I have an 8gb Raspberry Pi 4 that has been a workhorse for years. I keep it for my not intense but essential networking purposes, NetBoot.xyz, Homepage, etc., because I can run it over PoE (edit: Power over Ethernet), so it is always on as long as my network is up.
It is growing long in the tooth, and I find myself wanting to replace it with something a bit more capable. Looking at the 8gb Pi 5 at $80 plus another $30 for a PoE hat, I wonder if there is something out there that would be a better value for running PoE? Can you convert a micro pc over to PoE? Does anyone have any recommendations for computers that run off PoE or can be converted to PoE?
What’s PoE?
Power over Ethernet. Sorry, read it over three time for spelling, didn’t catch that I never gave the acronym meaning.
Path of Exile.
I can’t believe someone downvoted you for asking about the acronym.
I get frustrated when the title, body, and comments all use an acronym, but I can’t figure it out from context. Even more frustrating is when the linked article also doesn’t explain it.
I think googling poe or poe computing will give you it
power over Ethernet
Power over Ethernet. it essentially combines the power plug with the ethernet cable. super helpful for stuff like network cameras where the nearest wall socket is 50 feet away.
Level1Techs just posted this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW4WyuGKsho
Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
https://www.piped.video/watch?v=GW4WyuGKsho
Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
I’m open-source; check me out at GitHub.
I actually didn’t know the Pi can do PoE; that gives me some ideas!
You need a hat for it.
Ugh now even my Pi needs clothes??!? Ridiculous.
Yeah. Imagine, before you can get going with your project you even have to ‘boot it up’. A real deal breaker.
I have a cluster of four running all off a single switch, incredibly convenient.
MINISFORUM S100-N100 launching later this year as efficient mini-PC with Power over Ethernet support
I bought an N100 mini PC (not POE) as my new server a couple months ago. I really like it. That processor is great for power efficiency.
I would be interested in this as well. The Pi certainly works and I am running one POE. But the Pi can be very limiting.
If you are converting something, be aware PoE has a power budget of 15w and PoE+ has 30w. Though PoE++ can do 100w, I have not seen many switches with that.
