Quick answer: what is a POE-Jack® in-wall PoE switch?
GRID POE-Jack® is an active in-wall PoE switch (often searched as an “in wall poe switch”, PoE wall plate or PoE wall jack) that turns a single high-quality 23-AWG Cat6e home run into multiple powered Ethernet ports at the wall. In typical Canadian office, MDU and retrofit layouts, this can reduce cabling and terminations by up to ~75% compared with traditional “four home runs per location” or “one jack + cheap desk switch” designs.
Paired with GRID’s high-power PoE switches, cabling and Android endpoints, this PoE Jack Canada cabling guide gives integrators, electricians and IT a cleaner, LEED-friendly way to design modern networks using in-wall poe wall plate switches instead of piles of copper and desk bricks.
Who this guide is for
- IT / network managers planning floors, MDUs or campus expansions in Canada who are evaluating PoE wall plate switches instead of unmanaged desk switches.
- Low-voltage contractors, security and AV integrators looking to reduce labour, terminations and callbacks by using in wall poe switch designs and zone cabling.
- Architects, engineers and LEED consultants who need explainable, material-efficient cabling designs with fewer home runs and cleaner risers.
- Dealers and distributors who want a PoE-first story that stands out from “just another 48 port poe switch line.”
What is an Active POE-Jack® wall plate switch?
Traditional wall plates are passive: a keystone on the wall, a patch panel in the rack, and all the intelligence stays in the wiring closet.
Active POE-Jack® plates (such as APOEJK2-WH, an In-Wall 4-Port Gigabit PoE Switch Wall Plate) are different. They are compact, managed Gigabit in-wall Ethernet switches that fit in a standard wall box. They are powered by PoE from the rack and provide multiple PoE ports at the wall for devices like workstations, IP cameras, phones, access points, signage players or small controllers.
Instead of pulling four home runs to every desk pod or room, you pull one high-quality Cat6e cable to the plate. The POE-Jack® device acts as an active poe jack and 4 port poe wall switch, handling local switching and PoE distribution, while the uplink behaves like a normal switch port to the core.
What stays the same
- Endpoints still see standard Ethernet and IEEE 802.3af/at/bt PoE from the plate.
- IT continues to manage VLANs, QoS and PoE budgets on the core and aggregation switches.
- Structured cabling practices and testing (Cat6e, Cat6A, etc.) still apply.
What changes
- You pull fewer cables in risers and walls.
- You terminate fewer pairs at patch panels and jacks.
- You gain local PoE distribution exactly where devices live—at the wall, in the ceiling box or in a consolidation point.
Old “star” cabling vs GRID’s convergent edge
Most Canadian projects still use a traditional “star” Cat6 cabling topology:
- Up to four home runs from every workstation or suite.
- Oversized risers and cable trays sized for worst-case copper counts.
- Ceiling spaces packed with consolidation boxes and patch cords.
- Desk areas “fixed” with unmanaged plastic switches and power bars.
GRID’s approach with Active POE-Jack® is a zone-based, convergent edge design using in-wall PoE wall plate switches:
- One 23-AWG Cat6e home run (e.g. POEJC6E-CMP, a universal cat6 cable / Cat6E bulk Ethernet cable) from a PoE switch to each POE-Jack® plate or ceiling consolidation point.
- Multiple powered ports at the wall for workstations, phones, APs, IP cameras or signage players.
- High-power PoE cores (e.g. POEJK-S48-3600, a 3600w poe switch and PoE++ DC microgrid core) and aggregation switches in the rack.
- Optional 2×2 ceiling consolidation point box enclosures (e.g. POEJK-CPE1) where you want clean walls and serviceable ceilings.
