How to Choose a PoE Switch for Your School's Access Points
Key Takeaways The PoE switch - not the access point - is usually the root cause of unreliable school Wi-Fi, so choosing the right one matters more than most IT teams realise. PoE+ (802.3at, up to 30W per port) is the correct baseline for most Wi-Fi 6 and 6E access points; only high-end Wi-Fi 6E/7 APs with multiple radios push into PoE++ (802.3bt) territory. Always calculate the total PoE power budget across all ports - not just the per-port figure - and add at least 25% headroom to avoid mystery dropouts under load. Managed switches are non-negotiable for school networks that need VLANs, per-port monitoring, and traffic segmentation between students, staff, and guests. Four numbers determine the right switch for any building: port count, total PoE budget, PoE standard, and uplink speed - keep reading to learn how to size each one correctly. Access points get most of the attention during a Wi-Fi upgrade, but the PoE switch sitting in the wiring closet is the one quietly deciding whethe...