I recently decided to upgrade my network at home. I threw out all my old 100mbps network switches and had to decide what to use in its place. After a lot of consideration I decided on UltraLan switches.
I think that they are some of the most cost effective switches currently out there. if you buy a 4 port or 8 port or what ever size switch, there is always two extra ports to be used as “Uplink” ports. So from my router to the uplink port of the first switch and then from the second port to the first uplink port of the second switch. Used one port from the router, and from there distributed my LAN network to two 8Port switches in my home, and the nice part is, I had 8 usable ports left on each switch after I connected my network.
All 8 ports are POE ports, not like most other 8 Port switches that have 4 normal and 4 POE ports.
All of this for under R1200. I think that is great value, unless someone else here knows of a better deal.
The best part for me, the switches uses a 52Volt DC supply, I connected both to get power directly from my Inverters DC-bus, so even if my inverter switches off, I can still remotely connect to my home network, see all my POE powered cameras and my Venus. A secondary 12Volt DC-bus (Victron Orion 48-12V) powers my HA Nuc, router, Outside Dish as well as my Alarm System (removed the battery)
My goal is to keep all security and monitoring equipment live and accessible at all times. (Battery failure excluded)
I’m using cheap POE switches – a TP-Link and TrendNet. Both 4 port POE and 4 port none.
I’ve had 3 of the 4 POE ports blown on the Trendnet, always during thunderstorms and always the same camera. Luckily it was bought from Takealot and replaced / repaired twice, and somehow the camera and the rest of the network survived.
I eventually discovered that it was because I mounted the camera against the metal structure of my carport, and the EMI of the storm must have caused some current to be induced in the POE switch which blew something on the port (probably just a fuse). I tried some ClearLine POE protectors but had no effect. Eventually just moved the camera to the wall and it was much better.
So yeah, I have to use 3 switches (2 for the cameras for POE and 1 for more ports), one of which is a 100Mbps switch (only cameras) and the other two Gigabit switches. Messy, but it works and don’t see a need to replace it (yet).
EDIT: I need to create a 12v / 52v power bus in my house too
Jaco what do you use to distribute the DC bus from your batteries to your network equipment? Normal housewire? Or solar wire?
And how do you split off into the individual devices? I’m assuming it is a little smarter/nicer looking than a terminal block and a bunch of local barrel-connector flyleads?
I uses a Red&Black 4 mm twin flex that I buy from an local Auto Electrical shop. Run it from my DC connections of my inverter to a DC Db, double pole breaker feeding 48 volt to the Orion and wires returning to a double pole breaker for the 12 Volt side. After each breaker I have installed single pole breakers for different circuits on the 12 volt as well as 48 volt side.
I run this to 2 different areas in the home and connect it to a box like this:
I remove the AC power supply and use that space for a D1, relay boards as well as some DC-DC converters (12Volt to 5 Volt). I then connect the barrel connector flyleads to separate fuses for separate devices. Takealot sell these for R274. I had to replace some of the fuses with 3 amp fuses for the Intel Nuc as well as the Main router setup.
The 48Volt runs straight to the switches, so the wire is connected directly to the barrel connector fly-lead and I have a 5 amp breaker protecting that line.
EDIT: When I removed the Alarm’s Battery, I added a Diode to the positive wire to prevent the alarm board from trying to charge back into the 12 Volt line.
