGEAR Ethernet Unmanaged PoE Switch to your system. You can easily place it on your desk, the wall, or even a rackmount. All of the essential mounting hardware is included in the kit. The nicest thing about this POE switch is that it comes with a limited lifetime warranty. As a result, you obtain a lifetime warranty on the item, which is ideal for long-term application.
TP-Link is perhaps the most well-known brand of network appliances, and you can find TP-Link routers nearly anywhere. If you also have a TP-Link router on your network, the following POE switch is an ideal alternative.
In the second place, we have another highly dependable brand of POE switch. Don’t pass up the TP-Link TL-SG1005P V2 POE switch if you’re searching for long-term performance. This is a low-cost option, as it only has 5 POE+ ports. As a result, it is only appropriate for smaller networks. However, all ports provide up to 1000 Mbps speed and 30 watts of power output.
The TP-Link TL-SG1005P V2 POE switch has a total power budget of roughly 65 watts. While no software is required to utilize the switch, the 802.1p quality of service and IGMP technology ensure great performance. It is likewise made of robust metal on the outside and has both desktop and wall mounting options. This product is covered by a lifetime guarantee from TP-Link.
Linksys is an excellent brand to use for commercial-grade applications. Linksys equipment, such as the POE switch seen here, are all designed for heavy-duty and long-term use.
In this case, we have a Linksys unmanaged POE switch. The Linksys LGS116P Business switch has 16 ports and a metal exterior casing. It has a very high bandwidth capacity of up to 32 Gbps, making it excellent for professional work.
The switch will provide around 1 Gbps speed for the wired connection. This switch includes 8 POE+ ports, with the remaining ports being POE. This unit has an overall power budget of 80 watts.
The POE+ ports are adequate for all applications and consume only roughly 14 watts of power while active. The Linksys LGS116P switch is loaded with the most recent network standards to ensure optimum performance regardless of your security system. Even the ports will detect the application and adjust the bandwidth accordingly. The Linksys LGS116P Business switch comes with a one-year guarantee.
If you’re seeking managed switches, Ubiquity has a wonderful selection for you. This provides you with greater control over the functionality of your POE switch.
The Ubiquiti UniFi US-8, like most other alternatives on the market, is an eight-port switch. However, the ports on this POE switch are controlled ports, which means you may fully configure the switch to meet your needs. It makes the smartphone extremely adaptable and appropriate for tech-savvy users.
The device includes gigabit ports despite its small size. A port on the Ubiquiti UniFi US-8 also offers a POE passthrough, allowing you to connect a variety of devices to the switch.
The overall bandwidth supported by the Ubiquiti UniFi US-8 is around 8 Gbps. The ports are also port forwarding compatible, allowing the switch to process traffic from all ports at the same time and avoid issues such as network drop or packet loss. The POE switches’ switching capacity enables up to 16 Gbps of bandwidth. It also comes with a year of Ubiquiti warranty from the date of purchase.
D-Link is a similarly reputable brand as TP-Link and provides almost equal choices for numerous network-related devices. D-Link also makes a good POE switch, which is listed below.
The D-Link PoE Switch is ideal for low-profile installations where there isn’t a lot of available space or when you don’t want to clutter the environment with yet another network device. It contains a total of eight ports, four of which are POE+.
Each of these POE+ ports may produce up to 30 watts of power, for a total budget power capacity of 68 watts. For improved efficiency, it is supported by the IEEE 802 3af and IEEE 802 3ar standards on all ports.
Because this is an unmanaged sort of POE switch, the installation will be simple and straightforward. Simply connect the switch to the router/NVR and the cameras, and your POE camera security system is ready to go.
It is very dependable and made of robust materials to provide long-lasting build quality. Even though it is a low-cost POE switch, it comes with a limited lifetime guarantee period, which is obviously advantageous in all instances.
Best PoE Switches Buyer’s Guide
Unmanaged vs Web-smart vs Managed switches
Unmanaged, Web-smart and managed switches are the three basic types of switches, as you might expect.
Unmanaged switches are the most basic of the lot, requiring no configuration or management and operating as plug-and-play devices (just add your devices one by one using Ethernet cables). However, this does not imply that unmanaged switches are featureless.
On the contrary, because most come with a basic form of QoS and PoE port priority (if PoE support is present), everything is done automatically and works from the time the switch is powered on until it is turned off; there is no way to set these options in-depth (some can still be monitored by LED indicators).
There is no difference in appearance between an unmanaged and a managed switch; they can be placed on a desktop, wall, or rack-mounted. Is an unmanaged switch, however, the best device for you? If a plug-and-play switch that doesn’t require any setting and performs well on its own appeals to you, then go for it (also, take into consideration the built-in PoE support). Also, keep in mind that unmanaged switches are the least expensive of the three options.
Web-smart switches are similar to managed switches but have fewer features (they fall between the unmanaged and the managed switches niche).
