New Industry Products

Ceiling Power-Over-Ethernet Switch for PoE Lighting

January 30, 2018 by Paul Shepard

Microsemi Corporation today announced the availability of its PDS-208G power-over-Ethernet (PoE) switch. Offering an optimal and cost-effective solution designed specifically for digital ceiling installations, the new device is compatible with any IEEE™ 802.3af or 802.3at PoE lighting fixture and can be installed in ceiling or communication room racks.

“Our new PoE switch is a unique offering from Microsemi, as it is differentiated from enterprise switches by enabling lighting fixtures and other Ethernet terminals to receive power and data over standard Ethernet cables in the most efficient manner possible,” said Sani Ronen, director of product management for Microsemi's PoE systems.

“Leveraging our leadership position in PoE technology, the device’s high-power efficiency results in minimal losses to ensure the support necessary for digital ceiling applications, enabling installation of connected lighting systems that offer improved lighting experience, new features and power savings,” Ronen added.

Microsemi’s new PDS-208G PoE switch, which was installed in multiple successful beta sites in 2017, is well-suited to a number of applications within the LED lighting and enterprise markets, such as smart buildings. The 240W fanless switch supports full-power mode by providing 30W for eight ports simultaneously and any individual port can operate at up to 72W. The device is also able to perform software upgrades while keeping PoE ports active.

The highspeed PDS-208G PoE switch offers Layer 2 management capabilities, and the device’s eight 10/100/1,000 megabits per second (Mbps) ports with PoE capabilities are based on Microsemi’s energy-efficient four-pair PoE technology, enabling 50 percent power loss savings on the Ethernet cables when compared to similar installations using an Ethernet switch.

It also features two Gigabit ports which can be used for uplinks and can be remotely managed through Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and the web. Microsemi’s PDS-208G PoE switch is available now.