PoE Switch Wattage & Power Budget Calculator
Enter your count of PoE security cameras, WiFi 6/6E/7 access points, and VoIP desk phones to calculate steady-state draw, boot-up surge wattage, and recommended switch PoE budget.
Enter your powered device counts above and click Calculate PoE Power Budget.
Why You Must Size a PoE Switch for Peak Boot Surge + 20% Headroom
A common small-office mistake is buying a 60W PoE switch for six cameras and two WiFi 6E access points based on their daytime average wattage (~48W), only to have access points randomly reboot at sunset. Why? At dusk, every outdoor IP camera switches on its Infrared (IR) night-vision LEDs simultaneously, jumping from 4.5W to 10–12W per camera. Furthermore, after a power outage, all connected devices draw maximum cold-boot inrush current at the exact same second. Always size your switch's total PoE budget at least 20% higher than your combined worst-case peak load.
IEEE 802.3 PoE Standards Reference Table
| PoE Standard | Common Name | Max Port Output (PSE) | Max Assured at Device (PD) | Minimum Cable Spec | Typical Powered Devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IEEE 802.3af | PoE (Type 1) | 15.4 W | 12.95 W | Cat5e / Cat6 Pure Copper | Fixed 4K IP cameras, VoIP phones, basic IoT bridges |
| IEEE 802.3at | PoE+ (Type 2) | 30.0 W | 25.50 W | Cat5e / Cat6 Pure Copper (24/23 AWG) | WiFi 6 / 6E / 7 Access Points, dual-lens cameras, PTZ domes |
| IEEE 802.3bt (Type 3) | PoE++ / 4PPoE | 60.0 W | 51.00 W | Cat6 / Cat6a Pure Copper (23 AWG) | Tri-band WiFi 7 enterprise APs, heated outdoor PTZ cameras, PoE-powered switches |
| IEEE 802.3bt (Type 4) | Hi-PoE++ | 90.0 W | 71.30 W | Cat6a 23 AWG Solid Copper | PoE LED lighting, thin-client displays, 5G outdoor CPE routers |