POE camera system offers a great advantage where you can connect all of the cameras to the source via a single LAN cable. These cables carry the power as well as footage captured on the cameras to the NVR. Therefore, you can save yourself the hassle of complicated installation procedures. While buying a POE switch, you need to take of a few aspects such as:
Number of Ports: The number of ports available on the POE switch directly relates to the number of CCTV cameras that you can connect with the system. For every single camera, you will need a separate port. Therefore, buying a POE switch that has a higher number of ports is a better option for future proof usage. Bandwidth Capacity: Most POE camera security systems offer remote access via dedicated apps and software that means you can watch the video footage over the internet. But, it is only possible when the switch has a high bandwidth capacity and does not bottleneck the performance of the NVR. Wattage Capacity: The function of a POE switch is also to provide power input to the cameras apart from transferring the data. Thus, you should carefully check the power capacity of the POE switch and make sure that it can power all of the installed CCTV cameras in your system.
Along with the features mentioned above, you need to consider many other aspects before buying a POE switch. Therefore, we are presenting a list of the best POW switches available in the market, along with detailed specifications as well as a few pros and cons. As for the important features of a POE switch, we will discuss them in detail in our “Buying Guide” for the best POE switch.
Best POE Switch
Best POE Switch Reviews
1. NETGEAR 8-Port POE Switch
Check Price On eBay NETGEAR is a trusted brand name for network-related devices such as routers, modems and switches. Therefore, we are putting the POE switch from NETGEAR on top of our list. Coming in the first place, we have the NETGEAR Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged PoE Switch. As this is one of the unmanaged switches from our list, it comes with preset factory settings and works as a plug and play device. There are 8-gigabit ports provided on this switch with a total power capacity of 123 watts. All of these ports are POE+ ports that do not require any software or configuration to work. You can connect the NETGEAR Ethernet Unmanaged PoE Switch easily with your system. You can mount it on your desk, on the wall or even on a rackmount without any issue. You will find all of the necessary mounting hardware included within the package. The best part about this particular POE switch is that it is backed with a limited lifetime warranty. Therefore, you get a lifetime assurance on the device, which is excellent for a long term application. Best Features
Highly reliable choice from NETGEAR Eight ports are available POE+ ports 123 watts total power budget Plug and play type device 24/7 support from the brand Limited lifetime warranty
Pros
Highly efficient in terms of energy Low noise output Suitable for an official location
Cons
Expensive for an eight-port six POE switch
2. TP-Link 5-Port POE Switch
Check Price On Walmart TP-Link is probably the most popular name for network appliances, and you must see TP-Link made routers almost everywhere. If you also have a TP-Link router on your network, the following will be an excellent choice for a POE switch. In the 2nd place, we have yet another highly reliable choice of brand for a POE switch. If you are looking for long term performance, don’t miss out on the TP-Link TL-SG1005P V2 POE switch. Although, this is a low-end choice as it only features 5 POE+ ports. Therefore, it is only suitable for smaller networks. Although, all ports offer up to 1000 Mbps speed with 30 watts power output each. The total power budget of the TP-Link TL-SG1005P V2 POE switch is about 65 watts. While you will not need any software to use the switch, you will get high-performance thanks to the 802.1p quality of service and IGMP technology. It is also built with durable metal on the outside, with desktop and wall mounting options provided. There is a lifetime warranty period provided from TP-Link on this unit. Best Features
Highly reliable POE switch Five ports are available POE+ ports 65 watts total power budget 30 watts power per port IGMP technology Limited lifetime warranty
Pros
Built quality is great Suitable for desktop as well as wall mounting Gigabit port available
Cons
Not ideal for future upgrading
3. Linksys 16-Port POE Switch
Check Price On Walmart Linksys is a great choice of brand for commercial-grade applications. All of the products designed by Linksys, such as the POE switch given here, are made for a heavy and long-lasting application. Here, we have an unmanaged POE switch coming from Linksys. The Linksys LGS116P Business switch gives you 16 ports provided under a metal outer body. It has a very high bandwidth capacity that goes up to 32 Gbps which is certainly ideal for professional work. As for the wired connection, you will be getting about 1 Gbps speed with the switch. There are 8 POE+ ports provided on this switch, while the rest of the ports are POE. You will get a total power budget of 80 watts on this unit. The POE+ ports are decent enough for all types of applications and consume only about 14 watts of power when operational. The Linksys LGS116P switch is packed with the latest network standard to make sure that you get the best performance irrespective of your security system. Even the ports will automatically sense the application and distribute the bandwidth accordingly. The Linksys LGS116P Business switch has one year of warranty. Best Features