Smart switches are simple to install and have a web interface that allows you to adjust a variety of features (a more basic set, comparing it with a fully managed switch). You receive Link Aggregation, Port Monitoring, VLAN, QoS, LAG, and a few other L2-level capabilities, but unlike most managed switches, a smart-managed switch does not include a console port, SSH, or telnet support.
While some may say that a web-smart switch has a poorer management spectrum, fewer functionality, and insufficient security, technology has advanced significantly recently, and certain web-managed switches can now compete with full-managed switches. However, this will be reflected in the pricing (although, usually, smart switches are cheaper than enterprise ones). Do you, however, require a Web-smart switch?
Because these switches fall somewhere between unmanaged and managed, they are ideal for small organizations because they provide some degree of configurability (especially if the features of a managed switch are overkill) and, in most cases, are less expensive. If these are your requirements, smart switches are ideal (again, take into consideration the advantages of PoE support).
A fully-managed switch (also known as an enterprise switch) provides the most features of the three options, with the main distinction being the level of network control. The completely managed switches, as predicted, offer the most management and control. You also receive access to many interfaces (including CLI, SSH, and SNMP) as well as layer 3 functionality (routing capabilities).
Do you now require a fully managed switch? There’s an IT joke that says if you’re wondering if you need a managed switch, you probably don’t. And there is some truth to this, because a managed switch provides full control over the network, allowing the management to observe everything that is happening and alter it so that the network is fully optimized.
This necessitates a thorough understanding of how things work as well as a steep learning curve. Normally, such high-end switches would be required for medium to big enterprise-level networks, but recently, even small organizations appear to be interested in fully-managed switches.
What Features Should You Look For Before Choosing The Best Network Switch?
Purchasing a POE switch is not a simple undertaking, especially if you are unfamiliar with local networks and network-related equipment. Most consumers seek professional assistance when installing a POE security camera system in their homes. However, it becomes difficult when a fault emerges in the system. If you are unfamiliar with the system’s installation or operation, you will require professional assistance whenever a little problem arises.
All of this may be avoided if you acquire a good POE switch and other system components yourself and install them according to the instructions that come with each device. In terms of selecting the finest alternative, we have a buying guide for the best POE switch in which we will go over the most crucial specifications of a POE switch. Here, you can learn about many foreign phrases and select the device with the best characteristics based on your understanding.
Total Power Budget
Consider the power available at each port on a POE switch and ensure that it is sufficient for a single CCTV camera in your POE camera security system. However, you must also evaluate the unit’s entire power budget and ensure that it is capable of powering all of the CCTV camera modules in your system.
If the POE switch fails to supply enough power to the cameras, you may notice a loss of footage or incorrect output from the cameras, which is a major drawback for a surveillance system. As a result, you must select a POE switch with a high power budget so that it can efficiently power your existing system while also allowing future system improvements.
Bandwidth Capacity
Aside from power, POE cameras require a network connection, which is provided by the POE switch. In terms of bandwidth capacity, there are various types of POE switches available. While some offer bandwidth capacities ranging from 10 to 100 Mbps, others have gigabit connectors with speeds of up to 1 Gbps.
With a gigabit POE switch, you can be confident that the network connection to your CCTV cameras will not be constrained, and that you will receive complete video and audio recordings from the cameras. High bandwidth POE switches also allow you to install higher quality cameras, such as 2k or 4k cameras, in your systems. Furthermore, gigabit POE switches are currently relatively reasonable. As a result, a small investment in a gigabit POE switch is highly advised.
Reliability
The performance of your POE security system is entirely dependent on the POE switch, which connects all of the cameras to the destination disc. If a specific port or the POE switch itself fails, your surveillance system will fail immediately.
And, while you look for a replacement for the damaged POE switch, your system will be inoperable, which is not ideal. All of this, however, may be prevented if you purchase a dependable POE switch. Simply choose the switch with higher build quality or a longer warranty duration to get the most bang for your buck.
Number of Ports
One of the most significant considerations is selecting a switch with the appropriate number of ports (the Ethernet switches, usually come with 5, 8, 10, 16, 24, 48, and 52 ports). For example, if you need to connect four or five devices, a five or eight-port switch will suffice.
Also, if you have 15 devices, a 16-port switch would suffice, but if you intend to extend the network in the future, you should consider acquiring a 24-port switch. Simultaneously, if you have more than 50 users (a small business), you may need to consider getting two switches to handle your network.
Gigabit or Fast Ethernet
Fast Ethernet refers to a traffic rate of 100Mbps (an improvement above the standard 10Mbps rate), whilst Gigabit Ethernet refers to a traffic rate of 1000Mbps.
A Gigabit switch is obviously better, but depending on your network configuration, it may not be necessary. A Gigabit switch is required if you need to push 1000Mbps per port and if you need to move big amounts of data while maintaining a high-performance network with minimal latency.
