In this article, we will be sharing our thoughts on the best PoE Managed Switch for IP Cameras. We will introduce you to the powerhouse industrial PoE managed switch for IP Cameras available from South Africa. The growth of connectivity in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Kenya, Congo and the SADC region has opened opportunities to take advantage of new technologies. In our last article, we touched on unmanaged and managed switches, the differences and pros and cons of each for your project. On large-scale surveillance networks, you will find PoE managed switches. What are the advantages of a PoE Managed switch for IP cameras? We will introduce you to the powerhouse PoE switch for an industrial scale surveillance network.

What is PoE for IP Cameras?

PoE stands for Power over Ethernet. PoE transmits and distributes data and power to network devices. The power and data transmission makes it the ideal solutions for IP Cameras. The POE network devices can also include VoIP phones and Wireless AP. Power and data are transmitted over the existing cable network structure. This duel transmission of data and power has many advantaged over traditional systems, especially over long distances and in applications where power cannot be easily accessed to run equipment. A complete PoE system includes two parts – Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) and Powered Device (PD). Power sourcing equipment (PSE) is equipment that supports PoE function such as managed and unmanaged PoE switches, PoE injector (midspans) etc. Powered devices (PD) include IP cameras etc.

Advantages of PoE Managed Switches for IP Cameras

Simple cabling, reduce installation cost
The first clear advantage of PoE systems and PoE switches is the ready power supply. Because one network cable can transmit data and power, this dramatically reduces installation costs and time. It also simplifies scaling up of your network.
Safe and convenient
Power Sourcing Equipment PSE provides power supply to PoE-enabled devices. For example, a smart PoE switch will only transmit power when it detects the connection of a PoE-enabled device. The power management solution helps you avoid leakage.
Convenient for maintenance
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) can be used to manage PoE. SNMP can be used to configure network devices, such as CCTV cameras, servers, printers, hubs, switches, and routers all from a centralised location. This function can offer shut down at night, remote reset functions etc.

Disadvantages of PoE Managed Switches for IP Cameras

POE Switch Power Audit
Devices need to be audited so there is enough power for all locations. Insufficient power means powered device can’t boot or reboot. Be sure to check with us that your power audit meets your needs. For example, some cameras such as PTZ’s may have higher power needs, and this may mean adjustments to your configuration.
Mitigate the risk of a POE Switch
Generally, a PoE switch connects to multiple IP cameras; if PoE network switch encounters any problems, all IP cameras will stop working. It is therefore imperative that redundancies are built in to mitigate your risk.
Spread the load of your POE Switch
Not all devices should necessarily be on your PoE switch. Consider all aspects including maintenance workload, when considering security and stability. It may be worth considering a mix of PoE and separate power supply in some instances.

What to look out for when choosing the best managed PoE switch for IP Cameras

How much power can my POE Managed Switch deliver?

Power transmission cables will consume power, and so when calculating power needs, this needs to be kept in mind. PoE network switch adopts different standards; the output power is also different. For example, IEEE802.3af can support powered devices that don’t exceed 15.4W. However, because cable transmission will consume power, if using IEEE802.3af it is recommended PoE devices do not exceed 12.95W. According to IEEE802.3at standard, IEEE802.3at PoE switches can work with powered devices that don’t exceed 25W.

How many devices can my PoE managed switch support?

PoE switches have an essential parameter – total power. Under IEEE802.3af standard, If 24CH PoE switch’s total power reaches 370W, then each port can get sufficient power (370/15.4=24), but if based on IEE802.3at standard and each port supports 30W, the PoE switch only can provide power supply to 12 ports (370/30=12).
Consider the following when allocating ports, required quantity of ports, optical fibre ports, network management bandwidth (10/100/1000M).

What is the transmission range of a PoE managed switch for IP Cameras?

PoE transmission range works as expected when kept within the recommended range and when using the correct cables. Be cautious when buying ethernet cables. There are many non-standard Ethernet network cables on the market. They are not produced to the standards of network cables. Non-standard network cables use materials with high resistance and will not be suitable for PoE power supply. Talk to us about the correct cable for POE transmission.

