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Network Switches & PoE Solutions

A network switch links the devices on a wired network, and a PoE switch also powers cameras, access points and phones through the same cable. This collection holds unmanaged desktop switches, unmanaged and smart-managed PoE switches, cloud-managed and Layer-3 switches with 10G SFP+ uplinks, hardened DIN-rail switches for industrial sites, mobile PoE switches for vehicles, and PoE injectors, with models such as the RG-ES110F-P and the DS-3E0310HP-E.

Choosing Network Switches & PoE Solutions

Count the ports and the PoE power your devices need, then decide how much management and what mounting the site calls for.

PoE budget and port power

A PoE switch shares one power budget across its ports, so add up the devices before you choose. The Ruijie RG-ES110F-P has 8 PoE/PoE+ ports at about 30 W each and a total budget of about 110 W. Hikvision Hi-PoE models give one port extra power: port 1 of the DS-3E0310HP-E supplies 90 W within a 110 W budget. The same switch has a long-range mode for runs of about 300 m, depending on the cable and device.

Unmanaged, smart and Layer-3

An unmanaged switch such as the Ruijie RG-ES108GD is plug and play. Smart-managed switches such as the Hikvision DS-3E1510P-EI add VLAN, QoS, SNMP and a PoE watchdog that restarts unresponsive devices. Ruijie Reyee models such as the RG-NBS5200-24GT4XS-P are managed through Ruijie Cloud; this one is a 24-port Layer-3 PoE+ switch with 4 SFP+ uplinks and a 370W budget. For campus networks, the RG-CS86-24MG4VS-UP has 24 multi-gig ports up to 5G with PoE++ and 4 SFP28 uplinks.

Industrial and mobile

Hardened switches such as the TRENDnet TI-PG541 mount on DIN rail: it is an IP30 unmanaged switch with four Gigabit PoE+ ports, an SFP slot, a 120 Watt budget and dual redundant power inputs. The Hikvision DS-3T0506HP-E/HS works from −30 °C to 65 °C and mounts on a desk or DIN rail. For vehicles, the VCS-8P2-MOB powers up to eight cameras from an 8.5 to 40 V DC supply, and the AE-MS8400 (M12) uses M12 connectors on a 9 to 36 V feed.

NeedExampleDetail
Small unmanaged switchRuijie RG-ES108GD8 Gigabit ports, metal case
Eight PoE camerasRuijie RG-ES110F-P8 PoE/PoE+ ports, about 110 W
One high-power PoE deviceHikvision DS-3E0310HP-EHi-PoE port 1, 90 W
Smart-managed PoEHikvision DS-3E1510P-EIVLAN, QoS, PoE watchdog
Layer-3 with 10G uplinksRuijie RG-NBS5200-24GT4XS-P24 PoE+ ports, 4 SFP+, 370W
DIN-rail PoE+TRENDnet TI-PG541120 Watt budget, redundant power
Vehicle camerasVeracity VCS-8P2-MOB8.5 to 40 V DC input
One PoE device on its ownRuijie RG-POE-AT30PoE injector, 52V

Related categories

Narrow the choice in PoE switches or managed and unmanaged switches, reach further with PoE extenders, patch with Ethernet cables, or read our Help & Support guides.

Brands we stock in Network Switches & PoE Solutions

AMG Systems, Axis Communications, CIE Group, Comelit PAC, Comnet, Connectix Cabling Systems, D-Link, Dahua Technology, Fermax, Hikvision, Nitek, NVT Phybridge, OpenEye, Ruijie, TP-Link, TRENDnet, Ubiquiti, Veracity and Xtralis by Honeywell.

Frequently asked questions

How much PoE budget do I need?

Add up the power your devices draw and keep the total below the switch budget, with some headroom. The Ruijie RG-ES110F-P shares about 110 W across 8 ports of about 30 W each. The Ruijie RG-NBS5200-24GT4XS-P has a 370W budget for 24 ports. On the Hikvision DS-3E0310HP-E, port 1 alone can take 90 W of its 110 W budget.

Do I need a managed or an unmanaged switch?

Choose unmanaged for a small, simple network and managed when you need to separate traffic or monitor devices. The Ruijie RG-ES108GD is plug and play with no configuration. The DS-3E1510P-EI adds VLAN, STP/RSTP, LACP, QoS and SNMP, and Reyee switches such as the RG-NBS5200-24GT4XS-P can be managed from Ruijie Cloud.

How do PoE, PoE+ and PoE++ differ in power per port?

They are IEEE standards that supply more power per port: 802.3af (PoE), 802.3at (PoE+) and 802.3bt (PoE++, which Hikvision calls Hi-PoE). The Ruijie RG-ES110F-P supports 802.3af/at at about 30 W per port. Port 1 of the RG-NIS2100-8GT2SFP-HP supports 802.3bt at 90 W, and the SG3452XMPP has 8 PoE++ ports.

When should I use a DIN-rail industrial switch?

Use one inside control cabinets or harsh sites where a desktop switch would not survive. The TRENDnet TI-PG541 is a hardened IP30 DIN-rail unit with dual redundant power inputs and an alarm output for a power failure. The Hikvision DS-3T0506HP-E/HS is fanless, works from −30 °C to 65 °C and has 6 kV surge protection on its PoE ports.

Can a PoE switch power cameras in a vehicle?

Yes, mobile PoE switches run from a vehicle DC supply. The Veracity VCS-8P2-MOB converts an 8.5 to 40 V DC input into PoE for up to eight cameras, with two data-only uplinks for an NVR or cellular modem. The Hikvision AE-MS8400 (M12) takes 9 to 36 V, uses vibration-resistant M12 connectors and supports ignition sensing with delayed shutdown.

What are SFP and SFP+ uplink ports for?

They take a fibre or copper module to link the switch to the rest of the network. The Hikvision DS-3T0506HP-E/HS has 2 Gigabit SFP ports for long-distance backbone connections. The Ruijie RG-NBS5200-24GT4XS-P has 4 SFP+ ports at 10G, and the Ruijie Mini-GBIC-GT is a 1000BASE-T module that turns an SFP slot into an RJ45 port.

  • Established 1975
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Written by the West Midlands Electrics technical team

Updated

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