Connecting security cameras over an Ethernet network has become very popular in recent years. Power over Ethernet (PoE) allows IP cameras to receive both data and power through a single Ethernet cable, making installation much simpler since you don’t have to provide a nearby power outlet for each IP camera. Choosing the right PoE switch for IP camera is crucial to building a reliable and high performing surveillance network.
Deploying a PoE switch allows you to easily expand your wired surveillance network. With the right PoE switch, you’ll have the power and reliability to add as many IP cameras as you need. In this buyer’s guide, we’ll walk you through the key factors to consider when picking the best PoE switch for your IP cameras. We’ll provide an overview of the different types of PoE switches, the key specs to look for, and provide a list of the best ones. Whether you need a basic plug-and-play PoE switch for a small home setup or a rugged, fully-managed PoE switch for a large commercial deployment, you’ll find the best option for your needs here.
List of The Best PoE Switch for IP Cameras
Check out the thorough reviews of the best PoE switch for IP cameras in 2024 below.
1. NETGEAR 24 Port Gigabit PoE Switch GS524PP
The NETGEAR GS524PP PoE+ switch provides 24 PoE+ ports with a total power budget of 300W, enough to power and connect up to 24 VoIP phones, wireless access points, IP cameras, or other PoE devices. With auto-sensing ports supporting up to 30W per port, each port automatically provides the power needed by the connected PoE device for plug-and-play connectivity.
The GS524PP switch offers simple setup with no software or configuration required. It supports both desktop and 19″ rackmount placement, and includes the necessary mounting hardware. This high-performance PoE switch comes backed by NETGEAR’s limited lifetime hardware warranty and 24/7 tech support. With a high 300W power budget, 24 auto-sensing gigabit PoE+ ports, and robust warranty, the GS524PP provides a cost-effective, reliable, and power-efficient PoE switching solution for your IP camera system projects.
Pros And Cons
2. TP-Link 16 Port Gigabit PoE Switch TL-SG116P
The TP-Link 16 port gigabit PoE switch TL-SG116P delivers reliable performance with 16 PoE+ ports providing 120W of power budget. With Extend Mode, it extends PoE transmission up to 250m (820ft), ideal for large-scale IP camera deployment. The durable metal casing and rigorous reliability testing ensure long-term durability. Intelligent features like Auto Recovery automatically reboot unresponsive PoE devices without manual intervention, guaranteeing stability. Power overload protection prevents overload by cutting lower priority ports. PD auto-detection provides required power to PoE devices efficiently.
With priority mode, ports 1-4 get transmission priority, ensuring quality for voice/video. The fanless design enables quiet operation. IGMP snooping optimizes multicast traffic, while QoS prioritizes bandwidth for sensitive applications. With comprehensive PoE management, smart functions and solid construction, the TL-SG116P PoE switch provides an optimal 16-port gigabit PoE switching solution for small and medium businesses. Its performance and reliability make it an excellent choice for powering and networking PoE devices.
Pros And Cons
3. NETGEAR 52 Port PoE Managed Switch GS752TP
The NETGEAR GS752TP PoE switch delivers blazing fast connectivity with 48 Gigabit Ethernet ports and 4 SFP ports. With 48 PoE+ ports supporting up to 30W per port, it provides a total PoE budget of 380W to power VoIP phones, wireless access points, and more. This 52 port gigabit PoE switch is easy to manage through the intuitive web browser interface and supports SNMP monitoring.
Weighing only 8.8 lbs, the compact metal housing can be rack mounted or sit on a desk. Backed by NETGEAR’s limited lifetime hardware warranty and 24/7 technical support, the GS752TP PoE switch ensures reliability and performance. With high port density, robust PoE power, and smart managed software, this PoE switch provides enterprise-level performance for SMBs at an affordable price point. The extensive feature set in a compact form factor makes the GS752TP an ideal choice for upgrading wired and wireless networks.
Pros And Cons
4. TP-Link Jetstream 24 Port Gigabit PoE Switch TL-SG2428P
The TP-Link TL-SG2428P PoE switch provides robust performance with 24 PoE+ ports delivering up to 30W per port and a total budget of 250W. Its 4 SFP slots allow for high-speed fiber connections up to 1Gbps. Integrated into the Omada SDN platform, the switch enables centralized cloud management and monitoring. Key security features like ACL, DHCP snooping, and 802.1X authentication maximize network protection.
