PoE Switch or Power Supplies for Cameras: What Works Better
Two ways to power IP cameras — economics and reliability compared: when 12V supplies are enough and when PoE pays off from day one.
How IP cameras get power
Option one: a classic 12V power supply next to each camera plus a separate power cable. Option two: PoE (Power over Ethernet, 802.3af/at) — power and data travel over one twisted pair from a PoE switch, up to 100 meters with no extra wiring or outlets.
Economics and reliability
For one or two cameras, power supplies are cheaper. But from 3–4 cameras the economics flips: every supply needs an outlet next to its camera (that means electrical work), every supply is a separate point of failure, and backing them up individually against blackouts is nearly impossible.
PoE solves all of that with one node: the switch sits in a cabinet with a single UPS — and the whole CCTV system survives a power cut. Diagnostics get easier too: a frozen camera can be rebooted remotely by cycling PoE on its port instead of driving to the site.
An example with 8 cameras
With supplies: 8 PSUs, 8 outlets (installation!), a basic switch, and almost nowhere to fit a UPS. With PoE: one 8+ port PoE switch, one UPS in the cabinet, zero extra outlets. Upfront cost is similar; total cost of ownership favors PoE: fewer failure points, backup in one place, remote management.
The one thing to calculate in advance is the PoE power budget: the sum of all cameras' consumption (regular — 5–7 W, PTZ and heated — 15–25 W) must fit the switch's budget with 20–30% headroom.
Conclusion
Up to 2–3 cameras with outlets already in place — power supplies are acceptable. From 3–4 cameras, and in any system that must survive blackouts, — PoE, no question. We will help you pick a PoE switch for your camera count and calculate the power budget — message us in chat or Telegram.