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PoE Switch Recommendations

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KD9RBV
KD9RBV's picture
PoE Switch Recommendations

Hello! I'm very new to all this. Just got started with AREDN recently and I'm still learning about PoE. I've both a MikroTok hAP and a MiktoTik SXTsq Lite5. I've got them both flash. I've been able to power the SXT from the hAP with pass through power. However I've tried a few PoE switches and none of them work. What should I be looking for in a switch that I can connect to the hAP on port 5 for dtd connections?  I've tried the following and none of them are able to power up the SXT. 
  • TP-Link 5 port TL-SG1005P
  • Netgear GS305P
  • Netgear GS108PEv3
Thank you!

Kyle
KD9RBV
 
w6bi
w6bi's picture
Ubiquiti
The Ubiquiti 5-port Edgeswitch (formerly "ToughSwitch") is an excellent choice.   It has 5 POE ports and is controllable via a web interface, so you can power-cycle each port as needed.
The hAP 24V output on port 5 isn't sufficient to run the switch and several nodes.   I use a POE injector outboard of port 5 and a POE 'extractor' on the far end to pull out power for the switch.  It replaces the 24V wall wart that comes with the Edgeswitch

My switch sits in a box next to my tower in the back yard.  In this way I only have to run one network cable around the outside of the house.

Hope this helps.

Orv W6BI
KD9RBV
KD9RBV's picture
Thanks! I'm looking to have
Thanks! I'm looking to have the hAP in my utility room with a line going out of port 5 outside to a switch. Off the switch I'd have the SXT and some cameras using POE off the switch. Sounds like what you're talking about. What kind of injector/extractor are you using with your setup?

 Regards,

Kyle
KD9RBV
w6bi
w6bi's picture
POE Injectors
I'm using a passive POE injector because I have a 12V to 24V converter off a big honkin' battery in the shack :-)
This is a POE injector that would work, but you still need an extractor at the other end: https://www.amazon.com/PLUSPOE-Passive-Ethernet-Injector-Devices/dp/B07D...

This is what I use, one at each end of the Ethernet cable: https://www.amazon.com/iCreatin-Passive-Injector-Splitter-Connector/dp/B...

Orv
W6BI
nc8q
nc8q's picture
outside to a switch, cameras

Hi, Kyle:

None of the 3 switches you mentioned are 'outdoor' rated, so 'outside to a switch' won't work.
The SXTsq and the cameras may require different voltages, hence may require separate POE injectors.
The SXTsq would connect to port 5 of the hAP and the cameras would connect to port (2,3,4).
So far, you don't need a switch or POE switch or VLAN switch

By adding a VLAN capable POE switch (Netgear GS108PE) and configuring VLANs you could
attach the SXTsq and the cameras to the VLAN switch, then one cable from the VLAN switch to port 5 of the hAP. 
You likely still need separate POE injectors, one for the SXTsq and one for the cameras (via the POE switch).

I hope this helps,
Chuck
 

nc8q
nc8q's picture
What should I be looking for in a switch that I can connect to

1. What should I be looking for in a switch that I can connect to the hAP on port 5 for dtd connections?
2, I've tried a few PoE switches and none of them work.

Hi, Kyle:

So far, you have not mentioned enough devices to require a switch nor a POE switch.
The 3 POE switches you mentioned require an external power supply.
I reviewed those devices at the manufacturers web site and could not tell if they came with an external power supply.
If you were to use any of those switches to power the SXTsq, you would need a 24 vdc external power supply.

Chuck


 

KD9RBV
KD9RBV's picture
You have not mentioned enough devices

Chuck, you right I didn't outline the full build. I do have another camera, Raspberry Pi and a WAN link that I'd like to get up and running. I have a "wire closet" in my utility room from when I had my house wired with cat5 about 15 years ago. As part of this I have two lines coming in from outside. One for internet into the house and the second is a spare. I plan on using that spare line to allow for a line from the hAP port 5 to go back outside from my utility closet with POE.

