Guide to Small PoE Switches for IoT and Smart Homes

A comprehensive guide reviews 14 compact Power over Ethernet (PoE) and PoE+ switches designed for IoT devices, security cameras, and smart home applications. The review covers various 5-port and 8-port models from manufacturers including TP-Link, NETGEAR, Zyxel, YuanLey, and Ubiquiti.

Key considerations for selecting a switch include the per-port standard, such as 802.3af, 802.3at, or 802.3bt, and the total PoE power budget available across all ports. The guide notes that users must ensure the total power budget can support their devices at full load. Additionally, the guide distinguishes between unmanaged, Easy Smart, and fully managed models, noting that managed models allow for network segmentation via VLANs to isolate IoT gadgets.