As part of my evaluation of the HP ProCurve 2915 8G PoE Switch, I connected a trio of Wi-Fi access points to check out its Power over Ethernet (PoE) capabilities. For those not familiar with PoE, the technology enables the delivery of power over the same Ethernet cables used for data connectivity.
From left to right, you can see the:
- ZoneFlex 7962 dual-band 802.11n Smart Wi-Fi Access Point from Ruckus Wireless
- ECB-9500 Wireless N 300Mbps Access Point from EnGenius
- DAP-2555 AIRPREMIER N Dual Band Access Point from D-Link.
According to its web-based management console, the amount of power currently supplied by the ProCurve 2915 to the three access points (AP) is pegged at 12 watts out of a maximum of 134 watts (About 17 watts x 8). As a managed switch, the ProCurve 2915 really shines in that it allows a network administrator to configure the POE power on a per-port level basis from 1W all the way to 33W. PoE output can also be disabled individually.
More than anything, I think the above setup shows the important role that PoE can play in the deployment of Wi-Fi APs in both small and mid-sized businesses and the enterprise today. Other devices that can benefit from an existing PoE infrastructure would be the use of IP phones and IP cameras.
I’ll post the link to my review of the HP ProCurve 2915 once it’s published on ITBusinessEdge.com.