It is quite common for home or small business to encounter the situation, which demands to get LAN or WiFi at outbuildings under the same network, such as sheds, garages, workshop, small offices, or other places that is a little bit far away from the main network device, such as a router, Ethernet switch, or PoE NVR. When the distance is over 100 meters, some extension tools are required so as to repeat the Ethernet and reach a longer Ethernet transmission distance for the reason that Ethernet cable can only realize a maximum transmission distance of 100 meters due to power loss and voltage drop. And this article mainly goes through some crucial things that need to make clear and keep in mind when deciding to use PoE extension tool, like PoE extenders(which is the most common one) to make Ethernet extended for installing network devices that provide WiFi or LAN network.
PoE Extender Brief Introduction
PoE extenders also called PoE repeater, it is a useful and handy tool help solve long distance IP device deployment issue. PoE extenders can receive PoE from and repeat it to the remotely connected IP devices, and it is placed between the main network device and the edge IP device that is ready to install. Because of its PoE-powered capability, there is no need for the installers to deal with the relatively dangerous AC wiring separately or eliminate an extra power outlet close to the PoE extender’s installation point, offering great flexibility and convenience. That’s why the majority of people tend to choose PoE extenders as the Ethernet extension solution instead of the one known as Ethernet extenders or Ethernet repeaters, which need to deal with the power for the extenders themselves specifically and inconveniently.
However, although some PoE extenders feature plug-and-play simple connections, using PoE extender to get Ethernet extended for IP devices sometimes is not a no-brain job to some extent. Or we can say that the installers, especially those who have little knowledge about PoE systems or PoE extenders, always lose in the trap that resulted in incorrect PoE extension systems. So to speak, to achieve an effective PoE extension, there are some factors or points that call for additional attention from the installers.
For the starter, let’s get a closer look at the original goal that the installers plan to realize, namely get LAN or WiFi network at a remote place where is over 100 meters and need to use PoE extender or other PoE extension to finish the job. It seems that what devices are applied to provide LAN or WiFi, or what requires them at that remote location hasn’t been mentioned. In fact, there are numerous options and it is different according to different situations and requirements. Router, wireless access point, wireless Ethernet bridge, or some special non-PoE devices, like Raspberry Pi, are common applications. In fact, using PoE extender for these devices is not a simple job as there is not just an issue only referring to standard PoE transmit to standard PoE.
It is of great significance to make sure whether the PoE extender is well compatible to the existing network system and the ready-to-install IP devices. There are different types of compatibility issues that happen occasionally. These can simply account for deficient knowledge on how PoE works.
Power
PoE essentially can be regarded as a thing to deal with power issues to some extent. In a networking system, or PoE networking system, there are two main categories of network devices, one is PSE(Power Sourcing Equipment) that supply power, and the other is PD(Power Device) that need to be powered. We try to make it to be an easy-to-understand thing. When using PoE-enabled devices, here specific to PoE extenders, just need to confirm the answers to the below two questions.
1. How to solve the power issue of PoE extender?
2. How to solve the power issue of the edge powered device?
In the following, we are going to list some cases that tend to generate misconceptions or wrong installations.
Case 1-The remote non-PoE powered device only need network without power
It is found that a number of our customers have little or even no idea about adopting PoE extender for extension suppose to have PoE in the original networking system, that being said, the back end main network should be PoE-enabled one that is able to provide PoE, otherwise, you are able to be frustrated when it is no luck to get a workable system after finish the connection in a completely correct way and thoroughly check to ensure no damaged device is used. The reason is simply that your system lacking PSE can supply PoE. You should aware that the majority of PoE extenders can only be powered by PoE, which means if a non-PoE PSE is used as the main network, such as router or Ethernet switch, then there is no electric current transmitted to the PoE extender so as to make it powered. And it is definitely rational to make no success in this way. To solve this kind of problem, only need to find the solution to add PoE to the existing network, and PoE extender can be powered and start doing its responsibility. There are two methods in rough, replace the old PSE with new PoE PSE, such as PoE router, PoE switch, or add a PoE injector to connect the old PSE.
