Setting up a reliable home or business surveillance system can feel like a lot, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re using IP cameras, a good PoE (Power over Ethernet) switch can make your life so much easier. It powers your cameras and connects them to your network — all through one simple cable. But with so many options out there, how do you find the best PoE switch for IP cameras that actually fits your setup?
Don’t worry — you’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll break down why PoE switches are a smart move, walk you through the top five PoE switches for IP cameras in 2025, and show you exactly what to look for when choosing one.
Benefits of Using PoE Switches for IP Cameras
Using a PoE network switch for IP cameras offers several practical advantages that enhance both installation and performance. Here’s why it’s a smart choice:
- One-Cable Convenience: With a PoE switche for IP camera, you send data and power through a single Ethernet cable. That means fewer wires to hide, no need to hunt for nearby outlets, and a cleaner, faster install.
- Flexible Camera Placement: Because the switch supplies power, you can mount cameras exactly where coverage is best—even high on a wall or out in a parking lot—without paying an electrician to run AC lines.
- Reliable, Centralized Power &Network Control: All cameras draw power from the PoE switch, so you can back up the whole system with one UPS and reboot any camera from the switch’s dashboard if it locks up. Plus, managed PoE switches let you segment traffic with VLANs and monitor bandwidth, giving you IT-level control over your security network.
- Smart Power Management: Modern PoE switches sense each device’s needs and allocate wattage automatically. That keeps power-hungry PTZ cameras happy without overloading lower-draw models.
- Easy Scalability: Need to add cameras later? Just run another Ethernet line back to an open PoE port on the switch—no electrician required. Many switches also offer extra PoE-plus ports to future-proof your system.
5 Best PoE Switches for IP Cameras in 2025
The best switch for PoE cameras should feature rock-solid power budgets, a clean mix of PoE and uplink ports, and reliable network performance. Below are five top-rated switches in 2025 that check all the boxes:
1. FS IES3100-8TF-P, 8-Port
If your cameras live on a parking lot pole or factory floor, the FS IES3100-8TF-P is an industrial-grade switch that’s hard to beat. An IP30-rated steel enclosure shrugs off dust, vibration, and temps from -40 °C to 75 °C while still delivering 240W of PoE+ across eight gigabit ports.
Dual DC inputs and sub-50 ms ERPS fail-over keep streams online even when one power source drops. Layer 2+ features (VLANs, QoS, LACP) and PTP time-sync make it equally at home in security or automation networks.
What’s good
- 240W shared PoE+ budget—enough for eight PTZ cams
- Wide -40 °C – 75 °C operating range for outdoor cabinets
- Redundant power inputs and DIN-rail mount for industrial racks
- Full Layer 2+ management (VLAN, QoS, IGMP Snooping, LACP, PTP)
2. NETGEAR GS116PP, 16-Port
Need lots of ports and don’t want to fuss with configs? The fan-less NETGEAR GS116PP offers 16 gigabit ports, each delivering up to 30W, with a hefty 183W total pool. Because it’s an unmanaged switch, setup is literally plug-and-play; yet the metal chassis is rack- or wall-mount ready and backed by NETGEAR’s limited lifetime warranty. FlexPoE lets you swap the external PSU later if you ever need even more watts.
What’s good
- 183W PoE+ budget—enough for a dozen 15W dome cams plus NVR
- 16 auto-sensing gigabit ports, no configuration required
- Silent, fan-less metal housing for office or AV racks
- FlexPoE power-supply swap keeps the switch “future-proof”
3. TP-Link LS108GP, 8-Port
Need an affordable switch that still powers every camera on the line? TP-Link’s LS108GP checks that box with eight Gigabit PoE+ ports, each ready to deliver up to 30W while sharing a 62W pool.
Press Extend and the unit will push data and power 250 m / 820 ft down one Cat-5e run—perfect for a gate or barn cam. If a camera freezes, the PoE Auto-Recovery toggle reboots it automatically, saving you a ladder climb. A fan-less metal chassis keeps things whisper-quiet on a bookshelf, yet the 16 Gbps fabric and 11.9 Mpps forwarding rate ensure your NVR never chokes.
