ⓘ Ubiquiti networks
Ubiquiti has announced a new switch called USW-LR-Switch-8-PoE (630W). Its specialty is offering Power over Ethernet (PoE up to PoE++) beyond 100 meters. The new switch offers an interesting alternative for temporary installations or situations where it is difficult to run another power cable through the ground or walls.
But the 8-port switch requires special cables and an endpoint that transmits PoE to the PoE powered device, which can be, for example, a PoE camera or a PoE switch.
One additional port is for uplink only. Users can choose RJ45 port or SFP port, with a maximum speed of 1 Gbit/s. However, this option is not intended for data-intensive use cases. Switching capacity is limited to 3.6 Gbit/s and all long-range ports are limited to 100 Mbit/s.
90 watts becomes 13 watts at 800 meters
Using long range mode comes with some serious caveats. According to Ubiquiti, Power over Ethernet will degrade significantly at longer distances. Using the official external cable, a PoE heatsink cannot consume more than 13 watts at the maximum range of 800 meters. This is sufficient for many smaller devices. However, your electricity bill will be significantly higher than with a local PoE switch.
If a device consumes more power, like UniFi’s AI PTZ cameras, the range will be limited. This device requires 51 watts and can be used up to a distance of 200 meters. Even connecting a device with high bandwidth requirements is out of the question. Ubiquiti says that in long-range mode with a compatible long-range endpoint, the switch typically negotiates 100 Mbit/s up to 400 meters. Above 400 meters the speed is further reduced to 10 Mbit/s.
Ubiquiti’s USW-LR-Switch-8-PoE (630W) is available now for $274. The UACC-LR-Endpoint Long Range Endpoint costs $99 per unit. Therefore, a complete setup costs $1,066 as Ubiquiti offers no discounts for ordering multiple endpoints. This does not include cables. A single TP cable, UACC-Cable-C5e-Outdoor-Pro-305M-W, with a length of 305 meters costs another $149.
I have been involved in IT for over 20 years, first as a system administrator (Mac and PC; 2000-2014) and then as a journalist (from 2005 onwards). I have attended numerous industry events, such as IDF, Displayweek, Computex, CES and IFA, to cover topics such as mobile and local area networks, Bluetooth standards and developments in the mobile industry. Since 2017 I have also worked as an aviation journalist, which means traveling around the world reporting on both planes and trains.
