Affiliate Disclosure
Some links on this page are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases — at no extra cost to you. We do not buy, install, or physically handle the cameras we cover; our rankings come from aggregated owner reviews, ratings and expert consensus. Commissions never change our verdicts. How we rank · full disclosure.
Short version: for a multi-camera PoE install, an 8-port switch is the standard buy — it powers and networks every camera from one box with one cable to the wall. The TP-Link LS108GP carries the highest star rating of the field here and is an Amazon’s Choice pick. Reolink NVR owners get a matched fit with the REOLINK RLA-PS1. If your cameras run power-hungry, the Amcrest 96W switch carries the largest power budget of the three. For a single camera, skip the switch entirely — a PoE injector does the same job for one device at a fraction of the cost.
This page covers the switch itself. For the cameras and NVR systems it powers, see the wired PoE cameras hub and best PoE security camera systems. For the drive that stores what it all records, see best hard drives for NVR systems.
Top Rated Picks at a Glance
The Ranked Field: Star Rating, Consensus and Price
Best for a whole-home PoE camera system needing up to 8 gigabit ports in one box.
- 8 PoE+ ports delivering up to 62W total budget.
- Full gigabit throughput on every port, not just uplinks.
- Plug-and-play — no configuration required for basic camera setups.
- PoE auto-recovery reboots a stuck camera automatically.
Why buy it: The highest star rating of any switch here, and an Amazon’s Choice pick — the safest default for a new multi-camera PoE install.
Best for Reolink NVR systems and RLN36-series camera kits specifically.
- 8 PoE ports plus 2 dedicated gigabit uplink ports.
- Designed and tested alongside Reolink NVR systems.
- Metal casing for durability in a utility closet or garage install.
- Desktop or wall-mount flexibility.
Why buy it: The natural pairing for a Reolink NVR system — built and marketed specifically to sit alongside Reolink’s own camera and recorder line.
Best for buyers who want a well-reviewed switch outside the TP-Link/Reolink ecosystem.
- 8 PoE+ ports with a 96W total power budget — the highest of the three here.
- Metal housing built for continuous 24/7 operation.
- IEEE 802.3af/at standard compliance for broad camera compatibility.
- No proprietary ecosystem lock-in.
Why buy it: The highest power budget of the three switches, which matters if you are running several high-draw PTZ or floodlight PoE cameras off the same box.
Comparison Table
| Product | Best for | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| TP-Link LS108GP 8-Port PoE Gigabit Switch | Best Overall | $59.99 | Price |
| REOLINK PoE Switch RLA-PS1 (8 PoE + 2 Gigabit Uplink) | Best for Reolink NVR Systems | $74.99 | Price |
| Amcrest 8-Port PoE+ Switch (96W, Metal Housing) | Best Alternative Brand | $59.99 | Price |
Just One PoE Camera? Use an Injector, Not a Switch
An 8-port switch is the wrong buy for a single PoE camera — you are paying for seven ports you will never use. A PoE injector does the identical job of putting power onto the Ethernet cable, but for one device, at a fraction of the price. The Omada PoE+ Injector (up to 30W, gigabit, UL certified) is a well-reviewed option in this category, backed by a solid rating across a smaller review base, at an entry-level price — a fifth of the price of an 8-port switch, for exactly the job a single-camera install actually needs. Check price on Amazon →
How We Rank
We do not buy or physically install these switches. Every star rating and review count comes from licensed Amazon data. Full method on how we rank.
Buying Guide: Ports, Power Budget and Placement
How Many Ports Do You Actually Need
Count your current cameras and add a couple of spare ports for future expansion — an 8-port switch is the standard size for a typical home system of 4-6 cameras with room to grow, without paying for a 16- or 24-port switch most residential installs never fill.
Total Power Budget vs Per-Camera Draw
Add up the rated power draw of every camera you plan to connect and compare it against the switch’s total power budget, not just its per-port maximum — this is the single most common oversight when sizing a PoE switch, and running past the budget causes cameras to brown out or fail to power on rather than throwing an obvious error.
Gigabit vs Fast Ethernet
All three switches here run full gigabit on every port, which matters increasingly as camera resolutions climb toward 4K — a Fast Ethernet-only switch (100 Mbps) can become a bottleneck for several high-resolution cameras streaming simultaneously.
The Verdict
The TP-Link LS108GP is the default recommendation for most multi-camera PoE installs — the highest rating of the field and a straightforward plug-and-play setup. Reolink NVR owners should match their system with the REOLINK RLA-PS1 instead. And if the cameras going on this switch are power-hungry PTZ or floodlight models, the Amcrest’s larger power budget is worth the consideration. For anyone with just one PoE camera, skip all three and buy the Omada injector instead.