Power over Ethernet, or PoE, distributes power and data safely over an Ethernet cable to a targeted device (or network of devices). It’s often used where universal serial buses (USB) are unsustainable and ac power is inconvenient, expensive or infeasible to supply (think wireless LAN access points, IP phones, surveillance cameras).
An added perk of PoE is that it gets powered over longer runs of cable than what the USB permits. Also, it doesn’t have to deal with the major topology and cable limitations that USB and power lines are faced with.
PoE has been in use for a while now, but as businesses have continued to invest in their data network infrastructure over the years, the need for higher power PoE systems became a growing demand. Devices like VoIP phones, WLAN access points, Web cameras and security cameras with pan, tilt and zoom capabilities are good examples of new devices that needed more power. The result of this need – PoE+.
Before comparing the two, it should be noted that the networking industry, IEEE, holds power delivery systems to a set of standards in order to reduce energy consumption and keep everyone in check. As such, both PoE and PoE+ fall under two separate standards:
| Type | Standard | Maximum Wattage |
| PoE | IEEE802.3AF | 15.4 Wdc |
| PoE+ | IEEE802.3AT | 25.5 Wdc |