Suitable choice for professional application 16 ports are available The First eight ports are POE+ ports 80 watts total power budget Plug and play type device 1-year warranty
Pros
Many ports are provided 32 Gbps bandwidth Up to 1 Gbps speed on wired connections
Cons
The total power budget is not suitable for a large security system
4. BV-Tech 6 Port POE Switch
BV-Tech is known for providing affordable choices when it comes to network-related devices. The POE switch from BV-Tech is the cheapest option in the market right now. Our 3rd pick for the best POE switch is the BV-Tech PoE+ Switch. Despite being the cheapest option on our picks, it still offers 6 ports in total with 4 POE+ ports and two additional Ethernet ports for different types of connections. This makes it much faster to connect the device with your network. The first POE+ port on the BV-Tech 6 Port PoE+ Switch is a high powered port providing 60 watts power output. Up next, you will get 30 watts output on the rest of the POE+ port. The total power budget of the BV-Tech 6 Port PoE+ Switch is about 60 watts that include the DC adapter. The maximum POE transmission distance for the BV-Tech 6 Port PoE+ Switch ranges from 100 all the way up to 250 meters which is great if you are introducing the switch in a home security system. There is a built0in PD detection system on this switch that will make sure all of the connected devices get the proper power supply. It comes with one year of manufacturer’s warranty and lifetime technical support from the brand. Best Features
Cheapest POE switch in the market Six ports are available 4 POE+ ports 2 Ethernet uplink ports High powered port with 60 watts output 30 watts power output on other POE ports Up to 250 meter long connections are supported
Pros
Lifetime support available from brand It comes with a year of warranty Automatic PD detection
Cons
The number of POE switches are low
5. Ubiquiti 8 Port POE Switch
Check Price On Walmart If you are looking for managed switches, then Ubiquity is bringing a great choice for you. This will offer you more control over the performance of your POE switch. The Ubiquiti UniFi US-8 is also an eight-port switch like most of the options in the market. But the ports on this POE switch are managed ports which means that you can fully configure the switch according to your requirement. It makes the device highly versatile and suitable for tech-savvy users. Even in the compact form factor, you get gigabit ports on the device. A port on the Ubiquiti UniFi US-8 also has a POE passthrough so that you can easily connect all types of devices to the switch. The total supported bandwidth on the Ubiquiti UniFi US-8 is about 8 Gbps. The ports are also compatible with port forwarding so that the switch can process traffic from all ports simultaneously and avoid problems like network drop or packet loss. The switching capacity of the POE switches allows it up to 16 Gbps of bandwidth. It also comes with a year of warranty from the date of purchase from Ubiquiti. Best Features
Eight ports are available Fully managed POE switch Compact form factor POE passthrough compatible port Gigabit Ethernet ports 8 Gbps bandwidth capacity
Pros
Supports a switching capacity of 16 Gbps It has a pass-through port Good choice for low budget systems
Cons
The total power budget is low
6. Cisco 8 Port POE Switch
Check Price On Walmart Cisco is bringing you yet another efficient choice for all sorts of applications. Apart from the POE switch given here, Cisco also makes WiFi access points and Gigabit Ethernet ports. There are a total of 8 POE ports available on the Cisco SG250-08HP Smart Switch with 10/100/1000 bandwidth configuration. In simpler words, all of the eight ports are gigabit ports that support up to 1000 Mbps bandwidth. The total power budget of this POE switch is about 45 watts. It is also very easy to set up and use with the WebUI provided for the switch. Some other features of the Cisco SG250-08HP Smart Switch include network manager, PnP and zero-touch configuration. The Cisco SG250-08HP Smart Switch also supports static routing and VLANs along with IGMP technology for best performance. Even though Cisco is a lesser-known brand in the market, it is offering a limited lifetime warranty period on the Cisco SG250-08HP Smart Switch. On top of that, you also get a year of technical support from the team and free of cost software support. Best Features
Highly reliable POE switch Eight ports are available 10/100/1000 configuration 45 watts total power budget Easy to use WebUI Static routing supported Limited lifetime warranty
Pros
Many additional features are available Smart switches with gigabit Ethernet support Lifetime protection is provided
Cons
Low total power budget
7. D-Link 8-Port POE Switch
