A PTZ camera on a highway gantry, wireless access points on a factory mezzanine, an access control panel at a substation gate: each device needs more power than a standard PoE port can supply, and each sits where a commercial switch will not last. Comnet designed its 802.3bt industrial PoE switch lineup for that exact mix of high power and harsh conditions. This guide covers how much power a PoE switch can deliver, which Comnet switch is the right fit for each job, and what keeps these industrial Ethernet switches reliable in industrial settings where downtime is not an option.
Note: If your next deployment needs full 90W PoE on every port in a roadside cabinet, substation, or plant floor, Comnet’s hardened 802.3bt switches can power PTZ cameras, wireless access points, and access control from a single DIN rail unit. That means one cable for data and power to each device, no separate AC outlets, and power capacity that grows with your network without replacing the switch. Contact Comnet today, and we’ll help you choose the right industrial PoE switch for your device load and site.
Power over Ethernet (PoE) carries data and DC power over the same twisted-pair cable. The PoE switch acts as the power sourcing equipment (PSE), and the camera, radio, or reader acts as the powered device (PD). How many watts PoE can handle depends on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard each port supports: IEEE 802.3af (PoE) delivers up to 15.4W per port, IEEE 802.3at (PoE+) delivers up to 30W per port, and IEEE 802.3bt Type 4 (PoE++) delivers up to 90W per port at the PSE. The type of PoE switch with the maximum wattage is an 802.3bt Type 4 PoE switch, and 90W per port is the maximum power output defined by the current IEEE standard. Because 802.3bt is backward compatible, a bt port also powers PoE compatible devices built for 802.3af and 802.3at.
Per-port wattage is only half the answer. Every PoE switch also has a total PoE budget, and that budget determines how many network devices can draw their maximum power at the same time. Eight ports at 90W need a 720W budget to run at full power simultaneously. If the budget is smaller, the switch shares it across each port in use. Industrial PoE design starts with both numbers: the power each port can supply and the total the switch can provide. For a deeper breakdown of each standard, see our guide to PoE vs. PoE+ vs. PoE++.
Copper Ethernet links are specified to 100 meters. When cameras or radios sit farther from the cabinet, SFP fiber ports on the switch carry data over long distances back to the core of the industrial Ethernet network, while the PoE switch powers the devices on local copper connections. That split between fiber uplinks and copper Ethernet PoE drops is how most industrial networks are built, and it is why every Comnet 802.3bt PoE switch includes SFP ports. If you need to plan the copper side, Power over Ethernet uses standard twisted-pair cabling, so the same switch can power network devices and carry their data on one run.
Comnet builds three hardened, managed Ethernet switches with 802.3bt PoE, plus a 90W media converter for single-device runs. Each managed switch is designed for a different port count and power profile, so you can match the PoE switch to the number of high-draw devices at each site. All three industrial Ethernet switches use the same hardened approach, and all three are managed Ethernet switches with Layer 2+ features.
|
Model |
PoE Ports |
Total PoE Budget |
Uplinks |
Compliance |
|
8 × 90W (802.3bt Type 4) |
720W |
2 × SFP 100/1000/2.5G |
BABA NDAA/TAA Made in USA |
|
|
4 × 90W (802.3bt) + 8 × 30W (802.3at) |
360W |
4 × SFP+ 100M/1G/2.5G/10G |
NDAA/TAA |
|
|
4 × 90W (802.3bt Type 4) |
360W |
2 × 1G SFP |
NDAA/TAA |
The first switch in Comnet's 802.3bt series delivers 90W on all eight 10/100/1000 RJ45 Ethernet PoE ports at the same time, with a 720W PoE budget held across the full operating temperature range. Two SFP ports support up to 2.5 Gbps. Its flexible power architecture lets you install a smaller power supply today and scale up later, so you never replace the switch as device loads grow. It is designed, manufactured, and supported in the United States and carries a limited lifetime warranty. Comnet built this PoE switch for advanced IP cameras, edge sensors, digital signage, and other power-hungry equipment in industrial networks.