Performance is optimized through advanced capabilities including static routing to segment internal traffic, QoS prioritization for lag-free video and voice, and IGMP snooping for efficient multimedia delivery. The PoE recovery feature automatically reboots any dropped PoE devices for maximum uptime. With a comprehensive Layer 2/3 feature set, robust security, and centralized SDN control, the TL-SG2428P PoE switch provides an enterprise-level Gigabit PoE switching solution in a compact 1U form factor.
Pros And Cons
5. NETGEAR 8 Port PoE Gigabit Switch GS308EPP
The NETGEAR PoE switch GS308EPP is an 8-port gigabit ethernet switch that provides 123W of power over ethernet budget across all ports to support PoE+ devices. With 8 PoE+ ports, it can power VoIP phones, IP cameras, wireless access points, and more. This GS308EPP switch touts easy network management through NETGEAR’s software with an intuitive interface to configure, secure, and monitor your network.
The GS308EPP operates silently, making it ideal for noise-sensitive environments. NETGEAR stands behind the product with an industry-leading 3-year limited warranty. The energy-efficient design is IEEE802.3az compliant, offering enterprise-level performance in a compact, affordable package. With robust PoE power delivery, extensive management capabilities, and NETGEAR’s reputation for reliability, the GS308EPP switch empowers users to deploy PoE devices such as IP cameras for their home and office.
Pros And Cons
6. Aumox 18 Port Gigabit PoE Switch SG518P
The Aumox 18 port PoE switch delivers powerful network performance with 16 PoE+ ports providing up to 30W per port and 2 gigabit uplink ports. Its sturdy metal casing and industrial-grade cooling fans enable stable operation across various environments while keeping noise to a minimum. With plug-and-play functionality, this unmanaged gigabit PoE switch allows for easy setup without any configuration needed – just connect the power cord and network cables and you’re ready to go.
Aumox SG518P PoE switch supports for IEEE 802.3af/at standards that ensures seamless power delivery to PoE devices. With per-port speeds up to 1000Mbps and a switching capacity of 36Gbps, this switch enables efficient high-speed data transfers ideal for bandwidth-intensive applications. The built-in 250W power supply eliminates the need for adapters and can power the full PoE load. Additional highlights include 19-inch rackmount design, wall/desk mounting options, one-key VLAN for port isolation, and advanced traffic optimization.
Pros And Cons
How To Choose The Best PoE Switch for IP Cameras?
1. Determine the applicable scope of the camera.
At present, cameras are divided into analog and digital signals according to the transmission mode. If your camera is an analog signal system, you don’t need to use a PoE switch, but if it is a network camera (IP camera), you can use this device.
2. Determine the indicators of your own camera.
Generally speaking, there are two main indicators of the camera: first, the voltage is generally 12V, and second, the power is generally 12-15W. The camera is divided into two types according to the interface: BNC interface and RJ45 interface. If your camera is a network camera, you need to determine whether it has a PoE module power receiving interface, if not, you need to buy a splitter to use the PoE device. (Note: The role of the splitter is to separate the power supply line of the PoE switch from the data transmission line, and the outlet is separated into two types of power and data.) When in use, the connector of the splitter is connected to the camera, and the data line is inserted into the RJ45 interface.
3. Determine the number of ports, managed or unmanaged, speed and other issues.
At present, the interfaces on the market are mainly 8, 12, 16, and 24 ports. There are generally one or two optical fiber ports. The rate is generally 10/100/1000M or 1G.
4. After-sales service/technology and product update.
When purchasing products, one must look at whether the product line is rich or not, which means whether the company has the ability to update the technology and products of the products that have been sold, so that new and old users can use the latest technical services.
FAQs When Picking The Best PoE Switch for IP Cameras
1. What should I look for in a PoE switch for IP cameras?
When choosing a PoE switch for IP cameras, look for adequate power budget, sufficient PoE ports, gigabit speeds, layer 3 capabilities for inter-VLAN routing, reliability, and management software/features. And pick the PoE switches that can provide 15-30W power per port for those high resolution cameras.