So given that I only have the single cat5 going out of the house that is where the switch would come in. I could have the RPi on the hAP inside along with a WAN link for tunnels. The secondary line would connect to port 5 on the hAP and run outside. So it's the question of once I get outside that I don't know enough to accomplish. After I turn POE passthrough off on the hAP what would I need to run a single cat5 outside to power a switch, SXT, and two camers? Or is that even possible? It sounds like I'd need something to inject power as it comes out of the hAP and then, once outside, something to split that power off to power a switch and the devices. 

Appreciate all the thoughts and suggestions! I'm learning a lot by reading here.

Kyle

nc8q
nc8q's picture
hAP port 5 to go back outside from my utility closet with POE.

Hi, Kyle:

 Ahhh.
It seems to me that the hurdle is that the 'outside' is, uh, outside and requires weatherproof equipment or a weatherproof enclosure.

Following Orv's post:
My switch sits in a box next to my tower in the back yard.  In this way I only have to run one network cable around the outside of the house.

My setup:
My tower, AREDN devices, POEs, and a VLAN switch are by/in a detached garage.
I have one CAT5 cable entering my home. In my home is another VLAN switch.
I have a bunch of RPis and a workstation on the local AREDN network.
I have the VLAN switches configured so that I can have any device in the house or garage
get an LAN IP address from any AREDN device in the garage or house.

Back to your situation...
In addition to needing and outdoor enclosure...
Your issue could be that the camera voltage is not 24vdc...likely 48vdc.
I image a solution that involves injecting camera or SXTsq voltage on the 'outside cable' near the hAP or 'in the closet'...
whichever is the highest POE voltage, then using a voltage controller to drop the voltage for the lower voltage equipment
in an outdoor enclosure. The outdoor enclosure houses a VLAN switch. The SXTsq is 'outside' and the cameras obtain
LAN addresses from it. The RPi get a LAN address from the hAP. The hAP gets WAN from your home internet.

I hope this helps,
Chuck

KD9RBV
KD9RBV's picture
VLAN switch configuration
Thanks Chuck. I'm still working through how the routing/switching works with VLANs configured. I haven't had much exposure to this so I'm still wrapping my head around it. I've ordered a Netgear GS108E to play around with. I'm trying to workout the behavior of connecting the hAP to this switch in the configuration that's documented at https://www.arednmesh.org/content/gs108e-3-node-4-lan-1-wan.

My goal is to have something like the N-SW outside that my single line could feed into https://www.newegg.com/ubiquiti-n-sw-4-x-rj45/p/N82E16833664051. This could then go to the SXT and some cameras, or even another switch. 

However the hAP port 5 is VLAN 2 only it's indicated that anything else is dropped. Am I limiting myself in someway if I route the hAP port 5 outside to a switch? From what I understand any other VLANs wouldn't make it out. Does it make sense to put the cameras all on VLAN 2 with the nodes?

Again, I'm very new to this.


Regards,
Kyle
KD9RBV
K6CCC
K6CCC's picture
"Does it make sense to put
"Does it make sense to put the cameras all on VLAN 2 with the nodes?"

NO!  The only thing that works on VLAN 2 is DtD connectivity.

 
KD9RBV
KD9RBV's picture
Great, thanks! With the
Great, thanks! With the example configuratin of the GS108E would placing them on VLAN 11 allow the cameras to communicate with the node on port 1 as well as the WAN?

 
nc8q
nc8q's picture
Ubiquiti N-SW, 1 Node, 2 Cameras ???
Hi, Kyle:

 If this is plausible and if your cameras are 24 volt, this would solve your problem.
Use a POE-24V-30W injector with the POE port going outside to the Node and Cameras,
the LAN port going to port 5 of the hAP.
The Cameras would get LAN addresses from the outside node.
I think. :-|

Chuck
 
w6bi
w6bi's picture
Correct

That's correct, Chuck.  I have a camera ("nestcam" actually :-)  ) on the patio, connected to a Toughswitch which is on Port 5 of the hAP.  The node on the tower is running DHCP and gives the camera an IP address.
DHCP requests don't pass across a DtD link, is why.
73
Orv W6BI

nc8q
nc8q's picture
Again, I'm very new to this.

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