Basically there are three power option can be applied to the IP phone.
- Power brick
- Powered patch panel/power injector
- Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch
The power brick is an obvious choice. It connects to a power port on the back of the phone and plugs into a standard 240V AC outlet on the wall. Then Category 5 or 6 Ethernet cable is connected into a switch to provide network connectivity.
This method is much cost effective if there are few phones. PoE (Power over Ethernet) capable switch is more expositive than normal switch. So investing more money for PoE capable switch is not worth.
Powered Patch Panel/Power Injector
A second power option is to have a device that sits in between the IP phone and a non PoE capable switch. This is known as a midspan method because the power sits in the middle of the connection. A powered patch panel can terminate non powered Ethernet on one end and a powered Ethernet termination point on the other. These patch panels allow the power to be connected at the wiring closet, so no power brick is required, and the phone receives both power and Ethernet over a single Category 5 or 6 Ethernet cable (with 8 wires). 10BaseT and 100BaseT Ethernet utilize only RJ - 45 pins 1, 2, 3, and 6. Pins 1 and 2 are for transmit and 3 and 6 are for receive. The other wires are essentially unused. So other wires 4, 5, 7, and 8 are used to power the endpoints.
Powered Patch Panel/Power Injector
A second power option is to have a device that sits in between the IP phone and a non PoE capable switch. This is known as a midspan method because the power sits in the middle of the connection. A powered patch panel can terminate non powered Ethernet on one end and a powered Ethernet termination point on the other. These patch panels allow the power to be connected at the wiring closet, so no power brick is required, and the phone receives both power and Ethernet over a single Category 5 or 6 Ethernet cable (with 8 wires). 10BaseT and 100BaseT Ethernet utilize only RJ - 45 pins 1, 2, 3, and 6. Pins 1 and 2 are for transmit and 3 and 6 are for receive. The other wires are essentially unused. So other wires 4, 5, 7, and 8 are used to power the endpoints.
Most patch panels typically come in either 24 - or 48 - port configurations. This may be the most cost effective method instead investing money on PoE capable switch. It also allows for a centralized location for power and UPS can be plugged so the phones will remain functioning in the event of a power outage.
Power over Ethernet Switch
The most efficient method to provide power to phones is the PoE switch. The switch is responsible for detecting and outputting the required power on each switch port. By adding PoE functionality to the switch, fewer devices need UPS protection in the event of a power outage.
Power over Ethernet Switch
The most efficient method to provide power to phones is the PoE switch. The switch is responsible for detecting and outputting the required power on each switch port. By adding PoE functionality to the switch, fewer devices need UPS protection in the event of a power outage.
This method is much cost effective, if the network is much large. Managing and maintaining is much easier than other two methods. As an example, to power a newly added phone, only thing to do is enable switch port to PoE.
