When choosing a PoE switch, the number of Ethernet ports is only part of the decision. PoE power budget is equally important because it determines how many powered devices, such as IP cameras, wireless access points, intercoms, sensors, and other industrial endpoints, can operate simultaneously.

For small industrial networks, PoE switches commonly fall into different power-budget ranges depending on their port count and PoE standard. A basic PoE switch using IEEE 802.3af can provide up to 15.4W per port, while 802.3at PoE+ can provide up to 30W per port. Higher-power 802.3bt PoE++ solutions can reach 60W or 90W at the switch port, depending on the type.

For a compact 4-port industrial PoE switch, budgets around 60W, 90W, 120W and 150W can therefore make sense depending on the intended application.

This is where the Comxus 4 Port Managed Industrial-Grade PoE Switch with 2 SFP Uplinks (L2 Industrial Switch) stands out, with a 150W total PoE budget.

What Does PoE Power Budget Actually Mean?

The PoE power budget is the total amount of power that a PoE switch can supply across its PoE ports.

For example, if a switch has a 120W PoE budget, it does not necessarily mean every port can provide 120W. Instead, the available power is shared between the connected PoE devices.

Consider four IP cameras:

• Camera 1: 15W
• Camera 2: 15W
• Camera 3: 15W
• Camera 4: 15W

The total requirement is:

15W × 4 = 60W

A switch with a 60W or higher PoE budget could potentially handle this deployment, provided its individual ports support the required PoE standard.

This distinction between per-port PoE capability and total PoE budget is important when designing an industrial network.

How Much Power Do PoE Standards Provide?

Here’s a simple way to understand the common PoE levels:

The power available at the powered device may be lower than the switch-side figure because some power is lost during transmission over the Ethernet cable. For example, 30W supplied at the switch port corresponds to up to about 25.5W available at the device under the IEEE specifications.

That is why network designers should consider both the PoE standard and the total PoE budget.

Comxus 4-Port Industrial PoE Switch Offers a 150W PoE Budget

For applications that need more than a basic 60W or 90W budget, the Comxus 4 Port Managed Industrial-Grade PoE Switch with 2 SFP Uplinks provides a 150W total PoE budget.

According to the supplied specifications, the switch features:

• 4 × 10/100/1000Mbps 1000Base-TX RJ45 PoE ports
• Port 1: 24V/48V BT PoE, maximum 60W
• Ports 2–4: AT PoE, maximum 30W per port
• 2 × 1G SFP ports
• 1 × Console RJ45 port
• 150W total PoE power budget

This combination makes the switch particularly interesting for installations where different powered devices have different power requirements.

60W + 30W PoE in One Compact Switch

One notable feature is that Port 1 supports up to 60W BT PoE, while Ports 2–4 support up to 30W AT PoE per port.

That gives network designers greater flexibility.

For example, a deployment could include:

Port 1 → High-power PoE device → up to 60W

Port 2 → IP camera → up to 30W

Port 3 → IP camera → up to 30W

Port 4 → Lower-power PoE device → remaining available budget

However, there is an important point: the 150W figure is the total switch PoE budget. The individual maximums add up to 150W (60W + 30W + 30W + 30W), but the switch’s total budget is 150W. Therefore, the connected devices must be planned so their combined power requirement stays within the 150W budget.

For example:

60W + 30W + 20W + 20W = 150W

This fits the stated total budget.

But:

60W + 30W + 30W + 30W = 150W

would exceed the 150W total budget.

This is exactly why looking only at the maximum wattage of individual PoE ports can lead to incorrect switch selection.

Why 150W Can Be Useful for Industrial Surveillance

Industrial surveillance networks often involve multiple IP cameras installed around production areas, warehouses, gates, utility zones, or outdoor locations.

A conventional 4-port switch with a lower PoE budget may become restrictive when cameras require more power, for example, when using PTZ functionality, IR illumination, heaters, or other power-consuming features.

A 150W PoE budget provides more room for such mixed-power deployments.

