Summary of common problems with PoE switches

Common problems with PoE switches and related solutions

The development momentum of PoE power supply technology is getting better and better. With its advantages such as simplified installation, deployment, energy saving and security of electrical equipment, PoE is becoming more and more widely used. Many users may not know much about PoE switches. Through this article, we explain some common problems related to PoE.

1. PoE power supply is so convenient and has such a wide range of applications, but is it stable?

From a technical perspective, PoE has been developed for many years, so it is in a relatively stable stage, and standard PoE power supply is sufficient and stable. However, due to low cost pressure in the current market, the selection of PoE switches is relatively poor, or due to program constraints, excessive loading, etc., it is easy to cause unstable power supply. Remember, it’s not the PoE power issue, it’s the human factor.

In security projects, the amount of data transmission is quite large, and the power requirements are very high, and it requires uninterrupted operation around the clock. Therefore, the use of guaranteed PoE equipment and wires is a guarantee for the stability of the entire system.

2. Does PoE power supply really save power?

We often say that one of the great advantages of PoE power supply is energy saving, so in what aspects does PoE power supply save power? Let’s take the Gonet GN series switch as an example to illustrate.

The PoE switch will automatically adjust the power supply according to the power supply device. For example, when the loaded camera automatically turns on the heating function at low temperatures, the power consumption will increase. Then the switch will automatically adjust the power supply power according to the condition of the camera at this time.

We have said that when the switch supplies power, it needs to go through several stages, from the beginning to provide a small voltage for testing, to the final stable power supply. When a fault occurs, the power will be automatically cut off to maintain the safety of the equipment.

3. Is the bigger the power of the PoE switch, the better?

Since current monitoring equipment has many high-power devices, switch manufacturers tend to develop PoE switches with higher power. However, many products on the market only pursue the provision of total power and do not take into account the number of ports. When the power is increased, the overall cost of the equipment will also increase, and the purchase cost will naturally increase. Therefore, when purchasing, users must choose an appropriate switch based on the actual situation. The bigger the power, the better.

4. What are the risks associated with PoE during power supply?

A. Insufficient power. The 820.af standard PoE output power is less than 15.4w, which is enough for general IPC, but for high-power PD, the output power cannot meet the requirements;

B. Risks are too concentrated. Generally speaking, a PoE switch will supply power to multiple front-end IPCs at the same time. If the power supply module of the switch fails, it will affect the work of all cameras, and the risk is quite concentrated;

C. High equipment and maintenance costs: Compared with other power supply methods, PoE power supply technology will increase the workload of after-sales maintenance. From a safety perspective, independent power supply has the best stability.

5. Do I have to buy a standard PoE switch? Can non-standard ones not be used?

Choose standard or non-standard, this mainly depends on the AP and IP power supply

What voltage does the Camera support? 48, 24, 12v. If it is 48v, you need to choose a standard PoE switch; if it is 24 or 12v, you need to find a corresponding non-standard switch. Of course, standard ones are also available, but if you buy a standard one, you need to equip it with a PD splitter.

From the description, we can see that sometimes non-standard switches are available, and the price will be relatively low, but we still remind everyone to buy standard switches. Because non-standard switches do not have PoE chips and do not detect the equipment, it is easy to cause a short circuit and burn the equipment, which may burn out the ports or cause a fire in the worst case. Standard switches will detect when powered on to avoid burning the equipment.

6. Is the reliability of standard PoE switches necessarily high?

The reliability of equipment is closely related to the use environment. Commercial switches are generally used indoors, while industrial switches are used outdoors in harsher environments. PoE power supply lines generally consist of a switching part and an external power supply that supplies power to PoE. Therefore, the power supply is responsible for the entire power supply, so reliability is of utmost importance. Therefore, if a standard PoE switch supplies power, the line will be relatively stable.