Network switch with POE

[glricht]

Met with a potential new SMB client this morning. He's got about 8 offices and each has a data jack and a phone jack (all labeled) feeding back to the network closet containing a 24-port patch panel, an unmanaged 10/100 Netgear 24-port switch going to a standard Verizon FIOS router. He also had Verizon for his land-lines.

First, he wants to provide a guest wireless and office wireless network. No problem there, I can add a business-level router that supports this, such as a ASUS RT-N66U, and disable the wireless on the FIOS router so that everything is managed by the business-level router.

Second, he also wants to replace his Verizon phone system with VOIP. He's got a provider lined up and they're telling him he just needs to replace his current network switch with one that provides POE.

I've not done POE before. Is it as simple as replacing the non-POE switch with a switch that supports POE? If yes, that I'm guessing that each phone would now connect to a data port instead of a phone port. True? And if that's true, then I guess I'd have to install a small network switch in each office to split the data port into a connection for the PC and a connection for the phone.

Am I understanding this correctly?

Thanks in advance.

 

[phaZed]

No, POE is not all the same. You need to be aware that using the wrong POE can destroy equipment and you need to do you due diligence in determining what you need.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet

 

[Martyn]

Coincidentally I got an email today about Ubiquiti bringing out a poe switch

http://www.ubnt.com/unifi-switching...il&utm_term=0_1c1b02cb37-6d2ef4880f-238475105

I have a basic Ubiquiti switch and you can configure each port to be poe or a standard port

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Coincidentally I got an email today about Ubiquiti bringing out a poe switch

http://www.ubnt.com/unifi-switching...il&utm_term=0_1c1b02cb37-6d2ef4880f-238475105

I have a basic Ubiquiti switch and you can configure each port to be poe or a standard port

You too huh? Their UniFi lineup is REALLY getting good!
I've used their ToughSwitches before on bigger lineups of their access points...but those are specific for the Unifi APs.

Otherwise...HP ProCurve has some POE models, and they're true business grade switches. Speaking of business grade..that Asus 66 router is residential...not business. Typically in offices you separate the wireless from the router...having individual access points sprinkled around the office.

 

[tek9]

I've not done POE before. Is it as simple as replacing the non-POE switch with a switch that supports POE? If yes, that I'm guessing that each phone would now connect to a data port instead of a phone port. True? And if that's true, then I guess I'd have to install a small network switch in each office to split the data port into a connection for the PC and a connection for the phone.

Am I understanding this correctly?

Thanks in advance.

Most VOIP phones that I've seen have an extra port for the PC to connect to, so the phone acts like a switch of some sort. So you'll connect the VOIP phone to the data port which is now linked to a POE switch of the proper voltage etc., then once you verify that the phone has connectivity, you'll connect the Ethernet cable of the PC to the secondary port on the phone, which should give the PC connectivity via the phone. This helps in such situations where you don't have extra data ports available. One thing I don't like about this setup is that the phones usually only have Fast Ethernet links, so you won't get Gigabit speeds for the PCs connecting through it. Obviously depends on the phones and/or switches you're using, but keep this in mind.

 

[tom11011]

Just make sure the switch supports the poe standard of 802.3af and you'll be fine.

 

[Markverhyden]

Met with a potential new SMB client this morning. He's got about 8 offices and each has a data jack and a phone jack (all labeled) feeding back to the network closet containing a 24-port patch panel, an unmanaged 10/100 Netgear 24-port switch going to a standard Verizon FIOS router. He also had Verizon for his land-lines.

First, he wants to provide a guest wireless and office wireless network. No problem there, I can add a business-level router that supports this, such as a ASUS RT-N66U, and disable the wireless on the FIOS router so that everything is managed by the business-level router.

Second, he also wants to replace his Verizon phone system with VOIP. He's got a provider lined up and they're telling him he just needs to replace his current network switch with one that provides POE.

I've not done POE before. Is it as simple as replacing the non-POE switch with a switch that supports POE? If yes, that I'm guessing that each phone would now connect to a data port instead of a phone port. True? And if that's true, then I guess I'd have to install a small network switch in each office to split the data port into a connection for the PC and a connection for the phone.

Am I understanding this correctly?

Thanks in advance.

POE is the alternative to having separate AC adapters for each phone. And yes, the phones can be daisy chained with the computer. But you also want to do some research about the VoIP provider and Verizon. I've had customer's have problems with VoIP because of undocumented packet mangling at the ISP's modem. Not often but it does happen. And, because the ISP contract is for internet, they might very well be less than helpful when it comes to troubleshooting.

Most POE switches today allow hooking up non-POE devices to POE ports without blowing the nic.

 

[glricht]

Thanks for all the posts!

I talked with the customer earlier today and he said that he had a "friend" who told him that a Netgear Prosafe M4100-26 POE managed switch (24 ports) had worked for him, so my customer said that's what he wanted. He then asked if I wanted to get it or if he should get it.

It's my first project with this customer and I'm getting a feeling that he thinks he knows it all and if something goes wrong, it's somebody else's fault.

So I told him I'd acquire the router and he should acquire the switch since he knew exactly what he wanted. If it's not right for the VOIP system he's got coming (he won't tell me who's providing it), it shouldn't fall back on me.

 

[tom11011]

Thanks for all the posts!

I talked with the customer earlier today and he said that he had a "friend" who told him that a Netgear Prosafe M4100-26 POE managed switch (24 ports) had worked for him, so my customer said that's what he wanted. He then asked if I wanted to get it or if he should get it.

It's my first project with this customer and I'm getting a feeling that he thinks he knows it all and if something goes wrong, it's somebody else's fault.

So I told him I'd acquire the router and he should acquire the switch since he knew exactly what he wanted. If it's not right for the VOIP system he's got coming (he won't tell me who's providing it), it shouldn't fall back on me.

One thing to consider, since POE is needed that usually means voip. If this is larger than say 5 phones, you want a switch that will do QOS and VLANS.

 

[e2346437]

Thanks for all the posts!

I talked with the customer earlier today and he said that he had a "friend" who told him that a Netgear Prosafe M4100-26 POE managed switch (24 ports) had worked for him, so my customer said that's what he wanted. He then asked if I wanted to get it or if he should get it.

It's my first project with this customer and I'm getting a feeling that he thinks he knows it all and if something goes wrong, it's somebody else's fault.

So I told him I'd acquire the router and he should acquire the switch since he knew exactly what he wanted. If it's not right for the VOIP system he's got coming (he won't tell me who's providing it), it shouldn't fall back on me.

I'd walk away from this one. I had to investigate a dozen VOIP providers before I found one that was less than 30ms away via ping. Then there was hours of tweaking QOS on my switch and router, all of which is Cisco enterprise-grade. Even then, it's not perfect 100% of the time, but I'll accept the occasional dropout because my phone bill is less than $20 a month. Another expectation people have about VOIP is that the quality is exactly the same as a land line, and guess who's going to get the blame when they find out it's not!