PoE Switch vs Non-PoE Switch: Which One to Choose?

Instead of non-PoE switch, the PoE switch is more commonly used to build the wireless network. Well, what are PoE switch and non-PoE switch? What is the difference between PoE switch vs non-PoE switch? Which one to choose? In this article, we will share some insights and help solve the above questions.

PoE Switch vs Non-PoE Switch: What Are They?

To understand the PoE switch, we’d better know Power over Ethernet first. PoE is a revolutionary technology that allows network cable to provide both data and power for the PoE-enabled devices. The PoE can provide higher power and reduce a lot of power cables during network. Usually, it is used for VoIP phones, network cameras, and some wireless access points.

PoE switch is a networking device with PoE passthrough which has multiple Ethernet ports to connect network segments. It not only transmits network data but also supplies power via a length of Ethernet network cable, like Cat5 or Cat6. The types of hubs can be classified into 8/12/24/48 port Gigabit PoE switch, or unmanaged and managed PoE network switch. Among the various port designs, the 8 port PoE switch is considered as a decent option for home network and 24 port PoE switch is popular for the business network.

Non-PoE switch, just as the name, is the normal switch, which can only send data to network devices. There is no PoE in the normal switch to supply electrical power for end users over Ethernet.

PoE Switch vs Non-PoE Switch: What’s the Difference?

The biggest difference between PoE switch and non-PoE switch is the PoE accessibility. As mentioned above, the PoE switch is PoE enabled while the non-PoE switch is not PoE enabled.

For PoE switch, you can mix PoE and non-PoE devices on the same one. Because if there is no need to use power, you can turn off the PoE of the PoE switch and use it as a regular witch. However, non-PoE switch can’t support the mixing of PoE and non-PoE devices.

For non-PoE switch, it can be PoE ready only by installing a PoE injector to power a few devices. The injector is able to add electrical power and then transmits both data and power to power devices simultaneously. Users require one extra cable to connect power outlets. In this solution, if a PoE injector goes out, it only affects one device. But if the PoE goes out in a PoE switch, all PoE devices will be down.

PoE switch vs non-PoE switch

Figure 1: PoE switch vs non-PoE switch

PoE Switch vs Non-PoE Switch: Which One to Choose?

Many users may encounter this problem. Should we choose PoE switch or non-PoE switch? Though the non-PoE network switch can also acquire PoE by installing injector. But PoE switch has some advantages over the non-PoE switch.

Flexibility – The PoE switch is powered through existing PoE network infrastructure and eliminates the demand for additional electrical wiring. This gives you flexibility to employ the switch wherever you need.

Good performance – PoE switch is designed with advanced features like high-performance hardware and software, auto-sensing PoE compatibility, strong network security and environmental adaptability. It provides better performance for users.

Cost-efficient – There is no need for users to purchase and deploy additional electrical wires and outlets with PoE switch. Therefore, it makes great savings on installation and maintenance costs.

Conclusion

After the comparison of PoE switch vs non-PoE switch, do you know which one to choose? Actually, it depends on your real needs. FS is a good place to go for the reliable and cheap PoE or non-PoE network switch. Welcome to contact us if you have any needs about it.

Related Article: 24 Port Managed PoE Switch: How Can We Benefit From It?

How to Choose an 8 Port Gigabit Switch?

There are many different network switch in the market and it comes with 8, 16, 24 or 48 ports. Among them, 8 port Gigabit switch is regarded as a cost-effective choice for small-sized families and business use. Then, how to choose an 8 port Gigabit switch? Are there any recommendations for it?

How to Choose an 8 Port Gigabit Switch?

The 8 port Gigabit switch is available in several types, including PoE or Non-PoE, managed or unmanaged, stackable or standalone. The following will tell you how to choose an 8 port switch from these types.

Power over Ethernet (PoE) or Non-PoE Switch

There is no doubt that a Gigabit PoE switch is better than the Non-PoE one. A Gigabit PoE switch is able to transmit both data and power supply over the existing Ethernet cable to network device at the same time. It can help reduce the cabling complexity and save the cost of installation and maintenance. Usually, it is used for VoIP phones, network cameras and some wireless access points. The 8 port Gigabit PoE switch is one of the most popular PoE switches for IP camera system.

