PoE switch extends network

Staff -- Control Engineering, 12/1/2006

EDS-P308 from Moxa Technologies is an 8-port smart Ethernet switch that features Power over Ethernet (PoE) on ports 1 through 4 and supplies up to 15.4 W of power per port. Combining the network signal and device power in one twisted-pair Ethernet cable connection, the switch is said to provide economical deployment, increased mobility, and simplified wiring for network connections. Features of the unmanaged switch include 4 10/100BaseT(X)/PoE combo ports and 4 10/100BaseT(X) ports and an auto-sensing algorithm giving power only to IEEE 802.af devices.

Moxa says the device is a response to increasing demand for PoE technology in industrial applications, and calls the device an end-to-end solution for any IEEE 802.3af PoE-compliant unit and Ethernet-enabled device. The company plans the release of two additional products: SPL-24, an IEEE 802.3af-compliant PoE splitter, and DR-75/120-48, a 48-V dc power supply. The additional products reportedly will simplify wiring in the field and provide more versatile environments for installing devices.

PoE technology eliminates the need for power outputs when deploying Ethernet-enabled devices. The release of the PoE switch, says Moxa, “promised to flexibly extend an Ethernet network.' www.moxa.com

Moxa Technologies Inc.