Compare with PoE Switches, PoE+ Switches, and PoE++ Switches

Power over Ethernet (PoE) is a local area network (LAN)-based power supply technology that enables the transmission of power and data over a network cable to the device side in an Ethernet network. The application of this technology can greatly reduce operating costs and save operating time. Currently, there are various switches based on PoE technology in the market, mainly PoE switches, PoE+ switches, and PoE++ switches. Do you know anything about these switches? Do you know the differences between them?

What is PoE?

PoE (also referred to as IEEE 802.3af standard) is a new standard for Power over Ethernet-based systems issued by the IEEE 802.3 Working Group in 2003. The standard specifies that powered devices (PDs), such as VoIP phones, can be powered up using only two pairs of twisted pairs in the same network cable during the powered process, with a PoE power consumption of up to 12.95W.

PoE switch, also known as PoE powered switch, is an application based on PoE technology. It is a switch that can provide both power and data transmission for the powered terminal through a network cable, and is a powered terminal equipment (PSE). Generally speaking, a PoE switch complying with 802.3af standard can support a maximum power supply of 15.4W per port at 44V-57V, and the input voltage of PoE devices connected to this PoE switch is 37V-57V.

What is PoE+?

PoE+ (also referred to as IEEE 802.3af standard) is an upgrade to PoE technology, a PoE technology standard released in 2009. To solve this problem, the IEEE 802.3 Working Group released PoE+ technology, which is designed to provide higher power to devices.

PoE+ switches are similar to the PoE switches we mentioned above, and also supply power to PoE end devices through a network cable. The difference is that PoE+ switches provide a maximum of 30W per port and 50V-57V, while powered devices can operate at up to 25.5W and 42.5V-57V.

What is PoE++?

As the market for PoE applications continues to grow, the large IEEE 802.3 standard family has once again welcomed a new member in 2018: the IEEE 802.3bt standard. So far, PoE++ technology has also come into being. Under the IEEE 802.3bt standard, PoE++ technology has two branch types. The other is Type4PoE++ technology, which requires all pairs of wires through the network cable to power PoE end devices, with an input power of up to 71 W. In addition, there is also a commercially available IEEE 802.3bt-based PoE++ technology. 802.3bt standard PoE technology on the market is called UPOE (universal power over Ethernet). The technology is proprietary to Cisco and works in a mode similar to Type3PoE technology (PoE++), which can provide input power to 51W for powered end devices. thus, some in the industry will also see UPOE as PoE++.

How should one buy a PoE switches compared to PoE+ and PoE++ switches?

From the previous introduction, we can see that PoE switches compare to PoE+ and PoE++ switches differ in terms of power supply size and operating modes. And these differences will have a corresponding impact on the respective applications.


A PoE switch based on the 802.3af standard typically supplies no more than 15.4W per port and can connect VoIP phones, sensors, measurement instruments, wireless APs with two pairs of antennas, static surveillance cameras, and other end devices. PoE+ switches, on the other hand, can support higher-performance removable zoom cameras, wireless APs with six pairs of antennas, IP phones, and more.

Type3 PoE++ switches with higher power supply capacity can support video conferencing system accessories and building management devices, etc. Type4 PoE switches can support laptops and TVs and other devices with higher power requirements.

Summary

Power over Ethernet technology has been improving and evolving as people demand more power for their devices. Driven by this trend, PoE technology-based switches have also evolved and updated from the initial PoE switches to the recent PoE++ switches. In this article, we have briefly compared the power supply modes of PoE switches, PoE+ switches, and PoE++ switches and their application types, hoping to bring some reference to relevant users when purchasing switch types.