Unmanaged or Managed Switch

Unmanaged switch, as a plug & play switch, has limited performance and doesn’t support any configuration interface or options. While managed switches can offer good protection of the data plane, control plane, and management plane. Besides, it is also able to incorporate Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) to provide path redundancy in the Ethernet network. Additionally, managed switch enables more bandwidth to be contributed through the network. This function brings higher network performance and better transmission of delay-sensitive data. For your home use, a managed 8 port Gigabit switch may be a better choice.

Stackable or Standalone Switch

In the use of standalone switches, each switch is managed and configured as an individual entity. However, with the improvement of the network, you will need more switches to connect the devices. So the stackable switch has emerged. Compared to the use of multiple standalone switches, stackable switches provide simplicity, scalability, and flexibility to your network.

8 Port Gigabit Switch Recommendation

FS S1150-8T2F 8 port Gigabit PoE+ managed switch has 8x 10/100/1000Base-T RJ45 Ethernet ports, 1x console port, and 2x Gigabit SFP slots. The transmission distance of its SFP fiber port can be up to 120km, and with high resistance to electromagnetic interference. Besides, this switch complies with PoE+ standard for higher power capacity than PoE standard. It is highly flexible that controls L2-l7 data based on physical port and has powerful ACL functions to access. It also features superior performance in stability, environmental adaptability. This 8 port switch is best fit for weather-proof IP cameras with windshield wiper and heater, high-performance AP and IP telephone.

8 port Gigabit switch

Figure 1: 8 port Gigabit switches

Conclusion

The 8 port Gigabit switch is a cost-effective and efficient solution to satisfy the demands of bandwidth-intensive networking applications. Before buying an 8 port Gigabit switch, you’d better take the quality, power requirement, price, into consideration. If you are looking for the best 8 port Gigabit switch, FS.COM would be one of your proper choices.

Related Article: Using 8 Port PoE Switch for IP Surveillance System

Use 8 Port PoE Switch for IP Surveillance

With increasing privacy awareness and demand for security monitoring, IP surveillance has been widely used in the current society: in public supermarket, hotel, enterprise and even home. PoE network switch is used to provide both power and data connection to IP cameras in surveillance system. For small and medium-sized business or home application, 8 port PoE switch is a good choice.

8 port PoE switch for IP Surveillance

Figure 1: Using FS 8 port PoE switch for IP surveillance.

Why Use 8 Port PoE Switch for IP Surveillance?

Usually, 8 port PoE switch is used for supply power to powered devices (PD) for placing flexibility, including IP phones, IP phones and wireless access points (WAP). Some vendors like FS provide 8 port PoE switch with high resistance to electromagnetic interference and severe environment adaptability. This guarantee the smooth operation of weather-proof IP cameras and the stability of the whole IP surveillance system. Moreover, with all IP surveillance components centralized together with PoE switch, it is more convenient for management and control.

What Are the Considerations for Choosing 8 Port PoE Switch?

For an IP surveillance system with very few IP cameras, one can simply add a PoE injector (midspan) between the non-PoE Ethernet switch and IP cameras. This is a cost-effective solution for elementary IP surveillance system because an 8 port PoE switch is usually more expensive than a PoE injector. However, what about more than 4 IP connections are required? In this case, PoE switch 8 port is absolutely a better way to go. Here are some considerations one should refer to while selecting a proper 8 port PoE switch for IP surveillance.

·The Power Consumption of IP Camera

Knowing the power consumption of each IP camera helps to choose an 8 port PoE switch with corresponding per port power consumption and the total power budget. The power consumption of PoE IP cameras can reach up to 20W (PTZ IP cameras RLC-423), and be as low as 3 or 4W. Just remember that your 8 port PoE switch should be able to provide power for each IP camera and won’t exceed its total power budget.

·Max. Power Consumption of 8 Port PoE Switch

There are two PoE standards: IEEE802.3af and IEEE802.3at. IEEE802.3af PoE standard can deliver 15.4W maximum power on each port of the switch, and 12.95W power available at PDs. IEEE802.3at is a PoE+ standard with 30W per port and 25.5W available for transmission. Each PoE switch has power consumption specifications for per port and as a whole. For example, FS S1130-8T2F 8 port PoE switch complies with both IEEE802.3af and IEEE802.3at. Per port maximum power consumption is 30W and total budget of the PoE switch is 130W. For higher power budget, FS S1250-8T2F 8 port PoE switch can reach up to 250W. Make sure the maximum power supply of the whole switch is more than your IP cameras’ budget, or some of your IP cameras may won’t be provided with enough power. This is also the cause for poor performance and video loss.

