The intelligent functions included in some switches proposed in our catalogue are usually the following:
1) VLAN
2) QoS
3) PoE Extension
4) Watchdog
5) Soft start protection
These functions often have to be activated via a DIP switch on the device's housing. That said, here is a brief guide to what each function does:
1) VLAN function: it consists of isolating the devices connected to one X port of the switch in a local network related to the same X port, so that the devices connected to the other Y,Z,W... ports cannot see the devices connected to the X port.
2) QoS function: acronym for Quality Of Service, it means that the switch prioritizes the video stream by dedicating more bandwidth when network conditions become critical or unstable.
3) PoE Extension function: reduction of the bandwidth from 100 to 10 Mbps to allows the transmission of information up to larger distances, 250 or 700 meters depending on the brand.
4) Watchdog function: the switch monitors if the network activity disappears for a long time on any of the PoE ports and cuts off the power supply to that port and turns it on again to force the reboot of the powered camera connected there.
5) Soft start protection: The switch is responsible for gradually starting the cameras (i.e. re-powering each channel within milliseconds of each other after an overall power failure), to avoid a simultaneous peak demand as each camera asks for more input power at startup.
In some switch models, the VLAN and Extension functions are activated simultaneously. In others, these functions are activated independently and cannot be activated at the same time.