Case 2-The non-PoE powered device requires both power and network
Can PoE works with non-PoE powered device is a frequently asked question. People concern that non-PoE devices directly plug into the PoE port will trigger damages to the device or the whole system. PoE detection can give you a positive answer to the question. In general, it is no harm to use PoE to supply non-PoE devices, because standard PoE devices feature detection, which makes great use to detect whether the connected powered device is PoE or not by releasing a few amounts of power when if it knows it is a non-PoE device, the only network will be transmitted to the connected powered device. Then the problem is that the installer consumes the non-PoE powered device can receive both power and network from the main network. In this way, there is no need to find a dedicated power outlet for the powered device or realize a more flexible installation. Luckily, you are able to find tools that allow your non-PoE powered device to benefit from PoE power. PoE splitter is a quick and economic way that is opted for various applications, to which we will get a closer look.
Case 3-The PoE powered device need both power and network
Use PoE extender to extend PoE for standard PoE powered devices is quite simple, only to think of question 1 and take Case 1 for reference. That said, only to ensure that the PSE can provide PoE, and then the system can work. However, we say standard PoE powered devices just now, so it can say there is little possibility to extend PoE to those non-standard PoE devices. And it is a matter of voltage compatibility.
Voltage
Voltage is also a problem that is related to compatibility issues among network devices. Especially with regard to the PoE extension for the passive PoE powered devices. PoE can be respectively classified into standard PoE, aka active PoE, and non-standard, aka passive PoE. Standard PoE devices for most situations can’t work compatibly with non-standard PoE devices straightly, otherwise, it may cause a burnt or breakdown to the devices because of the difference in the device’s voltage. Standard PoE generally is 48V, while passive PoE varied from different voltages, 24V passive PoE, and 12V passive PoE, relatively speaking, are more universally being utilized.
Although there are a variety of types of PoE extenders, most of them are standard 48V PoE models, so apparently, when applying a 48V standard PoE extender for passive PoE powered devices, it won’t make sense or even create damages. To solve this problem, you should get the standard 48V PoE injector to be install and work with the PoE extender, at the edge side, you need to place a PoE spitter if the device is non-standard PoE device at sometimes. Actually, it depends on the powered devices and PoE extender.
Network Speed
Network speed is another factor that should be considered, especially we are talking about getting extended WiFi. A fast network speed, like gigabit data rate, suppose a basic requirement to ensure a smooth internet for multiple clients to log in at the same time, or LAN network for vast data stream at a time. One thing should be noticed, once decide to build a gigabit network, not only does the PoE extender need to select the gigabit type, actually, all the devices in the link suppose to support the gigabit network, otherwise it is impossible to access a gigabit network speed.
Use PoE Injector and PoE Splitter to Solve
PoE Injector Brief Introduction
PoE injector belongs to PSE, and it is midspans, which can be used to inject power to the Ethernet network, so as to get PoE to be transmitted to the PoE-enabled powered device. Moreover, the 48V standard PoE injector is also a good solution to upgrade the system to standard PoE, and work with passive PoE powered device. What if high power is demanded in your system due to the ever-expanding Internet of Things, the 95W PoE injector that complies with IEEE802.3bt standard is the ultimate solution.
PoE Splitter Brief Introduction
On the contrary, PoE splitter is the tool that can split PoE to power and network separately in two streams. It receives PoE, and it power and network will be output from two ports for connecting the power and RJ45 Ethernet pigtails of the edge powered device. In fact, it also can be regarded as a voltage converter, it can make the 48V standard PoE converter to a proper voltage according to the connected powered device when picking up the correct one. PoE splitter varies from voltages to adapt different non-PoE devices. Besides, above we discussed high power applications, actually, you know at this time, the majority are non-PoE devices.