·Managed or Unmanaged

Unmanaged 8 port PoE switch is a “dumb” plug-and-play one with fixed configuration, which runs in the most basic form with no management functionality. Managed one is an advanced version with superior functionality, configuration customization and remote security control. For heavy-workload networks with management requirement, managed 8 port PoE switch is obviously a future-proof way to go. It is noted that smart partly-managed PoE switch is a choice for functional and cost-efficient concerns. But for IP surveillance, choosing managed 8 port PoE switch is and will continue to be a future-proof solution.

There are other factors one may concern about, such as 1U form factor for space budget and stackable one for network expansion. Customized demand may be required for some special occasions. For instance, a fanless design is important for silent operation in libraries, classrooms and laboratories. FS S1130-8T2F 8 port PoE switch can meet the need. The best way is to list all those points you care about, then check each one for the targeted PoE switch.

How to Install 8 Port PoE Switch in IP Surveillance System?

An IP surveillance system comprises PoE switch, IP cameras, NVR and Ethernet cabling. To illustrate how to use PoE switch for IP surveillance, we’ll take FS S1130-8T2F 8 port PoE switch as example. This PoE+ switch has 8 x 10/100/1000Base-T RJ45 Ethernet ports and 2 x gigabit SFP ports, with IEEE 802.3af/at compatible, which means it supports 30W maximum power consumption.

To set up an 8 port PoE switch for IP surveillance, you can refer to the following tips. First connect all IP cameras and NVRs with RJ45 ports on PoE switch. Then connect LAN/WAN with SFP ports. It is noted that for non-PoE cameras, a splitter is required as a medium to connect PoE switch with IP camera. The following picture shows the detail information for installation.

FS 8 port PoE switch application

Figure 2: Installing FS S1130-8T2F 8 port PoE switch for IP Surveillance.

Conclusion

PoE switch provides placement flexibility, space and cost saving, and management convenience to IP surveillance system. For buying 8 port PoE switch, one should concern about power consumption of IP cameras and PoE switch, managed one for superior functionality and other customized requirements. Generally an 8 port PoE switch can satisfy a small sized IP surveillance system. For medium and bigger sized systems, FS also provides managed PoE switch with 24 and 48 port. Welcome to visit our official website for more detail information.

8 Port PoE Switch Selection Guide And Tips

POE(Power over Ethernet) is ideal for using in smart applications which makes CCTV even more effective and easier to manage. The network can be monitored, controlled, and managed from a smartphone or tablet. With a POE switch such as the Netgear ProSAFE 8 port switch, remote IP surveillance cameras can be controlled and managed no matter where they are located. Facing the selection of 8 port PoE switch, most of people would occur allodoxaphobia. For fixing this hard-decision problem, this article would put emphasis on 8 port PoE switch selection guide and tips.

8 Port PoE switch-FS.COM

Overview on 8 Port PoE switch

There is a variety of 8 port PoE switches with different brands. Today, we would take FS.COM 8 port switch as an example to introduce 8 port PoE switches. FS.COM S1130-8T2F managed PoE+ switch comes with 8x 10/100/1000Base-T RJ45 Ethernet ports, 1x console port, and 2x gigabit SFP slots. It can supply power to network equipment such as weather-proof IP cameras with windshield wiper and heater, high-performance AP and IP telephone. This managed PoE+ switch are highly flexible, the transmission distance of the SFP fiber port can be up to 120km, and with high resistance to electromagnetic interference. It also features superior performance in stability, environmental adaptability. FS.COM PoE+ Gigabit switch comes with a one-year limited warranty, including any quality problems during the free maintenance. The detailed specification of FS.COM S1130-8T2F managed PoE+ 8 port switch is shown in the below.

Switch Class Layer2+
Switch Chip VITESSE
Fans Fanless Design
Jumbo frames Up to 9KB
Power Consumption Per PoE Port Max. 30W
Max. Power Consumption 130W
Power Supply Input 100-240VAC, 50-60Hz
Switching Capacity 20Gbps
Forwarding Rate 14.88Mpps
Packet Buffer Memory 4M
PoE Standard Compliant with IEEE802.3af/at
VLANs Up to 4K
Web Management Interface Supported
Power Pin Type End-span

8 Port PoE switch Selection Guide & Tips

—Power Requirements

Review the data sheets of the camera’s you have specified on the installation to see if any have higher power requires known as PoE+. If you have 1 or more camera’s requiring PoE+ power you will need to heavily consider this when choosing your switch. (Please note PoE+ switches will happily power standard PoE devices but a standard PoE switch cannot power any PoE+ device, regardless of the amount of wattage unused by the other connected equipment). However some switches are designed to power both PoE and PoE+ devices, please check the specification sheet of that exact switch model to see if this is possible on your selection. If this is the case you will usually find a the switch will handle half the PoE+ devices it will PoE e.g. An 8 port switch can power 8 standard PoE devices or 4 PoE+ devices.

