Power over Ethernet works by injecting a voltage of around 48 volts into the cable. This is a particularly low power output which keeps everything safe whilst also delivering enough power to your device to allow it to work efficiently. They are easy to install whilst allowing you to expand your network and keep costs down through not having to buy additional switches or other networking hardware.

PoE injectors do require AC power, so why use one of these when you could just plug your switch into the mains? Each here works with one monitor (see below for some dual-monitor suggestions) and allows you to switch among two or four PCs using one set of peripherals. They all use HDMI cables (instead of VGA or DisplayPort, although you can definitely find KVM switches that use those). Most newer computers and monitors connect via HDMI for superior sound and image quality. For the least hassle, you'll want to choose a KVM that works natively with the video outputs of all connected PCs (assuming they all support one in common!) to avoid having to deal with clumsy adapters. All network switches do require some form of power to operate, and whilst most people will use AC power, there are other options available. Given that a single length of Ethernet cable can be up to 100m long, you can place your switch pretty much wherever you want in your home.Power over Ethernet is definitely the way to go if you don’t have a mains power outlet available for your switch. Just remember that you will need a PoE compatible switch and, more than likely, a PoE injector. The Switch ES-5500G V3 offers environmental efficiency with Fast Ethernet speeds critical for next-generation network applications. To comply with the IEEE802.3az standard, the Switch ES-5500G V3 provides power saving functions to reduce energy consumption to help business save cost.

Every port of the ES-5500G V3 can automatically distinguish the connected network devices are running at 10Mbps, 100Mbps and 1000Mbps for Half/Full-Duplex mode . The ES-5500G V3 can adjust the speed and mode accordingly.The first, which I wouldn’t typically recommend, is to buy a second PoE switch that you are able to plug in and use the mains electricity to power it. This isn’t terribly convenient and would end up costing you more than the alternative option.

This two-PC-capable KVM switch uses HDMI for the connection to the primary monitor's input, as well as to the outputs from your connected systems. (Credit: Kyle Cobian) It’s no good looking for a USB port on the faceplate of a mains power outlet, otherwise, you might as well just use the AC power that is available.USB powered switches are typically not very powerful, and you are often limited to fewer Ethernet ports. Plus, you still need to find a USB port to act as a power supply. If you have an unmanaged switch, this is literally all you need to do to set it up. Give it power and then start plugging your devices into it using Ethernet cable. The difference between the two is the amount of power that a device can use when be being powered by PoE. The devices that can function using PoE are referred to as power sourcing equipment (PSE), powered devices (PDs), or sometimes both. The device responsible for transmitting the power is the PSE while the device being powered is the PD.