PoE provides both data and power connections in one cable, so equipment doesn't need a separate cable for each need. For poe switch that does not already have a power or data connection, PoE can be attractive when the power demand is modest. For example, PoE is useful for IP telephones, wireless LAN access points, cameras with pan tilt and zoom (PTZ), and remote Ethernet switches. PoE can provide long cable runs e.g., 100 meters (330 feet) and deliver 12 W of galvanically isolated power. PoE-plus provides even more power.

There are competing technologies. The Universal Serial Bus (USB) provides both data and power, but it is designed for short cables with a maximum length of 5 meters (16 feet) and provides less than 2.5 W of non-isolated power. It is less expensive than PoE, and works well for low power peripherals such as a computer mouse, a headset/microphone, or a serial port. Some peripherals, such as speakers, scanners, and printers, need more power than USB can provide. Firewire (IEEE 1394) is similar to USB, but can provide substantially more power (45 W) but has an even shorter limit on cables at 4.5 m. On the other hand, USB peripherals can operate using very little power; while maintaining an Ethernet connection uses a significant amount of power.

If a device already has power available but no data link, then PoE may not be attractive. A wireless data connection such as IEEE 802.11 12 port poe switch may be more economical than running a data cable for the device. Alternatively, there are power line communication technologies that can use power cables for transmitting data. Using some power line modems may be more economical than running a cable.

When data rate and power 24 port poe switch are both low, other approaches may be viable. Cellular phones, for example, use batteries for power and wireless for data link. Remote weather sensors uses very low data rates, so batteries (possibly supplemented with solar power) and custom wireless data links are used. Replacing batteries is a nuisance, but if the batteries last six months to a year, the practice may be tolerable.