Bad POE Switch?

[Weather_Junkie]

So I just did a test. I just bought a BV-Tech 4 port POE switch and when my camera is connected to it (no matter which port), it constantly goes offline and re-connects. Within Blue Iris, I can see the bitrate fluctuating between 130ish and 0 even though I have that camera's bitrate set to CBR of 2048 (or some number close to that). Once I connect the camera back to my TrendNet injector, everything is perfect. So, bad switch or am I doing something wrong between the switch and the AT&T Pace modem/router?

 

[Nashional]

Do you have another camera you can test? One camera is an anomaly; another camera is a repeatable pattern. Of course, try different ports. And, make sure the PoE requirements of the camera do not exceed the switch (af or at - can't run an at camera on an af switch).

 

[Weather_Junkie]

Do you have another camera you can test? One camera is an anomaly; another camera is a repeatable pattern. Of course, try different ports. And, make sure the PoE requirements of the camera do not exceed the switch (af or at - can't run an at camera on an af switch).

I will try another camera during my lunch break.

Switch is 60W 802.3AT
Camera is 802.3AF running 4.4w with IR on.

 

[GCoco]

I have never had a problem with BV-Tech switches. Texas WiFI on the other hand has been a big problem. I have owned two and both have caused cameras to drop off and while using main image resolution to not display without major pixelation.

 

[Weather_Junkie]

I have never had a problem with BV-Tech switches. Texas WiFI on the other hand has been a big problem. I have owned two and both have caused cameras to drop off and while using main image resolution to not display without major pixelation.

So if a switch is functioning properly, it should just be plug & play like the injector correct?

 

[Nashional]

Correct. The only time this would be different is if it was a managed switch. But, that would still be plug 'n play unless you required specific VLAN requirements.

 

[Tinman]

I have a customer that had a BV-TECH POE injector fail and was making a weird noise. He upgraded to a ZyXEL switch and has never had trouble since. I warned him about buying cheap crap, it doesn't pay in the long run.

 

[Weather_Junkie]

Correct. The only time this would be different is if it was a managed switch. But, that would still be plug 'n play unless you required specific VLAN requirements.

Thanks. At this stage, VLAN and VPN and all that V stuff scrambles my brain. I'm slowly learning but at 46, my throughput isn't what it used to be.

I have a customer that had a BV-TECH POE injector fail and was making a weird noise. He upgraded to a ZyXEL switch and has never had trouble since. I warned him about buying cheap crap, it doesn't pay in the long run.

Since I knew nothing about POE switches, I went based off Amazon reviews and then what was most affordable to me. Plus, at this point, I'm only working with 3 cameras with only two needing POE. If I have to spend a little extra money on something more reliable, I'm sure my neighbor who's paying for this will approve.

 

[Nashional]

We'll know more when you test another camera. But, you don't need to know anything special to use the PoE switch.

 

[Nashional]

Troubleshooting things like switches/cameras is just a process of elimination as far as power and connectivity go. So if we can eliminate the issue one piece at a time, we'll end up at the culprit. If another camera does the same thing, then it's most likely the switch. Then try different ports on the switch to see if it's just a bad port or the switch altogether. And also try different ports when linking to your router (if it has more). Swapping cables would also be something to check. The one(s) you're using may have a short on a pin or was improperly terminated. One last thing to consider is to log into the camera directly and see if it appears to display images correctly and eliminate BI as an issue.

And I'm 45 and do IT and infrastructure for a living. So, I feel your pain on the brain issue.

 

[Tinman]

Thanks. At this stage, VLAN and VPN and all that V stuff scrambles my brain. I'm slowly learning but at 46, my throughput isn't what it used to be.


Since I knew nothing about POE switches, I went based off Amazon reviews and then what was most affordable to me. Plus, at this point, I'm only working with 3 cameras with only two needing POE. If I have to spend a little extra money on something more reliable, I'm sure my neighbor who's paying for this will approve.

I have several of these out and have no failures yet, and they will not break the bank as well.

https://www.amazon.com/5-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Managed-GS1200-5HP/dp/B01INVLPU6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1532622974&sr=8-4&keywords=poe+zyxel