Nowadays, wireless technology is present in many communication applications. From point-to-point communication to wireless networks, communication technology using electronic emission has been widely used, which does not require continuous copper or fiber optic connections. PoE has become a major power supply option for these applications.

What is PoE?

Power over Ethernet (PoE) refers to the ability to supply power and transmit data simultaneously through Ethernet cables. This technology was introduced by today's Microchip PoE business unit in 1997, allowing manufacturers to power networked devices through two integrated circuits (ICs): one IC powers Ethernet cables, and the other IC takes power from the cables and powers the devices.

Initially, there were no PoE network switching chips available for power supply. The Microchip PoE business unit took the lead in developing PoE mid span devices (also known as PoE power supplies). The system is connected from the
The network switching chip (which contains data and can add or "inject" power into the circuit) obtains input and provides an output Ethernet cable containing power and data.

Meet the need for multiple PoE switching chips

 Nowadays, there are indeed some switching chips on the market that can simultaneously transmit data and power through Ethernet cables. However, only about 20% of the currently deployed switching chips are available for power supply. Therefore, if a wireless network powered by PoE is to be installed on an existing infrastructure equipped with non PoE switching chips, power must be injected into the Ethernet cable. Installing PoE mid span devices is the most cost-effective and convenient method to achieve the above objectives.

Even if PoE switching chips are deployed, there will still be some limitations. Each switching chip has an overall power budget. A portion of this budget will be used to power the switching chip itself. The remaining power can be used for PoE power supply through ports. However, switching chips rarely have sufficient power budget to provide full power for each port. In this case, PoE can be used to provide supplementary power to these ports across devices.

Microchip has a wide range of PoE mid span devices that can meet the needs of every customer. For information on when to replace PoE switching chips with mid span devices, please refer to our article on the advantages of PoE mid span devices.

The Application of PoE in the Wireless Field

Nowadays, many wireless devices are powered by PoE. The most common devices include Wi Fi ® Wireless Access Point (WAP) for the network. If wireless networks are to be deployed within an organization or entire premises, using PoE as a power source can simplify the installation process and reduce costs. There is no need to ensure that there are AC power sockets everywhere where WAP is deployed. This allows installation personnel to flexibly place the equipment in the optimal position, thereby maximizing coverage.

Nowadays, many other wireless devices also use PoE power supply. In smart city applications, point-to-point wireless radio frequency connections are highly favored. With the ability to communicate with remote cameras or RFID readers through peer-to-peer communication, some advanced applications have been implemented.

If the robustness of point-to-point deployment is not sufficient to support a certain application, a layered telecommunications network can be constructed. The subnets using terminal devices are located at the edge, and these subnets are connected to the main network through an intermediate structure It's just a backhaul network. This infrastructure can be built using fiber optics; But in order to maximize flexibility, radios powered by PoE are usually used.

Meet the demand for transmission rates exceeding 1 Gbps

Nowadays, wireless applications have put forward new requirements for networks, especially in terms of data speed. In the past, a speed of 1 Gbps was sufficient to meet the needs of most common applications. However, current wireless infrastructure requires higher speeds. With Wi Fi ®  With the launch of 6E, the network can now increase the number of connections and handle higher data throughput. To achieve this scalability, these networks require higher data rates (up to 10 Gbps).

The demand for faster networks is growing rapidly. One of the biggest driving factors for this growth is the deployment of 5G networks by mobile operators around the world. The wavelength of 5G networks is relatively short, so the amount of data they can process far exceeds that of 4G networks. Shorter wavelengths also mean shorter transmission distances; Therefore, 5G networks require a large number of cellular endpoints. With PoE, operators and suppliers can easily place endpoints in the desired location without relying on AC infrastructure.

Microchip has a wide range of thousands of Gigabit PoE mid span devices available in the market, including single port models that support 1 Gbps, 2.5 Gbps, 5 Gbps, and 10 Gbps. In addition, Microchip is currently the only supplier of multi port PoE mid span devices with up to 24 ports and 10 Gbps data rates.

Meet indoor and outdoor needs

The deployment of public Wi Fi, 5G and intelligent buildings/smart cities is no longer limited to indoor environment. Many organizations (such as university campuses and sports venues) have both indoor and outdoor environments, requiring both indoor and outdoor coverage. 5G networks are mainly deployed in outdoor environments.

Many users attempt to meet this demand by moving indoor or industrial switching chips or mid span devices outdoors and covering them with enclosures (such as NEMA enclosures). The challenge faced by these deployments is that the installed devices are not produced for outdoor environments. Extreme high and low temperatures can pose significant risks to such equipment. They can also be damaged by surges.

We have adopted a unique approach of providing a fully sealed device with a Foreign Object Protection (IP) rating of 66/67. This means that the device can not only withstand large waves or strong water columns, but can also be submerged in water at a depth of 1000 mm for up to 30 minutes.

Except for the fully waterproof design of the equipment, all of our outdoor equipment is not affected by surges. All devices comply with the requirements of GR-1089 Core 4th Edition ITU-T K.21 Enhanced Surge Protection (up to 6 KV on data and AC lines).

We provide a comprehensive range of single port outdoor PoE mid span devices with power levels of 30W, 60W, and 90W, with most devices supporting data rates up to 10 Gbps. Microchip has also been the first to introduce a four port PoE switching chip (with one SFP uplink port) suitable for outdoor environments. Afterwards, some other companies have successively launched their own products; However, these products without exception do not have sealing devices, four PoE ports, and one SFP port.

Microchip is about to launch a new generation of outdoor PoE switching chips. This switching chip supports IEEE ®  802.3bt type 4, with a maximum power of up to 90W per port. This device has four PoE ports and two SFP ports, providing redundancy to enhance the reliability of the switching chip, providing failover support in the event of a fiber link failure. In addition, it also has comprehensive security and network functions. This switching chip is an excellent solution for deploying fixed outdoor wireless topologies.

Why choose Microchip

There are a large number of PoE suppliers available for selection in the market. However, in terms of PoE, Microchip stands out from the crowd. As early as the 1990s, the Microchip PoE business unit launched PoE. Microchip has led IEEE's PoE industry standard development activity, providing over 70% of the documentation for the first version of the standard. We have always been the driving force behind all subsequent standards.

In addition, Microchip is also known for its product quality. Many customers have reported success in deploying Microchip products instead of competitors. This is confirmed by the extremely long Mean time between failures (MTBF) and extremely low failure rate of Microchip products.

Microchip has always been a thought leader and innovator in the PoE field in the market. Microchip is the only supplier that produces both IC, PoE switching chips, and mid to cross equipment. The excellent design of the PoE system embodies all the experience we have accumulated from the production of ICs. We provide feedback on our experience in PoE systems to IC engineers, enabling them to design better semiconductor products. This has prompted Microchip to give birth Produce the first PoE cross device and outdoor PoE switching chip, and extend the advantages of PoE to USB-C ® Market.

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