How is a PoE 60 W switch designed for monitoring constructed? Designed in Poland?

p.kaczmarek2 20 Mar 2026 12:43 15 2037 Cool? (+4)

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TL;DR

A PoE-compliant IEEE 802.3af/at/bt switch with 4 powered LAN ports, 2 uplinks, and up to 60 W is opened and inspected, including the claim that it was designed in Poland.
Inside, the switch uses two boards: a flyback power supply and a main controller board with a JL5108B, separate signal transformers, four FM15N10 chips, and an XL7005A regulator.
The PCB is marked ANPA_1024PE_V2.22, the transformers are DC4810G and DC2064DG, and the product costs just under PLN70.
In use, it draws about 1.5 W idle and 2.5 W with moderate traffic, then works flawlessly in a camera installation.
Several cost-saving choices stand out, including LEDs placed on the PCB bottom, no integrated magjacks, and unpopulated pads for input filtering, a varistor, and TVS protection.

Generated by the language model.

Here I will show the inside of a PoE-compliant IEEE 802.3af/at/bt switch with up to 60 W, offering 4 LAN ports (with power), 2 uplink ports and a throughput of up to 1.6 Gbps. PoE (Power over Ethernet), as the name suggests, is a technology that allows data and power to be transmitted simultaneously over the same network cable. For example, IP cameras, access points or there VoIP telephones, as well as many other devices, can be conveniently powered in this way.

The box is interesting in that it has one model on one side and another on the other - and it's the same box.
The product costs just under PLN70 and is advertised as designed in Poland, which already made me curious - the production is obviously in PRC, but the design is supposedly ours. We'll have a look inside soon, there's still a manual left:

Photo of a “Ethernet PoE Switch Zenwire” manual page with warnings list and CE and RoHS marks

The casing is encouraging, it is metal and quite solid.

Black metal device case with yellow “WARNING” label and a power cord ending in a Euro plug

The cable is not grounded, but can be connected next to it:

Black metal device case with an attached power cable and a small blue cap on the left

We take a look inside. There we have two boards - one is the power supply and the other is the mains controller.

Inside a metal PoE switch case with two PCBs, wiring, and a separate power-supply board

PCB designation: ANPA_1024PE_V2.22:

Inside a PoE switch: metal case with two PCBs, including RJ45 ports and a power-supply module

PCB from the power supply - here we have a simple flyback topology, I even see a TL431 on the bottom:

Underside of a green PCB with red and black wires soldered, mounted inside a metal enclosure

There's an empty space on the power supply input for filters and a varistor:

Close-up of power-supply PCB with electrolytic capacitor, MOV/fuse footprints, yellow capacitor, and wiring

I haven't checked what the inverter is realised on - I didn't want to desolder the heatsink. Maybe it's some kind of circuit from the ViPER or TNY series?

Now for the second board. Anyone lusted after the protective LEDs? The connector LEDs are on the bottom of the PCB, I guess it was cheaper that way than buying RJ45 connectors with built in LEDs.

Green switch PCB with six RJ45 ports, viewed from the trace and solder side

Isolation signal transformers are separate (no integrated 'magjack' here):

PoE switch PCB with six RJ45 ports and power components on a tabletop

DC4810G and DC2064DG. Catalogue note that it is for gigabit connection.

MinZhou datasheet page with specs table and schematic for 100/1000 BASE‑T transformer module DC4810G

Apart from that, we have the main controller, the main inverter and four FM15N10 chips in there.

JL5108B:

“JL5108 Product Brief” page by JLSemi with overview text and a bulleted list of Ethernet switch features

FM15N10 role I did not recognise, maybe it is a MOSFET?

Close-up of a PoE switch PCB by an RJ45 port, showing TVS1 and D30 pads and a DC2064DG-marked chip

There is also an XL7005A inverter on the input, this is probably used to step down the voltage to supply the rest of the circuit. Interestingly, there is a place on the PCB for a TVS protection diode, but it is not soldered on. Next to the inverter, there is still a surface-mounted chip in a SOIC case, which is not marked.