—Cable Run Length

Make sure when planning your network you do not have cable runs longer than 90 meters. This is particularly important when using PoE due to voltage drop. PoE is particularly hard to measure voltage on so if you break the 90 meter cable rule you could be in for a world of pain if devices do not operate correctly.

—8 Port Switch Price

There are many 8 port PoE switches of major brands on the market, such as Cisco, Netgear, HP, TP-Link and etc. The 8 port switch price varies in difference brands. But they all controlled in a certain range, it’s around $40~$300. For brand selection of 8 port PoE switch, that depends on your preference. You can check the price discrepancy with major brands in the following table. Notice: All the following prices except FS.COM are from Amazon.

Brand Model Price
Cisco SF302-08P 8-Port PoE Manged Switch $153.11
NETGEAR GS108PEv3 8-Port PoE Managed Switch $79.99
FS.COM S1130-8T2F 8-Port PoE managed switch $159.00
HP 2530-8-POE+ Ethernet Switch $270.00

Conclusion

This article mainly introduce FS.COM S1130-8T2F 8 port PoE switch and provide 8 port switch selection guide and tips. How to choose a reliable supplier from so many 8 port switch manufacturers? Before buying 8 port PoE switch, the quality, power requirement, price, cable run length should be considered. As one of well-known 3rd-party optics manufacturers, FS.COM is suggested to be a good choice for 8 port PoE switch.

Getting to Know PoE Network

With the rapid development of networking, a variety of technologies have been created. In 2003, PoE (power over Ethernet) network technology has been standardized. And it is now widely used for wireless LANs (local area networks), IP cameras and VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) phones. PoE allows cables to carry both electrical power and data signal to devices. Electrical current will support the operation of devices which greatly reduces the amount of wires used for network installation. Thus, the emergence of PoE network is absolutely a good news for the development of cost-efficient networking. Next, more information about PoE network will be discussed in the following paragraphs.

PoE-network

Operating Principle of PoE

There are three basic components in PoE system – PSE, PD and Ethernet cable. PSE (power sourcing equipment) like PoE switch is the device used for delivering power to cable. PD (powered device) is the device used for receiving power from the cable. And cable will help transmit the electrical power and data signal. The electrical current will first go into the cable at the PSE end, and then come out at the PD end. Since it is the transmission of electric signal, PoE is only available to twisted pair Ethernet cabling. Also, the current is separated from data signal so that neither of them interferes with the other.

Advantages of PoE

Using the PoE network has many advantages:

  • Flexibility
    Because devices like IP cameras and wireless access points are not permanently attached to an electrical outlet, they can be located regardless of area restriction. Reinstallation is also easy to implement.
  • Safety
    PoE network is designed to be safe enough to protect network equipment from overload, underpowering, or incorrect installation.
  • Dependability
    PoE power comes from a central and universally compatible source instead of a collection of distributed wall adapters. And an uninterruptible power supply is backing up the PoE network for a more stable operation.
  • Scalability
    Owing to the electrical power available on PoE network, the installation and distribution of network connections are more simple and effective.
Applications of PoE

VoIP phones, WLAN, RFID (radio frequency identification), security cameras or access control devices are major applications for PoE network. Using PoE network enables the VoIP to receive uninterrupted power through the network, without the need for an AC outlet for each phone. And WLAN access point can be placed in different locations such as ceilings, hallways, lobbies without electrical outlets. Likewise, PoE allows RFID readers to be strategically situated in locations that optimize effectiveness. And it is cheaper to use PoE network for security cameras or access control devices on ceilings, hallways, lobbies, or outdoor areas.

Conclusions

To sum up, the advent of PoE has greatly improved the effectiveness of network. Equipment are able to be located at any place due to the power availability. And a large number of cost will be saved by eliminating unnecessary wires. This article only gives a brief introduction to the PoE network. There still has a lot for us to explore.

Related Article: Introduction to PoE Networking Architectures