How to connect a PoE power adapter

PoE stands for Power Over Ethernet, referring to active Ethernet. PoE powering technology allows IP-based devices (such as IP phones, wireless LAN access points (APs), and network cameras) to transmit data signals while also providing DC power to these devices, without any modifications to the Ethernet Category 5 cabling infrastructure. A PoE power adapter uses only a single network cable to simultaneously provide power and data transmission for low-power network devices, saving power cable material and reducing installation costs. It is primarily used for wireless cabling and is a low-cost solution for wireless network cabling, but it is relatively insecure and is considered a non-standard device.

A PoE power adapter typically has two ports: a power port and a data input port. The port marked LAN or data is the data port, which connects to a computer or switch; the port marked PoE or PSE is the power port, which connects to the device to be powered.

However, the wiring method for PoE power adapters differs depending on the power supply method. There are two standard PoE power supply methods:

1. Alternative A: Uses wires 1, 2, 3, and 6 of the network cable for power supply. For a 100Mbps PoE switch, only a 4-core network cable is needed; for a gigabit PoE switch, an 8-core network cable is required, and all 8 cores must be connected.

2. Alternative B: Uses wires 4, 5, 7, and 8 of the network cable for power supply. Regardless of whether it's a 100Mbps or gigabit PoE switch, an 8-core network cable is required, and all 8 cores must be connected.