I briefly tested this switch at my site, but without PoE testing. With no wires connected (or no network traffic) it draws about 1.5 W, with moderate traffic it draws 2.5 W.

I then mounted the switch in the target location to work with the cameras and it works flawlessly.

In summary, this was a brief demonstration of a PoE switch which, according to the information on the packaging, was designed in our country. It is difficult for me to judge how much this was actually the case, although undoubtedly inside you can see some savings on components and changes of plans in relation to the design of the PCB itself. Also, not all the electronic circuits inside have been clearly identified, so if anyone has anything more to add, feel free to comment. Do you use PoE switches?

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p.kaczmarek2 wrote 14425 posts with rating 12389 , helped 650 times. Been with us since 2014 year.

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speedy9 20 Mar 2026 15:20

Something I have serious doubts about "Designed in Poland". They didn't even translate the instructions into PL? Theoretically such products cannot be sold in Poland :) https://obrazki.elektroda.pl/9437659600_1774016375_thumb.jpg... [Read more]

forest1600 20 Mar 2026 15:55

Designed in Poland... Yeah, Polish was only the IP when ordering the whole container from Asia haha. [Read more]

chemik_16 20 Mar 2026 16:18

oh, by the way, I need to do a poe injection for the gigabit, I understand that in the passive variant it is enough to simply apply 48v to these middle taps (1,4,7 etc) ? [Read more]

p.kaczmarek2 20 Mar 2026 16:19

Recently, I think we have had some sort of rash of such "Polish" (according to the packaging information) products: Can a socket distributor from a Polish manufacturer in Tomic be dangerous? Spectrum... [Read more]

DJ_KLIMA 20 Mar 2026 21:22

Patriotic" marketing [Read more]

William Bonawentura 22 Mar 2026 15:06

What voltage does the mains supply have? [Read more]

Homo_toxicus 23 Mar 2026 22:06

As for me, I would be afraid to use this Chinese "contraption". Metal casing and no protective wire in the mains supply. It's asking for trouble. EDIT: I didn't see that - sorry. You can connect the... [Read more]

siewcu 25 Mar 2026 09:39

Since PoE is something between 47 and 52V. Although I have a 60W PoE switch(4 ports + 2 uplinks) on my desk, but a gigabit and it has a 53V power supply. Just a brand a bit more (u)known. [Read more]

gregor124 25 Mar 2026 14:00

Could you please take a picture from the bottom. This is about the product plate. [Read more]

p.kaczmarek2 25 Mar 2026 14:18

Bottom plate: https://obrazki.elektroda.pl/3827879200_1774444710_bigthumb.jpg Why such a question? [Read more]

gregor124 25 Mar 2026 14:34

I think the nameplate is an important description of any product, so it should be in the product description. I notice that a Polish company is listed as the manufacturer, only that there is no mention... [Read more]

p.kaczmarek2 25 Mar 2026 15:31

A small correction as to the first post - I have updated the pictures of the box so that it is shown from both sides. The box on one side shows the 1024 model with 4 PoE and the other side shows the 1028,... [Read more]

heposlaw 31 Mar 2026 14:33

I have a switch on the intercom system. I don't know what the switch is for, sometimes the blue LED lights up. The manufacturer has stated that it is used to switch off the device. whether the switch... [Read more]

speedy9 31 Mar 2026 14:43

You're probably talking about the one on the front with the description "EXTEND". This is the "range extender" providing an increase in range from the standard 100m to about 250m. So much for the theory.... [Read more]

siewcu 01 Apr 2026 10:58

With a concomitant drop in data speed to 10Mbps. Quite significant information. [Read more]

FAQ

TL;DR: This 60 W PoE switch uses 2 boards and, as one commenter put it, "patriotic marketing" around the "Designed in Poland" claim. It suits buyers comparing cheap 4-port PoE switches, because it shows the real internal design, missing protection parts, power draw, and practical limits such as EXTEND mode and watchdog behavior. [#21866994]

Why it matters: If you install cameras, intercoms, VoIP phones, or access points, this teardown helps you judge whether a low-cost PoE switch is electrically credible, safely labeled, and suitable for your exact load.