Obviously, there will be more strain on the link, but you will get better performance, more bandwidth, and less congestion, but if your network is only focused on Internet access or the transmission of small amounts of data, a Fast Ethernet switch (100Mbps) would suffice. Regardless, you should consider a Gigabit switch because the technology has become less expensive and is obviously future-proof.
PoE
PoE (Power over Ethernet) technology refers to any system that transmits both electrical power and network data via an Ethernet wire.
This method saves money (since no power lines are required), is safe (it protects against overloading and underpowering), and is versatile (compatible devices can be installed anywhere, without worrying about having a nearby power outlet).
VoIP phones, IP cameras, and wireless access points are examples of devices that utilize PoE technology. PoE switches are becoming increasingly common as a result of the last two categories of devices. Nowadays, consumers place a high value on flexible network architecture, and a PoE switch allows you to connect any sort of device while recognizing PoE-compatible devices (such as IP cameras) and immediately enabling power.
The PoE technology clearly provides a number of benefits and can be found implemented on both unmanaged and managed switches, but it will undoubtedly raise the price (and sometimes even the size of the switch).
Desktop, Rackmount or Wall-mount
A switch should have all three options, however, depending on the size, the rack-mounting option may not be practical. A desktop switch is normally mounted horizontally with four feet on the bottom, but it can also be wall-mounted.
Rackmount switches, on the other hand, will only have this location (on a rack) as an option (the case will not have a screen or LED on top), and some switches will have rackmount ears integrated into the body of the switch.
Advantages of Using A PoE Switch For IP Cameras
Let’s have a look at why you should use a PoE switch instead of a standard switch for your IP cameras.
More Convenient
For IP cameras, PoE switches are more convenient. Because if you use a standard switch, you must provide ethernet from one cable and utilize a separate power source cable for your IP cameras. So there are two cords for each camera. Not to mention a power outlet for each of your cameras.
However, if you utilize a PoE switch, one wire can serve as both. That is, there will be fewer cable and power sockets to look at in your home. It will be both aesthetically pleasing and convenient for your home.
Easy and Cheap Installation
If you choose a standard switch, the cost of the switch may be less than that of a PoE switch. However, keep in mind that you will need to purchase additional power connector cables, and ethernet cables, and install a different socket for each camera. As a result, the total cost will be substantially more than that of a PoE switch.
A PoE switch, on the other hand, can save you a lot of money on additional power cables and sockets. Furthermore, you avoid the headache of installing electrical outlets and cable labor. As a result, installation is also simple.
PoE switches are Safer
IEEE802.3af technology is used by the majority of PoE switches. As a result, using a PoE switch poses little to no risk to your camera.
A regular voltage up or down in your electrical grid, on the other hand, can fry your cameras. Furthermore, installing a connection for your IP cameras outside your home is not a good idea. Because these sockets can create accidents during natural disasters.
As a result, a PoE switch is far safer than alternative options.
Uninterrupted Connection
You can have continuous conception if you employ a UPS with your PoE switch. Because they will continue to function in the event of a power outage or blackout.
Non-PoE switches, on the other hand, cannot power your camera even with a UPS. As a result, your security system may fail during a blackout.
More Reliable Than Wireless IP Camera System
If you don’t want to use a switch, you could install a wireless IP camera system. However, there is a catch.
Because regardless of how much your wireless IP camera costs. It will still cause a lot of lag and disturbances in the video feed. A cable connection is always more reliable and powerful than a wireless one. Using a wired system and a PoE switch is therefore always a good choice.
Here are some questions and answers about PoE switches for home.
FAQs
Which is the best home PoE switch?
It is entirely dependent on your requirements. However, it is recommended that you get a switch with IEEE802.3af technology, more ports and power consumption than you require, and gigabit ports.
Do I need a gigabit switch for IP cameras?
Most IP cameras use 100 Mbps and do not require a gigabit switch to function. However, if you use a PoE switch, a gigabit switch will be beneficial in preventing bottlenecks in your system.
Do I need a managed switch for IP cameras?
A managed PoE switch, on the other hand, is superior for connecting and controlling a variety of items. However, for standard residential use with only IP cameras, a managed PoE switch may be excessive. So, if you utilize the switch for a variety of devices and enjoy configuring your network, go for it. Otherwise, a controlled switch is unnecessary.
Conclusion
If you have decided to build a POE camera system at your house or business, you must first prepare specific devices for installation. A POE switch is one such device that is frequently required when the included NVR does not have enough ports or if there is no NVR in the system. This switch essentially provides direct connection ports for POE cameras to connect to your PC or NVR.
Today, you can find the best POE switches on our list, complete with full specifications for each selection. If you’re concerned about purchasing an incompatible alternative, simply read our buying guide for the finest POE switches, which includes extra information regarding POE switches in general.
