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PoE Switch Recommendation for Spot AI Setup

  • Updated
 

What is a PoE switch?

A Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch is a network switch that can provide power to devices through the Ethernet cable. This eliminates the need for separate power cables for devices, which can save time and money. PoE switches are commonly used to power IP cameras, VoIP phones, and wireless access points.

 

How does PoE work?

PoE works by using the unused pairs of wires in an Ethernet cable to transmit power. The amount of power that can be transmitted over a PoE cable varies depending on the PoE standard.

 

What is the difference between a PoE switch and a normal switch?

The main difference between a PoE switch and a normal switch is that a PoE switch can provide power to devices through the Ethernet cable. A normal switch can only transmit data.

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PoE switch recommendation

PoE switches provide power to your Spot AI or other IP cameras. A PoE switch is an essential part of your Spot AI appliance/IP camera setup.
 
Note: Though we recommend pulling camera streams directly from the cameras, it is also possible to pull streams from an existing NVR/DVR. This can be done by following this KB.
 
There are many different types of PoE switches on the market and we’ve prepared the following recommendations on specifications to help you find the right fit.
  • Name brand (e.g. Netgear, TP-link, Linksys, Cisco, HPE, Ubiquiti, etc..)
  • 802.3at compliant, also known as PoE+
  • We recommend unmanaged switches for easy setup, but managed switches can be used for more granular control over the network
  • At least 12W per port that will support IP cameras
    • 10 cameras on one switch would come out to 120 watts of power needed on that switch.
  • At least two more ports than the number of cameras that will be connected
    • This allows for a Spot appliance and another network connection to be added.
    • If there are 16 cameras, 18 ports would be recommended to cover all the cameras, the Spot appliance, and the extra network uplink connection.

Getting Started with Spot AI Setup

  • Refer to this article to set up the Spot appliance and discover cameras. 
  • Refer to this article for recommended network topology.

Additional help, guides, and more

  • For additional articles and guides, check out our help center at help.spot.ai.
  • If you need assistance from Support, reach out to Spot AI Support.
  

We hope this article was useful to you, please leave us a comment or feedback as it will help us improve our customer support center.

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