Variant or mode	What the thread shows	Practical effect
IEEE PoE switch	4 PoE ports, 2 uplinks, up to 60 W	Safer fit for cameras and standard PoE devices
Passive PoE injection	User asks about adding 48 V to center taps	Manual method; higher wiring and compatibility risk
EXTEND off	Standard Ethernet reach implied	Normal operation
EXTEND on	Up to about 250 m, but 10 Mbps	Longer cable, much lower speed

Key insight: The most important finding is not the 60 W rating but the combination of cost cutting and unclear provenance: empty protection footprints, questionable labeling, and marketing claims matter as much as basic functionality.

Quick Facts

The unit is presented as an IEEE 802.3af/at/bt PoE switch with 4 powered LAN ports, 2 uplinks, up to 1.6 Gbps throughput, and a street price of just under PLN 70. [#21866609]
Inside, the author found 2 separate boards: one mains PSU board and one switching/PoE board marked ANPA_1024PE_V2.22. [#21866609]
Measured consumption was about 1.5 W idle and 2.5 W with moderate traffic, before any PoE load testing. [#21866609]
The discussion points to missing protection population: empty PCB positions for an input filter, varistor, and TVS diode were visible. [#21866609]
EXTEND mode was described as pushing cable reach from the usual 100 m to about 250 m, with link speed dropping to 10 Mbps. [#21875172]

How is this 60 W IEEE 802.3af/at/bt PoE switch with 4 PoE ports and 2 uplinks constructed inside?

It is built around two separate PCBs inside a metal case. One board is a simple flyback mains PSU, and the other carries the Ethernet switching and PoE circuitry. The main board uses separate Ethernet isolation transformers instead of LED-integrated MagJack sockets, plus a JL5108B controller, an XL7005A converter, and four FM15N10 parts. The PCB marking shown is ANPA_1024PE_V2.22. [#21866609]

What mains supply voltage is this PoE switch designed to run on?

The thread never states the exact AC input voltage on the mains side. What it does show is an internal mains PSU board and discussion of PoE output around 47-52 V, with one user citing a similar 60 W gigabit switch that uses a 53 V supply. So the only explicit voltage evidence in the discussion concerns the PoE side, not the AC nameplate input. [#21870002]

How do you do passive gigabit PoE injection, and is applying 48 V to the transformer center taps the right approach?

Passive gigabit PoE injection means feeding DC into the Ethernet transformer center taps, and the questioner explicitly asks about applying 48 V there. 1. Identify the center taps for the data pairs on the magnetics. 2. Inject the DC supply onto those taps. 3. Verify the target device accepts passive PoE, not IEEE negotiation. The thread treats that center-tap approach as the relevant method, but it does not provide a tested wiring map or safety confirmation. [#21866745]

Why are people skeptical about the "Designed in Poland" claim on this PoE switch packaging?

People doubt the claim because the packaging and documentation look like a generic imported product rather than a local design. One commenter notes the instructions were not translated into Polish, another finds a very similar unit on Alibaba for under PLN 35, and others mock the wording as marketing rather than engineering origin. The skepticism centers on branding, not on whether the switch functions. [#21866707]

What is a flyback power supply topology, and why would it be used in a small PoE switch PSU?

The PSU board uses a simple flyback topology because that is the structure the author identified inside this compact switch. "Flyback is a switch-mode power-supply topology that stores energy in a transformer during each switching cycle, then transfers it to the output, giving isolation with few parts." That fits a low-cost enclosed switch where size, price, and isolation matter more than premium efficiency. [#21866609]

What does the TL431 do in a switch-mode power supply like the one shown in this switch?

The TL431 is used on the PSU feedback side to help regulate output voltage. "TL431 is a programmable shunt regulator that acts like an adjustable precision reference, commonly paired with an optocoupler to control isolated switch-mode power supplies." In this teardown, the author spots a TL431 on the PSU board, which matches a basic flyback control scheme. [#21866609]

How can you tell what role the FM15N10 parts play on a PoE switch board, and are they likely MOSFETs?

