Do you have a wifi connection at your home? At least you might be using an IP camera at your office or home. Go and check whether it is working over the Ethernet port. If it is not, it must be wireless. One more thing I have to ask is, How much data speed do you experience with it? Less than 1 gigabyte per second, right?
If such a speed is relatively low for your network, you must employ a system that offers better performance and gives maximum output. That system is PoE, available all over the world. Let’s deep dive into the difference between wireless and wired systems.
If you want to get a detailed guide about PoE origin, read—How was PoE born?
What is a wireless system?
As the name implies, a wireless system involves no use of wiring. A remote connection without an Ethernet port is possible with such systems. Especially in wifi networks, we have a wireless system that enables us to catch the wifi signals and get data networks.
Pros:
Here are the significant benefits of wireless systems.
- Easy to use and requires no wiring system
- Easier installation process
- You can get the signals within the range of wifi.
- No requirements for port saves your expenses.
Cons:
- Less range compared to the wiring system. Maybe up to 10 meters, you can get the data connection.
- Vulnerable to the hackers
What is a PoE system?
PoE or Power over Ethernet is a system that supplies data and power to the devices over the Ethernet port. Usually, Cat5, Cat5e, or Cat6 cables are available out there to connect with your devices. It is safer and advanced technology known as a built-in system in your buildings and commercial areas.
Pros:
- More data connection over the LAN. There are less likely chances that the hackers penetrate your system.
- A single Ethernet cable works better in such a scenario to offer both— data connection and power supply.
- No need to hire IT experts to install this system at your buildings.
- Built-in PoE is available in most commercial and industrial areas.
- Minimizes the power dissipation by perceiving the power of each device.
Cons:
- Limited range of data connection up to 100 meters. Use extenders such as IEEE802.3af/at PoE+ Extender that can increase capacity.
Is power other Ethernet faster than the Wireless?
Here we again are where we started our article. Before moving forward, I have a small task for you. Significantly for both PoE and wireless users, what are your thoughts on data speed? Which one is better according to your concepts? So, what is your answer? Maybe Power over Ethernet. Yes, you are right about PoE.
Power over Ethernet offers you a high-speed data connection over a range of 100 meters. Even you can increase it as well. If you are using a Cat6 Ethernet cable, it gives you a speed of up to 10GB per second. In the case of Cat5e, you can consistently receive the data speed up to 1 gigabyte per second. It is possible due to IEEE 802.3bt standards. At the same time, this is not possible with the wireless system.
Wireless system offers a limited range compared to PoE and is less likely to give high-speed data connection. Maximum speed Over Wireless connection is 866 MBs per second— Thanks to the 802.11ac standard.
The more devices you connect, the less speed you will receive. For example, if you connect devices to a 100 Mbps connection, each device will receive 20 MBs per second. There might be interruptions in speed as well. It is the major drawback of the wifi network you are employing in your office.
Comparison between the PoE and Wireless System:
I will list the major differences between the Ethernet system and the wireless system.
Security:
What do you think which system is more secure? I believe you already know the answer. So, the answer is PoE. Do you know, why? Because the network connection over the Ethernet cables uses encryption. Hackers can not access private information. Moreover, PoE involves several mechanisms such as SSL, SSH, or RADIUS to enhance security.
The wireless network is vulnerable to hackers— I said, VULNERABLE. It means hackers can quickly attack unencrypted data and access private info.
Interference:
Have you ever experienced low data speed when you are not around the wifi device? Or even when you are in the room while the device is outside the room. I have experienced a decrease in my data speed which is not best for my device.
If we talk about wireless systems, walls, or any other interference that can reduce the data speed is a significant concern for all of us. It would help if you bothered to go outside for high-speed data.
In the case of the Ethernet port, we employ wires. These wires don’t have any interference whether you are outside the room or sitting on a couch.
Data Speed:
We discussed the data speed above, but it would also be helpful for us to have a look at it here.
PoE offers 10GBs per second over a Cat6 Ethernet port. It can consistently deliver this speed to all the devices available connected to it.
For a detailed guide on Ethernet switch speed—How much speed will my PoE switch provide?
The wireless system gives a maximum of 866 MBs per second with 802.11ac and 802.11n standards.
Range of connectivity:
The range of connections matters a lot. What if you are out of the wifi range? You just lost the data connection and can not access your internet connection.
PoE offers data connection up to 100 meters. You can even increase it by using the extenders up to 800 meters as well.
The wireless system offers a data connection up to 10 meters which is ten times lower than the PoE data connection.
Applications:
Applications are also a factor in differentiating the wireless system and PoE networks. Both have typical applications in our daily lives, such as IP cameras or wifi connections.
For wireless systems, you can have a look at the following applications.
- Wifi networks at home or offices
- Television Remote Controls
- Wireless power transfers
- Wireless IP cameras
You might find applications for power over Ethernet cable in the following areas.
- VoIP phones
- PTZ IP cameras
- Industrial switches
- Security devices in outdoor spaces
Which one should be your choice?
The above discussion clears the complexity of PoE and wireless networks. What do you prefer— PoE or wireless network? If we look at the security, interference, and data speed, PoE has won the race. So, technically, our choice is power over Ethernet which is more effective and efficient for your devices. Why are you still waiting? Go ahead and convert your wireless system into an Ethernet system.
