What Size PoE Switch Do I Need for 8, 16 or 24 Cameras?
What size PoE switch do I need for 8, 16 or 24 cameras?
Updated November 2026 · Prices update live from silarius.com
Pick a switch with at least one PoE port per camera plus a spare, and a PoE power budget that covers every camera's maximum draw with about 20% to spare. For 8 cameras that is usually the Silarius SIL-A8POE1G120 (8 Gigabit PoE+ ports, 120 W), for 16 the SIL-A16POE1G150 (150 W) or SIL-B16M3POE1G300 (300 W), and for 24 the SIL-A24POE1G450 (450 W).
Silarius PoE switches by size
| Switch | Ports | PoE budget | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SIL-SWPP4P65 | 5 (4 PoE out) | 65 W | Powered by PoE itself, 30 W per output port: add 4 cameras at the end of one cable | $99.99 |
| SIL-SW8POE | 8 PoE (100 Mb) + 2 Gigabit uplinks | 120 W | Budget 8-camera systems | $99.99 |
| SIL-A8POE1G120 | 8 Gigabit PoE+ + 2 uplinks + 2 SFP | 120 W | Most 8-camera systems | $139.99 |
| SIL-INDSW8P1G2SFP | 8 Gigabit PoE + 2 SFP, managed, industrial | see product page | Outdoor cabinets and poles | $399.99 |
| SIL-INDSW8P1G6SFP | 8 Gigabit PoE + 6 SFP, managed, industrial | see product page | Fiber rings and long runs | $499.99 |
| SIL-A16POE1G150 | 16 Gigabit PoE+ + 2 uplinks + 2 SFP | 150 W | 16 fixed cameras | $239.99 |
| SIL-B16M3POE1G300 | 16 Gigabit PoE+, Layer 3 managed, 4 × 10G SFP+ | 300 W | 16 cameras incl. PTZs | $220.00 |
| SIL-A24POE1G450 | 24 Gigabit PoE+ + 4 uplinks + 4 SFP | 450 W | 24 cameras incl. PTZs | $289.99 |
| SIL-B24M3POE1G400 | 24 Gigabit PoE+, Layer 3 managed, 4 × 10G SFP+ | 400 W | 24 cameras, managed network | $499.99 |
| SIL-B48M3POE1G500 | 48 Gigabit PoE+, Layer 3 managed, 4 × 10G SFP+ | 500 W | Large sites | $999.99 |
| SIL-A48M3POE1G800 | 48 Gigabit PoE+, Layer 3 managed, 4 × 10G SFP | 800 W | Large sites with many PTZs | $749.99 |
Port counts and PoE budgets are from each product title. Gigabit ports matter for 4K cameras and for many cameras on one uplink.
Work it out for your cameras
Use each camera's maximum power from its spec sheet (with IR or heaters on), not the typical figure.
Examples
| Cameras | Max per camera | Total | With 20% spare | Pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 7 W | 56 W | 67 W | SIL-A8POE1G120 |
| 8 | 12 W | 96 W | 115 W | SIL-A8POE1G120 |
| 16 | 7 W | 112 W | 134 W | SIL-A16POE1G150 |
| 16 | 12 W | 192 W | 230 W | SIL-B16M3POE1G300 |
| 24 | 7 W | 168 W | 202 W | SIL-A24POE1G450 |
| 24 | 12 W | 288 W | 346 W | SIL-A24POE1G450 |
How to choose
1. Ports
One PoE port per camera, plus at least one spare. The uplink or SFP ports connect the switch to the recorder, router or another building.
2. PoE standard
An 802.3af (PoE) port supplies up to 15.4 W and an 802.3at (PoE+) port up to 30 W at the switch [1]. Most fixed cameras run on PoE; PTZ cameras with heaters or long-range IR often need PoE+ or more, so check the PTZ's spec sheet.
3. Power budget
Add up every camera's maximum draw and keep about 20% in reserve. A switch whose budget is too small turns off ports when cameras switch on their night lights.
4. Distance
Ethernet cable runs are limited to 100 m (about 330 ft) per segment [2]. For longer runs add a SIL-POEEX PoE extender, use fiber between switches with SFP ports, or a wireless bridge (see connecting another building).
5. Do you need a switch at all?
Silarius NVRs with built-in PoE ports power up to 4, 8 or 16 cameras without a separate switch. See the best NVR for your cameras.
Sources
- Power over Ethernet (Wikipedia), power per port by IEEE standard, checked November 2026. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet
- Ethernet over twisted pair (Wikipedia), 100 m maximum cable length, checked November 2026. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet_over_twisted_pair
Related guides
- PoE switch for 16 security cameras, worked out
- How much a 4, 8 or 16 camera system costs
- How much NVR storage do I need?
- The best NVR for your cameras
- All buying guides
Questions
What size PoE switch do I need for 8 cameras?
An 8-port PoE switch with at least about 1.2 times the cameras' combined maximum draw. The Silarius SIL-A8POE1G120 (8 Gigabit PoE+ ports, 120 W) covers eight cameras of up to 12 W each.
What size PoE switch do I need for 16 cameras?
A 16-port switch. The Silarius SIL-A16POE1G150 (150 W) suits 16 fixed cameras of up to about 7 W; with PTZs or bigger cameras pick the SIL-B16M3POE1G300 (300 W).
What PoE switch do I need for 24 cameras?
A 24-port PoE+ switch such as the Silarius SIL-A24POE1G450 (450 W), which leaves room for a few PTZ cameras.
How far can a PoE camera be from the switch?
Up to 100 m (about 330 ft) of network cable per run. Use a PoE extender, fiber or a wireless bridge to go further.
PoE or PoE+ for security cameras?
PoE (802.3af, up to 15.4 W per port) runs most fixed cameras; PoE+ (802.3at, up to 30 W) is safer for PTZs and cameras with heaters or strong IR. Silarius Gigabit switches are PoE+.
What warranty do Silarius switches have?
Every Silarius camera, recorder and switch has a 3-year full Silarius warranty (solar products have their own terms).
Do Silarius switches ship free?
Yes. Every Silarius-brand product ships free in the US, at any order size.