TECH TALK

The IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet (PoE) standard offers simplicity by combining the network signal and device power in one Ethernet cable connection. It allows power sourcing equipment (PSE) to power a wide variety of powered devices (PDs), such as wireless AP, VoIP phone, POS kiosk, IP camera, or various modern industrial sensors, in the areas where it is physically prohibitive to offer power normally.

PoE technology enables data and power transmission over the two spare pairs (4, 5 and 7, 8) or the two data pairs (1, 2 and 3, 6) in a standard Cat 3/5/5e/6 Ethernet cable, which is currently the most widely used Ethernet connectivity medium in industrial applications. In some power-budget-limited and power-centralized environments, such as mines, utility substations, transportation systems and warehouses, PoE technology reduces cabling and makes deployment more economical. In addition, PoE increases mobility and reduces the need for rewiring, especially important in industries where configurations change on a frequent basis. Besides the savings in time and effort, the financial savings can be quite dramatic.

PoE also offers enhanced power usage protection. PSEs will automatically classify power consumption and monitor the status of remote PDs. Power is transmitted only when the remote PD acknowledges that it can accept power. PoE can also be considered as an alternative solution for power redundancy in factory automation applications.

Not only does PoE simplify wiring in the field, but it also allows a more versatile environment for device installations.  PoE technology eliminates the need for using power outlets to deploy compliant Ethernet-enabled devices (Moxa's AWK 1000 series or the NPort 6000 series for example) on a ceiling or in the outdoors. The devices can be placed up to 328 feet (100 m) from a PSE.  With the introduction of PoE, administrators have a standardized, cost-effective method to flexibly extend an Ethernet network.

NPort 6000 Secure Terminal Servers have PoE