What’s good
- 8 × PoE+ ports, 62W shared budget (30W max/port), plenty for eight fixed domes or four PTZs
- Long-range “Extend” mode sends power-and-data up to 250 m/820 ft when you flip a front-panel switch
- PoE Auto-Recovery pings and reboots a frozen camera without manual intervention
- Desktop or wall mounting plus 3-year TP-Link warranty
4.Ubiquiti UniFi USW-Flex, 5-Port
If you already run UniFi Protect or simply love Ubiquiti’s slick controller, the USW-Flex slots right in. One PoE++ uplink powers the switch itself, which then dishes out four PoE+ ports (46W pool) to IP cameras. Rated for -40 °C to 55 °C, the cigarette-pack-sized chassis can hang under an eave, on a light pole, or inside a junction box—with full UniFi app monitoring.
What’s good
- Single-cable PoE++ input plus four PoE+ outputs
- Outdoor-ready, IP-rated shell the size of a smartphone
- Managed entirely from the UniFi dashboard and mobile app
- 1 G uplink and 10 Gbps switching capacity prevent local bottlenecks
5.STEAMEMO Gigabit, 8-Port
For smaller DIY installs, STEAMEMO’s unmanaged eight-port delivers a surprising 120W PoE+ budget, plus two gigabit uplinks and dual SFP slots for fiber runs—all for a competitive price.
AI VLAN and PD detection toggles are handled by simple dip switches, so there’s no software to learn. A built-in PSU and fan-less design keep the unit tidy and silent on a shelf or in a low-cost NVR box.
What’s good
- 8 × PoE+ ports with 30W each, 120W total
- Two gigabit uplinks + 2 × 1.25 G SFP for flexible backhaul
- AI VLAN switch isolates camera traffic to stop broadcast storms
- 4 kV lightning and short-circuit protection for outdoor runs
How to Choose a PoE Switch for IP Cameras?
Before you pick the best PoE switch for IP cameras, start with two simple questions: How much power do my cameras draw, and how many streams will flow through the switch? When you understand those numbers, everything else—features, form-factor, and budget—falls into place.
Confirm Your Power Needs (PoE Budget)
Add up each camera’s watt draw and compare the total to the switch’s PoE budget (the pool of watts the switch can deliver). A good rule is to leave 20–30 % head-room so a cold night or a future camera upgrade doesn’t trip the breaker.
Here’s how to match the PoE standard to your devices:
- 3af (PoE)up to 15.4W per port— fine for basic 1080p dome cameras
- 3at (PoE+)up to 30W per port— covers most IR or varifocal bullet cameras
- 3bt (PoE++)up to 60–100W per port— needed for PTZs or multi-sensor 4K eyes
For instance, a four-unit setup of high-performance eufy PoE security cameras, like the 4K E40 Bullet Cam or the 4K E41 Dome Cam, could call for 100-120W of PoE+ head-room rather than the 60W you’d need for basic 1080p domes.
Count Ports and Plan for Tomorrow
Even small homes outgrow a four-port brick once you add a doorbell cam and a Wi-Fi Access Point. Choose a switch with at least 25 % more PoE ports than your current camera count so you can expand without buying a second switch.
Check Bandwidth & Uplink Speed
Every 4K camera can push 8–12 Mb/s. Aggregate that across a dozen channels and a single gigabit uplink may saturate. Look for:
- Gigabit uplinks (RJ-45 or SFP) on eight- or sixteen-port models
- 10 Gbps uplinks if you’re backhauling dozens of 4K feeds to a core switch or NVR
- At least two uplinks so a link failure or big file transfer doesn’t freeze live video
Decide on Managed vs Unmanaged
An Unmanaged PoE switch is true plug-and-play—perfect for four or five cameras on a small network. Managed/L2+ PoE switches, on the other hand, give you VLANs to isolate camera traffic, QoS to prioritize video, and port mirroring for troubleshooting—features that pay off in busy homes or businesses.
Look at Environment & Form Factor
If the switch rides in a dusty attic or roadside cabinet, prioritize:
- Industrial IP30/metal housings with -40 °C to 75 °C ratings
- DIN-rail mounts and redundant DC inputs for stable power
- Fan-less cooling to cut noise in a living room rack or kiosk
Reliability & Safety Extras
A PoE watchdog that auto-reboots a frozen camera keeps you from rolling a ladder at 2 a.m. Plus, surge or lightning protection (4 kV or higher) prevents costly failures on long outdoor runs.
