Best PoE Switch for CCTV UK 2026

The best PoE switch for CCTV is the one whose total PoE budget covers your cameras' maximum draw rather than their typical draw, with headroom to spare, and whose per-port limit suits your most power-hungry camera. For most small and mid-size UK installs an unmanaged switch is enough. Managed models earn their place on larger or multi-switch sites, where you need to monitor, prioritise or remotely reboot individual ports. Below, we work through the power budget for 8, 16 and 32 cameras so you can size the switch before you buy, and compare PoE and standalone IP camera setups if you are still deciding how to power your cameras.

What actually matters when choosing best poe switch for cctv

Total PoE budget matters most, followed by per-port wattage, port speed with uplink, and whether you need managed features or long-range reach.

• Power budget, not port count. Add up every camera's maximum draw, then leave headroom. In FVS CCTV's budgeting example, six 8W cameras, two 15W cameras and a 25W PTZ come to 103W, which makes a 120W switch tight. The 16-port Hikvision switch has a 230 W budget.
• Per-port limit. PTZ and deterrence cameras draw more than fixed units. The 24-port Hikvision model allows up to 30 W per port within a 370 W total.
• Port speed and uplink. The Dahua PFS4218-16ET-240 pairs 16 × 100 Mbps PoE ports with 2 gigabit combo ports. The Hikvision 16-port has all-gigabit ports plus an SFP fibre uplink. Uplink capacity matters most where switches are chained or the NVR is far away.
• Managed or unmanaged, and reach. Unmanaged switches need no configuration, while the Dahua is a Layer 2 managed model built for surveillance. For distant cameras, the 9-port Hikvision DS-3E0109P-E/M extends to 300m in Extend mode.

Choose on wattage first. Port count and brand come second.

Hikvision Gigabit PoE Unmanaged Switch, 24-Port, 370 W: best for larger plug-and-play camera systems

This is a 24-port Gigabit PoE switch that suits an installer or buyer who wants one box to power a larger IP camera system without any configuration. It is unmanaged, so you plug in the cameras and recorder and it works.

• 370 W total PoE budget: this is the figure to size against. Shared equally across 24 ports it is just over 15 W each, so add up your cameras' real draw first.
• Up to 30 W per port: enough headroom for higher-draw devices, though not every port can run at that level at once.
• Power and data over one cable: one run per camera, with no separate power supplies to place.
• No setup needed: there is no management interface to configure, which keeps commissioning simple.

Trade-off: being unmanaged means no VLANs, port-level monitoring or remote control. If your job needs those, or you have only a handful of cameras, a managed or smaller switch is a better fit.

Check the datasheet or installation guide for mounting and wiring, and have your own electrician or installer fit it. Orders received before 4pm ship out on the same working day.

Hikvision Gigabit PoE Unmanaged Switch, 24-Port, 370 W

Hikvision 16-Port Gigabit PoE Switch, 230 W Budget: best for a mid-sized, plug-and-play IP camera install

This is an unmanaged 16-port Gigabit PoE switch for buyers who want to power and connect a mid-sized IP camera system with no configuration. It suits installers and DIY buyers wiring up to 16 cameras to a recorder in a rack or cabinet.

• 230 W total PoE budget, shared across all ports, so the sum of your cameras' draw is what matters, not the port count.
• Up to 30 W per port, enough headroom for higher-draw cameras on any single port.
• Unmanaged, plug-and-play: connect cameras and power up, with no setup.
• 1U rack format, so it fits a standard comms cabinet.
• SFP fibre uplink for a fibre run to another switch or building.

The trade-off: the 230 W is a shared pool. Sixteen cameras at the 30 W per-port maximum would exceed it, so add up your cameras' real draw first, using each datasheet. Unmanaged also means no VLANs or remote management. If you need those, or a bigger power budget, look at a managed or higher-wattage switch instead.

Ready to buy? Hikvision 16-Port Gigabit PoE Switch, 230 W Budget

Hikvision DS-3E0109P-E/M 8-Port PoE Switch, 300m Extend Mode: best for cameras a long way from the recorder

If you have a few cameras at a far gate, outbuilding or yard edge, this unmanaged switch is built for that job, reaching 300m in Extend mode.

• Ports: 8 PoE ports plus 1 uplink port, 9 in total.
• Power per port: up to 30W, with 802.3af/at support, so it suits standard PoE and PoE+ cameras.
• Reach: extends to 300m in Extend mode, for cameras placed far from the recorder.
• Setup: unmanaged, so there is no configuration to do.

Trade-off: the listing describes it as 100Mbps, so it isn't the pick for high-bandwidth, many-camera Gigabit setups. The product data also doesn't give a total PoE budget, so add up your cameras' draw and check the datasheet before buying. Whoever fits your system should confirm how Extend mode is meant to be used.

Orders received before 4pm ship out on the same working day.

Hikvision DS-3E0109P-E/M 8-Port PoE Switch, 300m Extend Mode

Dahua PFS4218-16ET-240 Desktop , 16-Port Managed 2-Layer PoE Switch, 16 × RJ45 10-100M, 240W: best for managed 16-camera sites

This is a Layer 2 managed PoE switch built for surveillance, suited to installers who want VLAN-style control over a 16-camera network rather than plug-and-play.

• 16 × 100 Mbps PoE ports give one-cable power and data to a full 16 cameras.
• 2 × Gigabit combo ports can serve as the uplink to your NVR or another switch.
• Managed, Layer 2 design, described by Dahua as made specifically for surveillance applications.
• 240W appears in the product name. Check the datasheet for the per-port limit before specifying PTZ or heated cameras.
• Desktop format, so no rack is needed.

Trade-off: the camera ports are 100 Mbps, not Gigabit. If you expect high-bitrate cameras or heavy future expansion, or you simply want zero configuration, an unmanaged Gigabit PoE switch will suit you better.

Your own installer or electrician should handle setup, as we only sell the equipment.

Ready to order? Orders received before 4pm ship out on the same working day. Buy the Dahua PFS4218-16ET-240 Desktop , 16-Port Managed 2-Layer PoE Switch, 16 × RJ45 10-100M, 240W.

Which one should you buy?

For most commercial sites, the Hikvision 16-port Gigabit PoE switch is the safest all-round choice. It is unmanaged and plug-and-play, with a 230 W total budget, up to 30 W per port and an SFP fibre uplink.

• Growing or larger sites: the 24-port, 370 W Hikvision model also needs no setup and gives you spare ports and watts if the customer asks for extra views later.
• Small jobs with a distant camera: the 8-port Extend-mode switch has 8 PoE ports plus one uplink, and Extend mode reaches 300 m. Its ports are listed at 100 Mbps, so check that against your camera bitrates.
• Sites that need management features: the Dahua PFS4218-16ET-240 is a Layer 2 managed switch built for surveillance, with 16 PoE ports at 100 Mbps, two Gigabit combo ports and a 240 W rating.

Whichever you pick, add up the worst-case wattage of every camera first and keep the total comfortably inside the switch's budget. Browse the range at https://clearsecurity.co.uk or ask for a suggested system.