Installing security cameras has become a basic need in homes, shops and warehouses, but the biggest headache for the Iraqi customer is not the price of the camera itself — it is the wiring and the power. In the traditional setup every camera needs a data cable, a power cable and its own small adapter, and the moment one adapter burns out or the power cuts, half the system goes down and you are back to calling a technician and hauling a ladder. This is where PoE comes in: simply put, connecting the camera with a single cable that carries data and power together. In this guide we explain how it works, what you actually need to buy, and how to avoid the mistakes that make you pay twice.
What exactly does PoE mean?
PoE stands for Power over Ethernet — power delivered over the network cable. Instead of running two wires to every camera, you run one network cable from the switch (or from the recorder) to the camera, and the switch itself supplies the voltage over the same internal pairs of that cable. The practical benefits:
- One cable instead of two per point, which means a cleaner install and lower labour cost.
- No power outlet needed near each camera — a huge help at entrances, high ceilings and perimeter walls.
- Put the switch on a UPS and every camera stays up during an outage instead of dropping out one by one.
- Rebooting a frozen camera is done straight from the switch, without climbing a ladder.
PoE standards and how they differ
Not all PoE is the same, and the whole difference comes down to how much power a single port can deliver. This table sums it up:
| Standard | Common name | Power per port | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 802.3af | PoE | Around 15 W | Simple fixed cameras, small Wi-Fi access points |
| 802.3at | PoE+ | Around 30 W | Cameras with strong night lighting, light PTZ cameras |
| 802.3bt | PoE++ | 60 W and above | Large PTZ units, devices that need high power |
The simple rule: PoE+ runs ordinary PoE cameras without any trouble, but the reverse is not always true. That is why most people go for a switch that supports PoE+, so whatever camera they buy later is guaranteed to work.
Choosing the switch: how many ports do you need?
Count your cameras, add one or two spare ports for expansion, and keep one regular port (without power) for the link to the router or the recorder. For an average home or shop, 8 PoE ports is comfortably enough. Among the options we carry is the TP-Link LS1210GP switch with ten gigabit ports, eight of them supporting PoE+, currently priced at around 88,000 IQD (the price is kept updated on the product page). This model suits a two-storey house or a shop with 6-8 cameras, and its gigabit speed keeps high-resolution cameras from choking the network.
The cable: half the success of the project
Most PoE camera faults come from the cable, not the camera. Cheap aluminium-blended cable delivers a picture at first, then starts dropping out after a couple of months, especially in our summer heat and over long runs. The maximum standard Ethernet distance is 100 metres between the switch and the camera, and the lower the cable grade, the shorter that distance gets in practice.
If yours is a full project — a large house, a shop or a warehouse — the cheaper route is to buy a full roll and cut it to length. A GeTX SFTP Cat 6 roll, 305 metres long covers an entire system, and being shielded (SFTP) makes it the logical choice for runs that travel alongside power cables or up onto the roof, at around 154,000 IQD.
If you only have 3 or 4 cameras and the runs are short, there is no need for a 305-metre roll. A GeTX Cat 6 roll, 60 metres long at around 46,000 IQD is enough to cover a small house or an office, and it works out far cheaper than buying ready-made cables one at a time.
And one important part keeps getting overlooked: the short ready-made cables between the switch and the router, and between the recorder and the network. Here you do not need to crimp or fit a connector — just take a factory-made cable. A UGREEN Cat 6A cable, 3 metres long (around 14,000 IQD) is an excellent choice for these short links, since it is a higher category and gives you extra headroom on speed and interference.
And if the distance between the switch and the recorder is a little longer, or you want to connect a nearby computer to the same network, a UGREEN Cat 6 cable, 5 metres long at around 12,000 IQD covers the need at a very comfortable price.
Common mistakes when installing PoE cameras
- Going beyond 100 metres: if the point is farther away, you need an intermediate switch or an extra transmission solution — stretching the run and hoping for the best is not a plan.
- Getting the power budget wrong: the number of ports is one thing, the total power budget is another. Connect a set of cameras that all draw maximum power to a small switch and cameras will start shutting down at random.
- CCA cable instead of copper: it saves you money today and costs you a whole new cable run a few months later.
- Badly crimped RJ45 connectors: half of all intermittent connection problems come from the connector, not the cable.
- A switch with no UPS: the entire PoE system dies the second the power cuts, so you have lost the biggest advantage of the technology.
How to order from Jowa Souq
Every product mentioned here is available from us with cash on delivery, and with delivery to all Iraqi provinces. And the most important point: you can inspect the product before paying — you see the roll, the box and the switch in your own hands, and if anything is not as described you do not pay. The prices quoted in this article are approximate and for guidance only; the price that counts is always the updated one on the product page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I run an ordinary camera (not PoE) on a PoE switch?
Not directly. The camera has to support PoE in order to draw power from the cable. If your camera runs on a 12 V adapter, you will still need to power it separately, or use a dedicated PoE splitter.
Will the switch damage a camera that does not support PoE?
Standards-compliant switches negotiate with the device before sending any power, so they send no voltage unless the device answers and confirms that it supports it. The risk comes from no-name products, which is why it is better to stick with known brands.
Is Cat 6 enough for security cameras, or do I need Cat 6A?
Cat 6 is more than enough for most home and commercial surveillance systems. Cat 6A is the logical choice for critical links, or if you want to run a network that will serve you for years and move heavy files between devices as well.
How many cameras can I connect to a switch with eight PoE ports?
Eight in theory, but in practice keep one port spare and work out the consumption of each camera. Simple fixed cameras draw very little, while PTZ and strong night-vision cameras draw far more.
Can I run the network cable next to a power cable?
It is better to keep them apart, and if you have no choice use a shielded cable such as SFTP and keep as much separation as possible, so you avoid interference and a picture that keeps breaking up.