Step-by-Step Guide to Connect IP Cameras to a PoE Switch
Setting up your IP camera with PoE switch is usually a 15-minute job—so long as you follow a clear order and double-check power and network settings as you go. The steps below assume you’re using a separate PoE switch and an NVR or router, but the same logic works if your NVR has built-in PoE.
1. Map Your Runs and Label the Cables
Sketch a quick floor plan, mark each camera drop, and give every cable a label before you pull it. You’ll thank yourself later when you’re troubleshooting or adding another camera.
2. Mount and Power-Up the PoE Switch
Install the switch in a rack, cabinet, or secure shelf where it has airflow. Plug in its power brick—or, on an industrial model, your redundant DC feeds—and wait for the power LED to stabilize.
3. Connect the Uplink
Run a patch cord from one of the switch’s non-PoE uplink ports (copper or SFP) to your router or directly to the NVR’s LAN port. This single link carries every video stream to the recorder or the wider network.
4. Plug Each Camera into a PoE Port
Use pre-made Cat-5e/6 cables or terminate field runs with RJ-45 plugs. Insert each connector firmly until you hear a click—then watch the port’s PoE and link LEDs:
- Both LEDs on= power and data good
- Link light off= check the connector or cable
- PoE light off= the camera may not support 802.3af/at, or you’ve run out of budget
5. Wait for Auto-Discovery or Set Camera IP Manually
Most NVRs auto-scan the subnet every few seconds. Give the system two to five minutes; your cameras should populate the channel list and show live video.
If they don’t, use the NVR’s “Add Camera” tool or the camera’s web page to set a static IP.
6. Tweak VLAN or QoS (Optional but Smart)
On a managed switch, create a dedicated VLAN for camera ports and tag the uplink. This keeps broadcast storms or malware on the office LAN from hitting your video traffic and makes troubleshooting simpler.
7. Check Bandwidth and Recording Settings
Open the NVR’s status page and confirm total incoming bitrate is well below the uplink capacity (e.g., under 800 Mb/s on a gigabit link). If you’re close to the ceiling, lower each camera’s bit-rate or add a second uplink.
8. Secure and Weather-Proof the Install
Crimp boots or use grommets where cables pass through metal, add drip loops outdoors, and tighten the switch’s strain-relief bar if it has one. In dusty or hot spots, close the cabinet door and let the fan-less switch do its silent cooling.
9. Final Test
Walk under each camera with the live view open on your phone or monitor. Verify focus, field of view, and night-vision IR. When everything looks clean, tighten the last screws and you’re done.
Conclusion
Picking the best PoE switch for IP cameras doesn’t have to be complicated, and now, you’re ready to do it with confidence. A solid PoE switch will keep your cameras powered, your setup clean, and your security system running 24/7 without a hitch.
By figuring out enough PoE ports and budgets (with about 25 % spare), prioritizing Gigabit (or 10 G) uplinks, and deciding on the suitable management features and build, you’ll zero in on the best PoE switch that fits both today’s system and tomorrow’s upgrades.
FAQs
What PoE switch for cameras?
Look for a switch that supports at least PoE+ (802.3at), has enough ports for every camera plus a few extras, and offers a total power budget that exceeds the combined watt draw of your cameras by 20–30 percent. Managed features—like VLANs and PoE watchdog reboots—make life easier, but an unmanaged brick is fine for very small, isolated installs.
Which PoE switch is best?
“Best” depends on your environment. For rugged outdoor or industrial sites, an IP-rated model such as the FS IES3100-8TF-P is hard to beat; for lots of indoor cameras, a high-budget (180W+) 16-port unit like the NETGEAR GS116PP is a solid value. Compare power budget, port count, and management options against your current and future camera load to decide which is truly the best PoE switch for IP cameras in your situation.
Can you run PoE cameras through a switch?
Yes—plug each camera into a PoE-enabled port and the switch will deliver both power and network data over the same Ethernet cable. The switch then uses its uplink to pass all video streams to your NVR or router, so you avoid separate power adapters and reduce cable clutter.
How do I choose a PoE switch?
First, total the wattage of all your cameras and pick a switch whose PoE budget comfortably exceeds that number. Next, make sure you have enough PoE ports (with spare capacity), gigabit or faster uplinks, and—if your network is shared—managed features like VLANs and QoS. Finally, match the switch’s form factor and temperature rating to where it will live, whether that’s a silent living-room rack or an unheated outdoor box.