Power over Ethernet: Quick Explanations for PoE, PoE+, Passive PoE, and More

Jason Chesla from Platinum Tools has a quick write-up on LinkedIn about PoE standards:

The general meaning of Power over Ethernet (PoE) is the capability of passing electrical power along with a data signal over the same Ethernet cable. This can be a pretty useful arrangement, since it requires only a single cable to provide both the electrical power and the data to receptors like Access Points (APs) and devices like IP cameras. The power signal can be carried on an entirely different conductor within the Ethernet cable, or it can be carried on the very same conductor as the data signal.

For still further – technical – reading be sure to check out the Wikipedia article on this standard.