They are very likely MOSFETs, because the thread itself identifies that possibility and shows four identical FM15N10 devices grouped on the main board. Their placement near the power section strongly suggests switching or power path control rather than logic. The author did not fully identify their function, so the safe conclusion from the thread is limited: four FM15N10 power parts are present, and MOSFET is the stated likely type. [#21866609]

What is a MagJack, and how does it compare with using separate Ethernet isolation transformers like DC4810G and DC2064DG?

A MagJack is an RJ45 connector with built-in Ethernet magnetics and often built-in LEDs. "MagJack is an integrated RJ45 socket that combines connector, isolation transformer, and sometimes status LEDs, reducing assembly steps but fixing the magnetic design to the jack." This switch uses separate DC4810G and DC2064DG transformers instead, while the LEDs sit under the PCB rather than inside the connector. [#21866609]

Why would a PoE switch PCB have empty spots for an input filter, varistor, or TVS diode, and what does that mean for protection?

Empty footprints usually mean the PCB was designed for optional protection parts that were not populated in this version. Here the author shows vacant positions for an input filter and varistor on the PSU input, and a TVS diode location near the XL7005A area. That means the board may share a common layout across variants, but this unit likely has reduced surge and transient protection compared with a fully populated version. [#21866609]

How much power does a small unmanaged PoE switch typically draw with no traffic versus moderate traffic?

This one drew about 1.5 W with no wires connected or no traffic, and about 2.5 W under moderate traffic. Those figures describe the switch electronics only, not a loaded PoE power budget. The 1.0 W increase shows that even a small unmanaged switch changes consumption measurably once packets start flowing. [#21866609]

What should you check on the bottom nameplate of a budget PoE switch to verify safety markings like CE and manufacturer details?

Check the bottom plate for the named manufacturer, the declared model, and whether the CE mark looks proportionally correct. In this thread, a commenter specifically questions the CE symbol proportions and notes that a Polish company is listed as manufacturer, while also doubting whether it actually produces the device. A clear, credible nameplate matters because it is the quickest traceability check on a budget switch. [#21870285]

Why is a metal-cased switch with an ungrounded mains lead considered risky, and how should protective earth be handled properly?

A metal enclosure raises concern when the mains lead is not factory-grounded, because any insulation fault can put hazardous voltage on the case. The thread shows an earth connection point next to the cable entry, but one commenter warns that leaving grounding to the buyer invites unsafe improvisation. Protective earth should be bonded to the chassis through the intended terminal, not added informally after purchase. [#21869002]

What does the EXTEND switch do on a PoE switch, and how does it affect maximum cable length and link speed?

EXTEND mode is described as a range-extension function. In the thread, it is said to push Ethernet distance from the normal 100 m to about 250 m, but another user adds the critical trade-off: speed drops to 10 Mbps. That makes EXTEND useful for long camera runs, not for bandwidth-hungry links. [#21875172]

Why can a built-in PoE watchdog cause problems with intercoms or VoIP devices that go into sleep mode?

A built-in PoE watchdog can mistake a sleeping endpoint for a crashed one and power-cycle it. One user reports exactly that behavior on an intercom setup: the switch decides the device has hung and restarts it, while the watchdog cannot be disabled. That makes the feature risky for devices that intentionally idle, sleep, or respond slowly. [#21874726]

Passive PoE injection vs standards-based IEEE 802.3af/at/bt PoE — which is better for cameras, VoIP phones, and access points?

Standards-based IEEE 802.3af/at/bt PoE is the better fit for cameras, VoIP phones, and access points in this discussion. The switch is explicitly advertised as IEEE-compliant, while passive injection appears only as a manual workaround question about adding 48 V to center taps. Use passive PoE only when the endpoint explicitly expects it; otherwise, the standards-based switch is the safer and more interoperable choice for mixed devices. [#21866609]

Generated by the language model.