What is an Industrial PoE Injector
and What is it Used For?
An Industrial Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch consists of an Ethernet cable that is capable of transmitting electrical power as well as data to a connected network of devices. However, what do we do in a situation where an Ethernet switch is not PoE-enabled but the device is? This is where Industrial PoE Injectors come to play their role. Let’s discuss what a PoE injector is and its various uses.
What is an Industrial PoE Injector and How Do They Work?
An industrial PoE injector supplies the power and data transmission capability to a PoE-enabled device that is connected to a non-PoE switch. In other words, it allows the PoE functions to a non-PoE LAN switch, thereby operating the devices that are PoE enabled without having a dedicated PoE switch. It is important to remember that PoE injectors deliver power to only PoE-enabled devices. Therefore, the device needs to be PoE-enabled for the injector to work properly.
An industrial PoE injector helps connect PoE devices without the need for extra cabling. It integrates with the existing network switch quite easily. The industrial PoE injector sits right between the LAN switch and the PoE device. It is powered separately and connects the network switch and PoE-enabled device using Ethernet cabling. A PoE injector converts the AC power and provides DC power to the PoE-enabled devices. It usually has a power supply port that receives AC power and has two ports; data in and data out. The data in port connects to the network switch and the data out port connects to the PoE-enabled device.
Features of PoE Injectors
Cabling
It is important to know the type of cabling that should be used while connecting the PoE devices with the PoE injectors and the network switch.
• According to IEEE PoE standards, the cabling requirements for the PoE injectors vary with each standard, for example, the IEEE 802.3af standard allows a maximum of 15.4 Watts of power to be delivered, corresponding to this power the Cat 3, Cat 5, or higher cable can be used.
• Similarly, the IEEE standards of 802.3at use Cat 5 cable.
• The IEEE standards of 802.3bt Type 3 and 802.3bt Type 4 use Cat 6 cable.
• Due to the increase in power supplied by the PoE injectors, Cat6 and above cabling is needed to cater for heat and power transmissions.
Voltage
The voltage available at the powered device varies as per the requirement of the PoE device. It is to be noted here that the PoE-enabled device needs to be compliant with the voltage supplied by the PoE injectors or vice-versa. It supplies three ranges of voltage: 12V, 24V, and 48V.
Active Vs Passive
It is important to understand when choosing between an active PoE injector and a passive PoE injector in the context of the PoE device. An active PoE injector, once connected, establishes an acknowledgment with the PoE device, upon success it powers up the device. This ensures the safety of the device. An active PoE injector follows the IEEE 802.3af, IEEE 802.3at, and IEEE 802.3bt standards. Whereas, the passive does not perform any acknowledgment function and operates between 18-48 volts. It also does not follow the IEEE standards such as 802.3af, 802.3at, and IEEE 802.3bt.
Advantages of Using Industrial PoE Injectors
Industrial PoE Injectors due to their ease of integration and PoE functionalities have several advantages. Following are some of the advantages;
• It uses an Ethernet cable to connect from the LAN switch to the PoE device. This reduces complexities in cabling, especially in industries where deployment needs to be fast and reliable.
• The extra cost of expensive power cabling and space along with cabling equipment can be saved by the use of industrial PoE injectors.
• In industries, often separate AC/DC power supplies are used as per standards, dedicated only to powering up the cables, this cost along with time is saved by the use of PoE injectors.
• The use of Ethernet cable to power up the PoE device eliminates the need for bulkier cabling infrastructure that takes time for installation, therefore, it is a great way of saving time and cost in terms of deployment.
• Manufacturing industries have certain areas where accessibility and space for a new installation could be an issue, industrial PoE injectors due to their compact size offer a convenient solution for such industries where there is a need for integration and extension of existing networks.
• PoE injectors come in various power configurations, hence devices with varying power needs can be powered easily.
Conclusion
Industrial PoE injectors allow the PoE devices to be connected to the existing LAN network switch without the need for extra cabling. It is a convenient way of leveraging the PoE capabilities of a device without spending additional costs on expensive power cabling and its associated accessories. Industrial PoE injectors come in various power configurations and allow industries to power up PoE-enabled devices that require a wide range of voltages and power. Industries can benefit from PoE injectors due to their ease of deployment and convenient installation.
How Can We Help?
Antaira Technologies is a leading developer and manufacturer that provides high-quality industrial networking and communication product solutions. Antaira offers a variety of PoE Injectors that are extremely robust and durable. The range of PoE injectors includes high-power PoE injectors such as 60W industrial PoE injectors and 90W industrial PoE injectors. They are enclosed in a metal casing which is ideal for industrial applications with temperature extremes of -40C to 75C in rugged application environments and vibrations.