What is the best PoE Managed Switch to buy for IP Cameras?

For industrial scale CCTV networks, we recommend the PLANET Industrial 16-Port Gigabit 802.3at PoE+ Switch, IGS-20160HPT. It answers all the questions and more.

• Industrial L2+ 16-Port 10/100/1000T 802.3at PoE +
• 2-Port 10/100/1000T +
• 2-Port 100/1000X SFP Managed Switch

Does the PLANET Industrial 16-Port Gigabit 802.3at PoE Managed switch support ONVIF IP Cameras and devices?

The IGS-20160HPT PoE switch has ONVIF support. It is designed for video IP surveillance. From the GUI, it’s just one click to search for and show all ONVIF devices via network application. You can also upload floor images to the switch and remotely monitor IP cameras in real time. The GUI can also manage the reboot.

Will the Planet PoE Managed Switch for IP cameras be affected by Eskom’s load shedding?

Surges from blackouts and brownouts are a problem in South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Congo and other developing SADC countries. This PoE managed switch has a high level of immunity for just that scenario. Eskom load shedding may be on hold for now, but across South Africa, there are still blackouts and brownouts that will damage most PoE managed switches. It is critical for CCTV networks to stay online under challenging conditions and for this, we recommend the Planet PoE managed switch.

Is the Planet PoE Managed Switch safe from network attacks?

Network administrators can construct highly-secure corporate networks in considerably less time than before. The IGS-20160HPT PoE managed switch has expanded memory and an upgraded kernel to better support SSH, TLS and SSL protocols. Cybersecurity features include

• DHCP Snooping
• ARP Inspection Protection
• IP Source Guard
• MAC-based network access control
• 802.1x port-based
• RADIUS and TACACS+ user accounts management
• SNMPv3 authentication

Fast Recovery for Surveillance System

Does the Planet PoE Managed Switch have redundancies for quick recovery?

The IGS-20160HPT PoE managed switch also protects the customer’s industrial network via ring and mesh network architectures. The fault recovery time is as little as 10ms if the Industrial network was interrupted.

Intelligent, Alive Check for Powered Device

Will the Planet PoE Managed Switch detect offline IP cameras?

The IGS-20160HPT PoE managed switch can be configured to monitor connected PD’s status in real time via ping action. Once the PD stops working and responding, this PoE managed switch will recycle the PoE port power and bring the PD back.

Does the Planet PoE Managed Switch have Digital Input and Digital Output for External Alarms?

The IGS-20160HPT PoE managed switch supports Digital Input and Digital Output. This external alarm enables users to detect and log external device status, such as door intrusion detector and send an event alarm to the administrators. The Digital Output can be used to show link down, link up or power failure.

What is the best network switch for Outdoor IP PoE Camera and NVR System?

The IGS-20160HPT PoE managed switch can power 16 PoE IP cameras at the same time. The two 100/1000BASE-X SFP interfaces can connect to core fibre switches and send video streams to NVR’s and monitoring centres. A network administrator can build a centrally powered system for IP phones, IP cameras and wireless AP groups. The IGS-20160HPT PoE managed switch makes the installation of IP cameras easy and efficient.

Why Buy Planet PoE managed network switches?

Check out the touch LCD switch from PLANET
PLANET’s Touch LCD PoE managed switch is unique. It has a touch LCD interface as well as L2+ switching. Other features include PoE management and ONVIF support. Watch the video to see how PLANET simplifies administrators’ busy lives.

Want to know more about networking devices, the Planet Networking Range PoE managed switches for IP Cameras and other networking devices? Talk to Eurobyte Technology. We can help you put the best solution together. Whether you are in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Mozambique or anywhere across SADC and Africa we are just a phone call or email away.

Visit our Shop | Create Account | Dealer Application Form | Email us | Call Us | Visit a Branch