For instance, a system could be planned around:

Actual consumption should always be checked against the device manufacturer’s specifications rather than designing around maximum theoretical values.

Why the 2 SFP Uplinks Matter

The switch is not only designed for PoE connectivity. It also includes two 1G SFP ports, which can be useful for connecting the industrial PoE switch to an aggregation switch, control-room network, or another network segment over fibre.

This can be especially useful when PoE endpoints are located away from the main network infrastructure.

A typical industrial surveillance architecture could look like:

IP Cameras → Comxus PoE Switch → SFP Fibre Uplink → Core/Aggregation Switch → NVR/Monitoring System

The combination of copper PoE ports and SFP uplinks allows the switch to serve as an access-layer device while providing fibre connectivity toward the network backbone.

Managed L2 Features Add More Control

Another important distinction is that this is a managed L2 industrial switch, rather than simply an unmanaged PoE switch.

In an industrial network, management capabilities can be valuable when the network needs monitoring, segmentation, troubleshooting, and controlled traffic handling.

Instead of treating the switch simply as a device that “provides power and Internet,” an L2 managed switch can become part of the overall network architecture.

This is particularly relevant for:

• Industrial CCTV networks
• Factory automation networks
• Warehouse surveillance
• Transportation infrastructure
• Outdoor monitoring systems
• Industrial IoT deployments
• Remote equipment monitoring

Is a 150W PoE Budget Enough for 4 PoE Devices?

It can be, depending on the power requirements of the connected devices.

For example:

Scenario 1: Four 20W devices

20W × 4 = 80W

150W budget: Suitable

Scenario 2: Three 30W devices

30W × 3 = 90W

150W budget: Suitable

Scenario 3: One 60W + two 30W devices

60W + 30W + 30W = 120W

150W budget: Suitable

Scenario 4: One 60W + three 30W devices

60W + 30W + 30W + 30W = 150W

150W budget: Not sufficient

These examples show why PoE budget should be calculated before selecting a switch.

It is also good practice to leave some capacity rather than designing a system right at its maximum. Some network guidance recommends maintaining a margin for cable losses and future requirements.

150W PoE Budget + Gigabit + SFP: A Practical Industrial Combination

The Comxus switch combines three important requirements in one compact platform:

PoE power → 150W total budget

Network connectivity → 4 × Gigabit RJ45 PoE ports

Fiber uplink → 2 × 1G SFP ports

For industrial surveillance and automation projects, this combination can be more practical than selecting a switch based solely on port count.

The 60W BT PoE capability on Port 1 can accommodate a higher-power endpoint, while the three 30W AT PoE ports can support standard PoE+ devices. At the same time, the SFP ports provide options for fibre-based uplinks.

How to Choose the Right PoE Budget for an Industrial Network

Before purchasing a PoE switch, calculate the expected power consumption of every connected device.

Use this simple formula:

Total PoE Requirement = Device 1 + Device 2 + Device 3 + Device 4

Then compare the result with the switch’s total PoE budget.

Also check three separate specifications:

1. Maximum power per PoE port
2. Total PoE power budget
3. PoE standard supported by each port

This is particularly important for mixed-power installations where one device may require considerably more power than the others.

Final Thoughts

For a compact industrial network, a 150W PoE budget provides a useful middle ground between basic low-power PoE switches and much larger high-power platforms.

The Comxus 4 Port Managed Industrial-Grade PoE Switch with 2 SFP Uplinks | L2 Industrial Switch combines a 150W total PoE budget, 60W BT capability on Port 1, 30W AT support on Ports 2–4, four Gigabit PoE ports, and two 1G SFP uplinks.

For applications such as industrial surveillance, factory networking, outdoor monitoring, and industrial IoT, this configuration can provide the flexibility needed to connect a mixture of standard and higher-power PoE devices while keeping the network compact and manageable.

The key takeaway: don’t select a PoE switch only by asking, “How many PoE ports does it have?” Ask “How much power can the switch supply in total, and how much does each connected device actually need?” That is where the 150W PoE budget becomes an important specification.

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