This DIN rail mounted, managed Layer 2+ PoE switch provides 802.3bt 90W PoE on four ports and 802.3at 30W PoE on eight more, with a 360W total budget and four SFP+ ports up to 10 Gbps. Comnet recommends it for PTZ cameras, wireless access points, and access control systems. Because the port maximums add up to more than 360W, the budget is shared, which makes its PoE Control and Monitoring tools useful for deciding which port gets power first.
Four RJ45 ports each deliver 802.3bt Type 4 PoE, and the 360W budget covers all four at a full 90W. Two 1G SFP ports handle fiber uplinks. This managed switch mounts on DIN rail and runs the same Layer 2+ management software, making it an ideal PoE switch for smaller cabinets in industrial environments.
When one high-power device sits at the end of a run, this media converter supplies 90W 802.3bt Type 4 PoE, backward compatible with 802.3af/at. Its EdgeResetTM feature lets operators remotely power-cycle the connected PoE device through Comnet's EdgeReset Gateway/Console, with no truck roll or ladder climb. It is hardened to -40°C/+75°C, made in the USA, and TAA, NDAA, and BABA compliant. See the CN-IMCG0101P-ER.
An industrial PoE switch in a roadside cabinet or on a plant floor faces heat, cold, shock, vibration, and electromagnetic interference. Commercial Ethernet switches are not designed for these harsh environmental conditions, and in industrial settings a single failed component can take down every camera and reader on that switch. Industrial Ethernet switches for harsh environments need to operate through all of it without frequent service visits. Comnet's industrial grade design addresses each one, and the CNGE10FX2TX8MSBT datasheet documents how this rugged PoE switch is built to operate:
Rugged hardware is only part of durability, and electromagnetic interference is only one of the risks industrial networks face. On managed Ethernet switches, network control keeps an industrial Ethernet network stable and secure. The CNGE10FX2TX8MSBT supports 802.1Q VLAN segmentation, 802.1p QoS for real-time video and control data, SNMP v1/v2c/v3 with RMON for remote monitoring, IGMP snooping for multicast video, STP/RSTP/MSTP, ERPS (G.8032) ring protection, and LACP link aggregation. Security features include 802.1X port-based access control, ACLs, and HTTPS/SSH management. Comnet's Port Guardian adds another layer: it monitors connections and locks down a port instantly if tampering is detected, keeping unauthorized equipment off your networks.
Every managed switch in this lineup is NDAA and TAA compliant, which matters for government, utility, and transportation networks with sourcing requirements. The CNGE10FX2TX8MSBT and CN-IMCG0101P-ER also meet BABA requirements and are made in the USA. Comnet's hardened Ethernet switches are designed so that security integrators, utilities, and transportation agencies can use one reliable platform across surveillance networks, substation networks, and roadside networks.
Start with the total demand of every PD on the switch, then compare it against the PoE budget, not the per-port rating. Account for the operating environment too. Comnet's PoE power supply budget calculation guide recommends planning for about 60-70% of a power supply's rating for long-term performance, even in a conditioned environment. Each Comnet 802.3bt PoE switch product page lists its minimum and recommended power supply, so you can match DIN rail power to the load you need now and add capacity later.
High-wattage industrial PoE also lowers installation and maintenance costs. One cable carries data and power to each device, eliminating the need for separate AC outlets or electrical runs at every camera pole or access point. In factories, plants, and transportation corridors, that removes electrical work from the critical path of installation. Remote tools reduce maintenance costs further: SNMP monitoring flags problems early across your networks, and EdgeReset on the CN-IMCG0101P-ER restarts a frozen device without a site visit. Comnet products give factories and utility plants a reliable way to use one managed switch platform from the control room to the field, and to use the same industrial PoE design across industrial environments of every size.
For transportation deployments, see our Industrial Ethernet switches for ITS buyer's guide.
If your next project needs 90W PoE that holds up in harsh conditions, contact Comnet to match the right industrial PoE switch to your device load and site.