A Brief Introduction of PoE, PoE+, and PoE++ Switches

PoE(Power over Ethernet) technology enables data and power transmission over a single cable through separate lines and is mainly designed for wired Ethernet as well as fiber optic networks. As far as fiber optic networks are concerned, you can connect a PoE switch and use a media converter along with it for transmission signal conversion. PoE is gaining momentum owing to the simplicity and efficiency it assures, and saves on external electric supplies for powering devices. There are different versions of Power over Ethernet switches in use today – PoE switches, PoE+ switches, and PoE++ switches. The following article answers everything about these devices. So, stay tuned.

A Quick Overview of PoE, PoE+, and PoE++ Switches

Before getting into their differentiating factors, it is important to know about each of these switches.

lPoE: Introduced in 2003 and covered under the IEEE 802.3af standard, the PoE switch has in-built Power over Ethernet functionality. These switches supply power to network devices using two out of four pairs of Ethernet cables. PoE switches can also pass power to end devices such as phones, cameras, and so on. Most of the 802.3af switches can deliver 15.4 watts over an Ethernet cable with a voltage ranging from 44V to 57V. These switches are used in various commercial, residential, indoor and outdoor applications.

lPoE+: As the name suggests, it is an advanced version of PoE technology developed and published in 2009. PoE+ supports a higher power consumption requirement and supplies power over two pairs like a PoE network switch. But it has an additional power class that can deliver power watts up to 25.5 with a voltage range varying from 42.5V to 57V. A PoE+ network switch can supply maximum power of 30W with a voltage range from 50V to 77V. PoE+ switches are known to have backward compatibility, which means these switches will support the devices usually supported by PoE.

lPoE++: PoE++ network switch is the next generation of PoE+ technology. It is designed to provide power to broader device applications. It is classified into two different types – PoE++ type 3 and PoE++ type 4. Type 3 powered switches can hit 51 watts with a voltage range from 42.5V to 57V. Type 4 switches enable four twisted pairs in a copper cable to deliver power up to 71 watts. Being an upgraded version of the PoE network switch and PoE+ switch, PoE++ can hit 60 watts on each port under PoE++ type 3 and up to 100 watts under the PoE++ type 4. These network switches are generally used for setting up management systems and making long distance calls.

A Quick Glance Through PoE Switches, PoE+ Switches, and PoE++ Switches

The below chart summarizes detailed specifications of PoE vs PoE+ vs PoE++ switches.