What switch do I really need?

[ingeborgdot]

I'm setting up a surveillance system. I have to use a P2P bridge between 2 buildings at 2 different sites. The bridges I'm using are a Ubiquiti bridge. When I was on another forum that dealt with cameras, many said that I should make my whole system Ubiquiti. Well, that may be great for some, but I already have a new $200 + router, and would like to keep it instead of switching to a Ubiquiti one. I am in the need of several switches though. I need ones that are PoE, and will be able to supply enough power to a couple of PTZ cameras. At one site there will be 4 cameras, but 1 or 2 may be PTZ. At the other site, there will be 8 cameras, and 1 or 2 may be PTZ. Do I really need a Ubiquiti switch at those sites. 1- 4 port, and 1- 8 port?

What are your thoughts on this?

What would be a good switch? I'm just looking for a recommendation.

Thanks.

 

[degrub]

Unless you need managed switches, just use pretty much anyone's unmanaged switch. Netgear Pro line switches have a reasonable reputation. You can provide POE power by using a third party power injector for those cameras that need it rather than investing in a POE switch.

 

[ingeborgdot]

All cameras will need PoE. That is the only way they will be getting power, so a PoE switch is a must. I don't want to have to buy injectors for 8 cameras. Then the cost will be more than the PoE switch for those alone, even though they are cheap.

 

[degrub]

POE doesn't have to be embedded in the switch.
Figure out the peak power draw and the voltage for the number of devices for each. It should be on the camera spec. Also, make sure the cable length is within spec. Even though it is DC, depending on cable type, there will be some losses.
Then start looking for a POE switch with more than enough power budget. POE just works as long as you have enough power, so it really doesn't set the spec for the switch. Other features that you need do.

Higher power switches are likely to have cooling fans. Can the situation tolerate the noise ?

Also, pay attention to the environment where the switch will be installed. Does it have adequate air flow and acceptable air temperature ?

 

[thiggins]

TP-Link has a number of inexpensive PoE switches. I have a few TL-SG108Ps that have worked fine for me. Only 4 of the 8 ports are PoE though.

 

[John Davis]

not only do you definitely NOT need to go all ubiquiti for switch/router - you can even skip their over-priced and under-performing NVR hardware.

We used to use unifi video at work (back when you could run it on any windows/linux box) - when ubiquiti announced it was going end of life and their new ‘solution’ meant you HAD to use their nvr’s we switched all our unifi cameras to running off synology surveillance station running on our existing rackmount NASs - even with the cost of SS licenses it worked out cheaper, meant we didn’t have one odd-ball piece of hardware to support, and the software itself it markedly nicer to manage and for users to access

 

[Threska49]

TP-Link has a number of inexpensive PoE switches. I have a few TL-SG108Ps that have worked fine for me. Only 4 of the 8 ports are PoE though.

Zyxel but same idea. One benefit of having it in the switch is one can remotely turn ports on and off. Makes doing diagnostics easier.