Check Price On Walmart D-Link is a similarly trusted brand as TP-Link and offers almost identical alternatives for various network-related equipment. D-Link also has a decent POE switch, as given below. The D-Link PoE Switch is a perfect option for low profile installations where you either don’t have a lot of available space or simply don’t wish to clutter the space with yet another network device. It has a total of 8 ports, out of which four ports are POE+. You will get up to 30 watts power output from each of these POE+ ports and a total budget power capacity of 68 watts. It is backed by IEEE 802 3af as well as IEEE 802 3ar standard on all ports for better efficiency. As this is an unmanaged type of POE switch, you will be able to enjoy a simple and straightforward installation. All you will have to do is connect the switch with the router/NVR and the cameras, and your POE camera security system is ready to go. It is highly reliable and designed with durable material to offer long-lasting build quality. Even though it is a budget-friendly choice for a POE switch, it comes with a limited lifetime warranty period that is definitely beneficial in all cases. Best Features
Compact and affordable POE switch 4 POE+ ports Eight ports in total Up to 30 watts power capacity per port 68 watts total power budget Efficient energy consumption Limited lifetime warranty
Pros
Come with a lifetime warranty period Reliable build quality Unmanaged gigabit POE switch
Cons
Only 4 POE+ ports are provided
8. MokerLink 24 Port POE Switch
Now, we will feature some high-end options for a POE switch that will be suitable for commercial usage. MokerLink is one of the brands that design very high-end POE switches. If you need a large number of POE ports on the switch, you don’t have to browse through a lot of options. There are only a handful of choices like the MokerLink PoE Switch that comes with a wide range of compatibility. This particular POE switch consists of 24 POE ports which are higher than what any other brand will offer you. There are also two additional gigabit Ethernet ports provided on the unit. Although, the bandwidth for the POE ports is limited to 100 Mbps, whereas the bandwidth on gigabit Ethernet ports is up to 1000 Mbps. If you wish to connect a large number of cameras or other POE devices to the switch, the MokerLink 24 Port PoE Switch will work out best for you. It has maximum support for up to 400 watts of power output. And the power supply is built-in on the unit, which makes it much easier to install. By the way, all of the ports on MokerLink 24 Port PoE Switch are managed and come with default configurations. You can also turn on the extended mode on the switch and get support for 250 meter long installations. Best Features
Premium POE switch 24 POE ports are available 400 watts maximum power capacity 30 watts power output on each port Extend function for up to 250-meter installations 1-year warranty
Pros
Suitable for large security system Very high total power budget Supports long-distance installation
Cons
Not suitable for domestic applications
9. STEAMEMO 16-Port POE Switch
Check Price On Walmart STEAMEMO is our last choice for the best POE switches and is bringing a cheaper alternative for professional applications. In the end, we have a 16 port POE switch from STEAMEMO. All of the 16 ports on this switch are POE ports, with two additional gigabit uplink ports provided on the array. The ports are compliant with the 802.3 af/at standard, which is important considering you will be using the switch 24/7. The total power budget of the STEAMEMO PoE Switch is 200 watts which should be enough for the given capacity of POE devices. Each of the POE ports allows a maximum of 100 Mbps bandwidth, whereas the gigabit ports support up to 1000 Mbps bandwidth capacity. The power capacity for every individual POE port is nearly 30 watts, which should be good enough to power any standard POE camera. The STEAMEMO PoE Switch also offers smart connection detection that manages the supply of power and stops power transmission to non-POE connections. You will be able to connect devices to the switch from as far as 820 feet. Best Features
Affordable commercial POE switch It comes with 16 POE ports 200 watts maximum power budget Up to 30 watts power output per port Automatic PD detection 100 Mbps POE ports Two additional Gigabit ports
Pros
A higher number of ports are provided Great maximum power budget 2 additional Gigabit ports for desktop connections
Cons
Ports operate at only 30 watts of power output
Buying Guide For The Best POE Switch
Buying a POE switch is certainly not an easy task, especially if you are not familiar with local network and network-related devices. In most cases, users get professional help to install the POE security camera system in their homes. But, it becomes problematic when a certain problem arises in the system. If you are not familiar with the installation or working of the system, you will need professional help every time there is a minuscule problem in the system. But, all of that can be avoided if you get a decent POE switch and other necessary parts of the system yourself and install them by following the guidelines available with each unit. As for buying the best option, we are featuring a buying guide for the best POE switch in which we will discuss the most important specifications of a POE switch. Here, you can understand various unfamiliar terms in detail and choose the device that offers the best features according to your understanding.
