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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. Brands include AMG Systems, D-Link, Hikvision, Nitek, Ruijie and TRENDnet.

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

See also Modular & Stackable Switches and Industrial Switches. Narrow the choice in PoE switches or managed and unmanaged switches, reach further with PoE extenders, or patch with Ethernet cables.

Brands we stock in Network Switches & PoE Solutions

Alta Labs, AMG Systems, Axis Communications, Bosch, CIE Group, Comelit PAC, Comnet, Connectix Cabling Systems, D-Link, Dahua Technology, Fermax, Folk Safe, Genie, Hanwha Vision, Haydon, Hikvision, HiLook, Luminite, NETGEAR, Nitek, NVT Phybridge, OpenEye, Redvision, Ruijie, TP-Link, TRENDnet, Ubiquiti, Vanco, Veracity, Verint, Vigitron and Xtralis by Honeywell.

Frequently asked questions

How does network switching work?

A network switch learns which device sits on which port by reading the hardware MAC address in the data it receives. It then forwards frames just to the port that needs them, rather than flooding them out of the other ports. This keeps traffic apart, cuts collisions and lets several devices send at the same time. Managed switches add controls such as VLANs and traffic priority.

What is a network switch?

A network switch is a box that connects wired devices, such as computers, cameras, access points and recorders, on the same local network. It has several Ethernet ports and passes data between them, while a router links that network to the internet. PoE switches can also power cameras and access points over the data cable. The range here includes unmanaged, managed and industrial switches.

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Written by the West Midlands Electrics technical team

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