Wireless Access

Has anyone had any experience and/or issues with using Ethernet range extenders to connect Aruba AP's that require 802.3af or 802.3at POE? We have some cable runs over 328 ft, and we're weighing our options. I'm skeptical of using extenders, but additional infrastructure switches may not be feasible due to budget concerns.

#ALE

You most likely will not be able to negotiate PoE+ or GigE.

Anything over the rated length should either use a fiber-extended switch, or a POE-based fiber transceiver. Even if you can up the power to accomodate the length, signal may degrade causing errors, integrity issues, etc.

Thanks. That's one of the issues I'm worried about. Some extenders claim they work to POE+ levels but I'm concerned about inconsistency causing problems.

What CAN work doesn't always mean it WILL work. There is some very specific signaling that occurs between the PSE and PD. In some cases they may work fine, in others they won't. Often times these kinds of devices get used and cause JUST enough issues that it creates problems, but are both so innocuous as well as not having any diagnostic output, as to result in customers spending inordinate amounts of time troubleshooting. Better to just see what happens at 328 feet than to insert a non-standard device into the mix (IMHO).

 

But a more supported solution would be a PoE+ fiber transceiver. Check our Ecosystem Partner page for vendors

 

http://www.arubanetworks.com/partners/ecosystem/

Try not to extend bun only apply power to Aruba with https://www.icintracom.biz/iniettore-poe-gigabit-ieee-802-3af-at-fino-a-100m-poe30g-at.html