PoE switch for AP & IP cameras

jaysus · 26 Jul 2018 at 10:01

I'm looking for a switch to try and pull together some gear I'm already using along with some additions I'd like to make.

Internally I've got a Unifi AC Lite PoE along with 4 non-PoE ethernet devices (PC/streamer/AVR/TV.) This is currently handled by a TP Link SG1005D 5 port switch. The AVR was sacrificed to wifi.

I'm looking to add 3 PoE cameras externally so I'm looking at Gigabit PoE switches. For starters, should I be looking at fitting everything onto 1 switch and getting a 16 port switch - or could I go for an 8 port switch, and run one of the feeds to my existing non-PoE switch to handle the 'normal,' feeds?

And following on from that, can anyone recommend a particular switch?

bremen1874 · 26 Jul 2018 at 10:47

Check which version of the AC-Lite you have before plugging it into a PoE switch. The earlier ones can only use their proprietary 24V PoE system.

As the existing switch is so small I’d be looking to replace it with a single switch to handle everything.

jaysus · 26 Jul 2018 at 11:03

It's the Gen2 AC-Lite, but thanks for mentioning - I wouldn't have even considered it otherwise.

Switch wise I fundamentally agree. I'm just shuddering at the cost - it looks like £150 for a 16 port PoE switch. Even buying a new 8 port PoE and an 8 port non-PoE switch works out significantly cheaper - but I'm guessing the idea of plugging one switch into another switch (all of which is fed by my main router - an Asus RT-AC87U) isn't a good move?

Glanza · 26 Jul 2018 at 11:09

You can daisy chain switches providing you don't create a loop back without issue however if your looking at replacing it makes sense to get a 16port POE (either fully POE or 8 port POE) Something like a TP-LINK TL-SG1016PE would do the job.

bremen1874 · 26 Jul 2018 at 11:19

In use I doubt you'd notice any difference between a 16 port switch and two eight port switches daisy chained. You would obviously loose two ports for the connection between them.

Hyburnate · 26 Jul 2018 at 11:29

Glanza said:
You can daisy chain switches providing you don't create a loop back without issue however if your looking at replacing it makes sense to get a 16port POE (either fully POE or 8 port POE) Something like a TP-LINK TL-SG1016PE would do the job.

Or get one that supports STP

Just to be that person...

Unmanaged switches are really much of a muchness if I'm honest, one thing to be aware of with higher capacity PoE switches is fans and thus noise

jaysus · 26 Jul 2018 at 12:21

Handy to know. I prefer the two switch idea for convenience - I can have the PoE switch at the point that the external ethernet enters the room (easiest access for the camera feeds) but then only run a single cable across the room to the AV gear switch. And noise is a very good point.
Thanks for the advice.