Free PoE switch budget planner
Add every powered device on your install — cameras, APs, intercoms — and instantly see whether your switch budget covers the load with proper headroom.
Try it: PoE budget calculator
Raw load
132 W
Required (20% headroom)
158 W
Budget remaining
92 W
Why headroom matters
Inrush current, IR illuminators flipping on at dusk and heater spikes in winter mean your switch should never be loaded above ~80% of its rated PoE budget. Plan for 20% headroom by default.
Per-device wattage rules of thumb
Standard fixed dome: 4-7W. Dome with IR: 8-12W. Outdoor bullet with heater: 12-25W. PTZ: 25-60W. WiFi APs: 15-30W depending on Wi-Fi 6/7 class.
Long-range PoE caveats
Long-range PoE extends a 100m run to ~200-300m, but most switches drop the link to 10 Mbps. Fine for 2MP, marginal for 4K. Plan accordingly.
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