Total Power Budget
For a POE switch, you can consider the power available at each port and make sure that it is sufficient for a single CCTV camera in your POE camera security system. But, you also need to consider the total power budget of the unit and make sure that it is capable of powering all of the CCTV camera units in your system. If the POE switch fails to provide sufficient power to the cameras, you might notice a loss of footage or improper output from the cameras, which is a big disadvantage for a surveillance system. Therefore, you must choose a POE switch that has a high power budget so that it can efficiently power your current system as well as allow upgrades in the system later on.
Number of Ports
The available number of ports is definitely going to be a deciding factor for almost all buyers as it represents the capacity of the switch and its compatibility with the POE security system. The available ports on the POE switch must be equal to or higher than the number of cameras in your POE system. This way, you will not end up with an extra CCTV that cannot be connected to the system, leaving a blind spot in the network. You will mostly find a higher number of ports on a POE+ switch as compared with the POE switches.
Managed vs Unmanaged Switches
Another major difference in various POE switches is whether the switches are managed or unmanaged. Both of these options are quite different from one another based on functionality and price range. Unmanaged switches are basically plug and play type switches that do not require any configuration at the time of installation. To use these switches, all you have to do is plug the cables in, and you are good to go. Managed switches, on the other hand, offer great functionality as they are configurable by the user. Considering your application, you may or may not require this additional functionality. Thus, you should carefully choose the right type of switches for your system.
Bandwidth Capacity
POE cameras also require a network connection that is provided by the POE switch apart from the power input. There are different types of POE switches available in terms of bandwidth capacity. While some will offer you bandwidth capacity between 10 to 100 Mbps, some include gigabit ports with up to 1 Gbps speed. With a gigabit POE switch, you can rest assured that the network connection with your CCTV cameras will not be bottlenecked, and you will receive intact video as well as audio recordings from the cameras. High bandwidth POE switches also allow you to install better quality cameras in your systems, such as 2k or even 4k cameras. Also, gigabit POE switches are quite affordable nowadays. Thus, a little additional investment on a gigabit POE switch is highly recommended.
Reliability
The performance of your POE security system completely depends upon the performance of your POE switch as it connects all of the cameras to the destination drive. If a certain port or the POE switch itself fails, you will see instant failure in your surveillance system. And while you decide to buy a replacement for the damaged POE switch, your system will not be functional, which is not an ideal situation. But, all of these can be avoided if you get a reliable POE switch. Simply prefer the switch with better build quality or a more extended warranty period to get the most value for your money.
Conclusion
If you have decided to install a POE camera system at your home or your workplace, you will have to get certain devices ready to install beforehand. One such device is a POE switch which is often required when there are not enough ports provided on the included NVR or if there is no NVR in the system. This switch basically offers you direct connection ports with POE cameras to connect with your computer or NVR. You can find the best POE switches on our guide today, with detailed specifications provided with each option. In case you are worried about buying an incompatible option, just read our buying guide for the best POE switches, where you can find additional information about POE switches in general. You can also choose one of our top recommendations to present below.
For commercial installations, you will need a lot of cameras and also, a lot of ports to connect each of these cameras. Thus, our best recommendation for such an application is the MokerLink 24 Port POE Switch. This POE switch offers 24 ports and a total power capacity of 400 watts which should be enough for up to 24 standard devices. Not a lot of brands available out there will offer you a lifetime warranty period on a POE switch. Therefore, our next suggestion is the NETGEAR 8-Port POE Switch. It offers a decent power capacity of 123 watts along with a limited lifetime warranty period. You can connect up to 8 POE cameras with the NETGEAR Unmanaged POE Switch. Finally, we will leave you with the BV-Tech 6 Port POE Switch. This is by far the cheapest POE switch in the market. It supports 6 POE cameras with a total power capacity of about 60 watts. Thus, it is a perfect option for home installations with few cameras. You will also get a year of warranty on the BV-Tech 6 Port PoE+ Switch.
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