PoE Injectors

PoE Injector - A solid supply of both power and data

Here on this page, you see our selection of PoE injectors.

A PoE injector is originally called a Power over Ethernet injector and is used as a power supply between the router and the network device that is connected.

This differs from the more common routers we know, where you often have to connect a network device and then connect it to power.

The idea with PoE injectors is therefore that they make the installation of devices easier and at the same time can reduce the number of ethernet cables.

However, it is necessary to be aware that you may find that you need to use a PoE switch, which works very similarly to a common switch or router.

PoE injectors are perfect when you need to install a low-powered device in a location that may be difficult to reach, without a socket nearby.

It can be expensive to hire an electrician to install a socket, not to mention the underlying costs that come with having to make holes in the walls, install cables, and so on.

PoE installations rarely require a professional, and it will often not have the same costs as if you had to install sockets.

PoE injectors thus give you the opportunity to install powered devices in remote locations without it costing a fortune or taking ages to install successfully.

The PoE technology allows ethernet cables to transmit both power and data to your IP devices.

Both the PoE switch and PoE injectors are capable of adding power to a single ethernet cable.

5 things you should know when looking at PoE Injectors

Do you have some challenges figuring out how to power your IP devices, such as wireless access points, VoIP phones, and IP cameras?

These types of equipment require a network and a power source that communicate and ensure they work effectively together.

Their switch only supplies the network for communication but not with power; thus, there is still a power supply issue you need to address.

PoE technology allows a single ethernet cable to send both power and data to your IP devices, and both the PoE switch and the respective injector can send power through an ethernet cable.

However, there are some things you need to keep in mind when it comes to PoE injectors, so you can make the best possible and most informed purchase.

#1 - PoE Voltage

There are two types of PoE injectors, active and passive.

Active injectors measure the voltage required by the powered devices and then automatically adjust the voltage.

In addition, active PoE injectors can also be divided into standard and non-standard types.

The difference is whether your injector and the powered device have common protocols or not.

The standard PoE injector adheres to three standards called IEEE 802.3af, IEEE 802.3at, and IEEE 802.3bt, which are power negotiation protocols.

In contrast, non-standard PoE injectors supply power to the powered device without negotiating how much voltage or current it requires from remote IP devices, instead just providing power continuously.

Therefore, they are also known as “always ON” PoE injectors.

On the other hand, the output voltage of PoE injectors is very important for passive PoE injectors, as higher voltages can burn the endpoint device, or the device may not turn on at all if the supplied voltage is too low.

Generally, the voltage will be 12V, 24V, or 48V, and up to 57V.

Therefore, it is important that you check whether the adapter matches the maximum input voltage.

The PoE powered device does not use the higher voltage directly, but there may be a converter that can lower the voltage by up to 5V.

Therefore, if the supplied voltage turns out to be slightly higher or lower, it is often not a major problem; for example, if you have a 12V PoE injector with an IP-camera with a 9V input.

#2 - Power Consumption in PoE Injector

In general, PoE powered devices are not very power-hungry but will typically be around 5 to 20 Watts.

However, if the amount of power required increases, you will often need to try to push more and more power through your LAN cable; this can result in the amount of power being converted into heat along the cable, especially if your ethernet cable is long.

Therefore, to compensate for the lost power and voltage, you should choose a device that is capable of pushing an extra few Watts more than the measured device's power.

For example, you should choose a 10 Watt PoE injector for a device if its maximum power consumption is 8 Watts.

#3 - Number of Ports and PoE Injectors

If you need to install many PoE powered devices, it often makes more sense to get one or two PoE injectors with multiple input ports.

It will often also be cheaper compared to having to buy multiple individual injectors, but you will also find that there won't be as much cable clutter.

If you only need to connect one or two PoE devices to your old socket, a PoE injector is often a good option.

The same goes if you need to connect perhaps two PoE injectors; it is often painless, cheap, and quick.

On the other hand, if you have ten, twenty, or more devices to connect, using a PoE injector for each one will often develop into a large mess of tangled cables everywhere.

Here, it would benefit you to find a PoE injector with multiple ports or a PoE Hub.

#4 - Network Speed

Sometimes your network speed is an important factor.

To get the best out of your network, your PoE injectors should be capable of handling a speed of at least 1 gbps (Gigabytes per second).

For instance, while installing several outdoor IP cameras over your PoE, videos may risk lagging due to slow speed.

#5 - PoE Standards

There are several different PoE standards, ranging from 15 Watt PoE up to 100 Watt PoE standards.

If your injector's PoE standard does not match either your switch or powered device, you can often encounter some complications.

Therefore, it is important that you double-check to be sure everything is compatible before you buy anything.