How to choose the best PoE network switch for IP cameras

When setting upwards your dwelling house surveillance system, it'due south possible to apply an SD card and rely on footage existence saved locally on each camera. Most vendors have mobile apps that tin be used to set each photographic camera and view/save footage. My preferred method is to use the best NAS for abode surveillance and PoE switch to make information technology easier. This guide volition run you through picking the all-time network switch.

Products used in this guide

Smart unmanaged PoE+ switch: Netgear GS116PP ($200 at Amazon)
Powerful managed PoE switch: EnGenius EWS5912FP ($180 at Amazon)
Budget unmanaged PoE switch: TP-Link TL-SG1005P ($50 at Amazon)

How to choose the best switch for IP security cameras

Earlier choosing the correct network switch for your situation, why exactly would you desire to use a PoE switch rather than providing ability locally to each camera? Here are some advantages:

Provide both power and data through a single cable.
Avert connecting cameras to a wireless network.
Additional safety measures for continuous functioning.
Tin can add a UPS to the switch to keep cameras running through the loss of power.

So, you've decided on buying a network switch, only which one do you go for? I'k going to provide a few factors to consider when shopping effectually.

Available ability

Not all PoE network switches provide the same amount of power. Yous tin can find some switches that can provide a maximum of 50W, while another can pump out 100W or more across all of its ports. You'll find almost IP cameras draw effectually 15W, so you will need to multiply that past the number of cameras you plan on installing.

Information technology can be a good idea to buy a switch with more headroom than required if you plan on calculation more than cameras down the line.

PoE vs. PoE+

Do yous go with PoE or PoE+? That's a good question, only usually, you can become away with either standard. PoE (or IEEE802.3af every bit it'southward easily referred to as) is simply slower than PoE+ (IEEE802.3at) and caps out at 15W per port, while PoE+ pushes this up to around 30W per port. Just because each network port supports upwardly to 30W, yous'll still demand to keep inside its total power limit.

Port option

Every bit the available power for all your cameras, information technology'south important to consider the number of devices you program on connecting to the hub. Each camera volition require a unmarried 1Gb port, so too will any other devices you need to connect locally. If the switch doesn't have a specific uplink port, one of the available Gb ports volition need to be used.

Unmanaged vs. managed

Once yous've agreed on the number of ports and amount of ability required, next up is how to choose betwixt a managed or unmanaged network switch. It'due south pretty simple, in that unmanaged switches are more basic in what yous can configure but are more affordable.

Managed switches let yous to connect to an admin console and really dive into some settings. They're more expensive, merely yous'll be able to achieve more and personalize it to your network.

Netgear GS116PP

This switch has plenty going for it, including 16Gb PoE+ ports and a total capacity of 183W for connected hardware. There'due south no active cooling, and then it's quiet, information technology's backed by a lifetime warranty, and is energy efficient, assuasive you to fully kit out your dwelling house with security cams.

EnGenius EWS5912FP

EnGenius is known to make some smart switches, and this is a fine managed solution with remote monitoring. Using EnGenius' cloud platform, you tin manage your entire network using your phone or browser, even when not at home. It has 130W max with eight 1Gb ports.

TP-Link TL-SG1005P

This five-port switch supports up to four PoE ports with a unmarried port for uplink. It can support a total of 56W to be delivered to all connected devices. Similar the Netgear solution, it's completely silent without any active cooling and a two-year warranty.

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