PoE (Power over Ethernet cable) an electrically quiet way to link switches

Streaming Audio
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This thread is for anyone who is interested in learning about or discussing or trying or reporting on their experience of using PoE to link the switches that feed their audio system.

Various people have asked on various threads about what PoE is and how to set it up, so I’m going to make a few notes here over the next few days about how this can be done.

The basic idea of this system is that your router is electrically noisy, so you want a switch between the router and your hifi.

But many switches are plugged in with an IEC and have an internal PSU in them, which spreads more noise into your streamer/DAC.

The system I currently use is with 2 different Cisco 2960 models.

The 1st one is plugged in with an external Cisco SMPS and the 2nd one is not directly plugged in to the mains - it is supplied with electrical power by the same Ethernet cable that brings the audio files to it.

This sounds quieter (i.e. has an audibly lower noise floor) than just using one Cisco 2960 that is directly plugged in to the mains.

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Here are a few initial tips on how to set up PoE in your system:

I set up PoE using 2 Cisco switches, which can be bought quite cheaply second hand.

I use a (white) WS-C2960CPD-8PT-L PoE switch to send power via PoE to my (blue) WS-C2960PD-8TT-L.

A Cisco 2960 PD switch can receive (but not send) electrical power - PD means ‘Powered Device’.

You just plug a normal Ethernet cable into its uplink port from a PoE switch.

A PoE switch will send electrical power to another device, as well as audio files/data.

The Cisco 8TCL is the classic switch many of us have been using on the forum for ages.

It’s not PoE or PD - i.e. it cannot send or receive electrical power with data along the Ethernet cable.

My PoE switch included a ‘LITEON’ SMPS.

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