2. How many PoE ports do I need for IP camera system?
The number of PoE ports needed depends on how many PoE devices you plan to connect. It’s a good idea to get a switch with 2-3 extra PoE ports than you need today to allow for future expansion. 8, 16, 24, and 48 port PoE switches are common.
3. What PoE power budget do I need?
Add up the power requirements of all your PoE devices to determine the required PoE power budget. Look for a PoE switch rated for at least 20-30% more power than that total to leave room for growth. PoE power budgets range from 120W to 750W or more.
4. What features should I look for in a PoE switch for IP cameras?
Key features to look for include gigabit speeds per port, scalability through stacking ports, robust QoS, VLAN and security capabilities, extensive monitoring and management, redundancy against failures, and a good warranty and support policy.
How To Deploy IP Cameras with PoE switches?
No matter which type of PoE switch or IP camera you choose, the connection method and usage are basically the same. You can purchase the required monitoring equipment according to your actual needs and install them in different locations. Here, we take the application of home security monitoring as an example to illustrate the steps of connecting PoE switch and IP camera.
Step 1: Determine where to install the IP cameras
Usually, in the home network, the installation height of the IP camera should not be too low to prevent accidental damage; it should not be too high to be inconvenient for maintenance. Therefore, it is recommended that the indoor installation height be higher than 2.5 meters, and at the same time, the distance between the IP camera and the PoE switch should be controlled within 100 meters. When installing, please avoid strong light (such as sunlight, lighting, etc.) from directly shining on the IP camera lens, otherwise it will easily cause overbrightness or glare; and avoid installing the IP camera under the window, otherwise the infrared reflection will cause surveillance video or pictures overexposed.
Step 2: Install the Fixed IP Cameras
After determining the installation location, drill holes in the location to install the IP camera. Make sure that the IP camera bracket is firm and stable on the wall to prevent the picture from shaking, and adjust the IP camera angle properly to obtain the best monitoring angle.
Step 3: Determine the installation location of the network cable used to connect the IP cameras
After determining the installation location of the IP camera, drill a hole at a suitable location near it, and pre-embed the location of the network cable interface. If you need to install IP cameras on the upper second or third floor, please consider using the optimal wiring scheme, that is, the distance from the installation point to the nearest network access point is the shortest.
Step 4: Connect the IP Cameras to the PoE Switch
After completing the previous three steps, the next step is to connect your home IP surveillance system equipment. A complete IP surveillance system usually consists of PoE switches, IP cameras, Network Video Recorders (NVR), surveillance display devices (such as computers, TVs, etc.) and Ethernet cables. The specific connection steps are as follows:
- Insert the power cord into the power socket of the PoE switch and turn on the power;
- Use an Ethernet cable to connect the PoE switch and router to ensure that the switch can access the Internet;
- Use an Ethernet cable to connect the IP camera to the PoE port of the PoE switch; the PoE switch supplies power to the IP camera through the Ethernet cable and performs data transmission;
- Use an Ethernet cable to connect the PoE switch and NVR, and use a VGA or HDMI high-definition cable to connect the NVR and the monitoring display device. When connecting, please pay attention to use the corresponding interface.
Step 5: IP Camera System Setup
This is the last step in the installation process. The IP camera comes with application software or desktop management software. You can choose different functions such as real-time view, motion detection, video recording, etc. according to the software to meet your different monitoring needs. After completing the above steps, the PoE switch and IP camera are connected successfully, and the IP camera can work normally.
Final Thoughts
Installing high-quality PoE switches is one of the most important choices you’ll make when deploying an IP camera system. Choosing the right PoE switch that fits your power, port density, and management requirements will allow your surveillance network to operate reliably and efficiently. In this buyer’s guide, we covered the key factors to evaluate when selecting a PoE switch for IP cameras. We reviewed the different types of PoE switches, examined key specs like PoE power budgets and port speeds, and provided a list of the best ones at varied price points.
With this buying guide, you now have a solid foundation to pick the best PoE switch for IP cameras tailored to your specific needs. Refer to our top picks if you need a simple plug-and-play unmanaged switch or a fully-loaded managed switch with advanced features for larger deployments. Taking the time to choose the right PoE switch will pay dividends by providing the power and performance to scale your wired IP camera system with ease.
Enjoyed this article on the best PoE switch for IP cameras? Then be sure to check out our other guides.