At-a-glance comparison
| Design | Cables per desk / zone | Switch ports in the rack | Wall bricks & desk switches | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional star | Up to 4 home runs per location | 1 port per device | Common (power bars and 5-ports) | Heavy risers, large trays, crowded racks. |
| GRID + POE-Jack® | Typically 1 home run per desk pod / room | 1 uplink port per plate or zone | None at the desk; PoE from the wall | Less copper, smaller trays, cleaner work areas, and a DC microgrid-ready design. |
Example use cases with GRID combos
| Use case | Best GRID / POE-Jack® combo | Why it beats typical alternatives | Canadian / LEED gotcha ⚠️ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard office desk pods | APOEJK2-WH in-wall poe wall plates (In-Wall 4-Port Gigabit PoE Switch Wall Plate) + POEJK-S48-750E 48 port poe switch (750W PoE+ budget) + POEJC6E-CMP universal Cat6E bulk cable | One home run per pod instead of four; no desk switches; cleaner desks and fewer rack ports. | Size PoE budget for monitors, phones and APs; align VLANs/QoS with IT standards. |
| High-rise floor or large MDU | APOEJK2-WH per zone + POEJK-S48-3600 core 3600w poe switch + POEJKPP6-24 Cat6A LED patch panel for port-traceable patching | Shrinks riser cable counts and telecom rooms; easier tenant changes and phasing. | Co-ordinate riser tray sizing and fire-stopping; document material reduction for LEED. |
| Renovation / retrofit (walls open) | APOEJK2-WH + new POEJC6E-CMP home runs; selective reuse of legacy cable only for light loads | One clean poe wall plate instead of multiple jacks plus desk switches; less crowded wall cavities and stud bays. | Decide early what legacy Cat5e is worth keeping; coordinate pathways with other trades. |
| LEED, healthcare & education projects | APOEJK2-WH + POEJC6E-CMP + Slim Cat6A patching + high-efficiency PoE switches (750W and 3600W PoE++ cores) | Supports LEED narratives around dematerialization, energy efficiency and tidy mechanical spaces. | Capture reductions in copper, trays and power bricks for LEED documentation. |
Why 23-AWG Cat6e and PoE cores matter
The GRID story is not just “run fewer cables” – it is also about using the right cabling and switches for high-power PoE++.
23-AWG Cat6e (POEJC6E-CMP)
- 23-AWG solid copper conductors provide lower resistance than thinner cable, improving PoE performance in bundles and long runs.
- As a universal cat6 cable in plenum/indoor/outdoor form, it supports real-world Canadian basements, plenums and mechanical spaces.
- Designed from the start for modern PoE and PoE++ environments, not just data-only networks.
High-power PoE cores (POEJK-S48-3600 and family)
- Up to 3,600 W of shared PoE budget in a single 48-port chassis for dense floors with APs, cameras, POE-Jack® plates and lighting—a true 3600w poe switch and PoE++ switch for DC microgrid applications.
- Fewer mid-span injectors and single-port power supplies to install and maintain.
- Clear, centralized power paths that are easier to protect with UPS and generators for building automation and enterprise networking.
Together, high-power cores and 23-AWG cabling make it realistic to push more device power onto a DC microgrid instead of scattering 120 V circuits and wall warts throughout the building.
Retrofit, coax and “no new cable” jobs
Many profitable projects in Canada involve older schools, MDUs, historic buildings, cabins and rural sites where walls are not coming down and risers are already full. GRID pairs Active POE-Jack® with dedicated retrofit tools to handle IP over coax and legacy wiring:
- POEJK-2WIRE, an IP and PoE over Coax / 2-Wire Ethernet Extender Kit, works as a poe over coax extender and 2-wire Ethernet bridge for gates, barns, cameras and out-buildings when “no new cable” is allowed.
- POEJK-CPE1 ceiling consolidation point box enclosures to keep walls clean while giving technicians access above a 2×2 tile.
- PoE Android endpoints like POEJK-TOUCH10 (10” Android PoE touchscreen panel, BK/WH) and POEJK-DS1 (poe android media player for digital signage) that mount where users see them, powered only by the network.
Starter bundles to remember
If you only remember a few GRID patterns, start with these:
- Office / desk pod starter: APOEJK2-WH in wall poe switch (4 port poe wall plate) + POEJK-S48-750E 48 port poe switch + POEJC6E-CMP universal Cat6E bulk cable + Slim Cat6A patch leads.
- Signage starter: APOEJK2-WH near display cluster + POEJK-DS1 poe android media player + POEJK-HDMIE hdmi over ip extender kit for HDMI-over-IP/PoE digital signage.
- Touch-panel / lighting starter: APOEJK2-WH + POEJK-TOUCH10 Android poe touchscreen + central PoE switch and lighting/automation gateway.
- Retrofit / out-building starter: POEJK-2WIRE poe over coax extender over existing coax or 2-wire + APOEJK2-WH at the remote end + suitable PoE devices.
FAQ
Which GRID products are mentioned in this PoE Jack Canada cabling guide?
This guide focuses on a few core SKUs: APOEJK2-WH (in wall poe switch / In-Wall 4-Port Gigabit PoE Switch Wall Plate), POEJK-S48-750E (48 port poe switch), POEJK-S48-3600 (3600w poe switch, PoE++ DC microgrid core), POEJC6E-CMP (universal cat6 cable bulk plenum/indoor/outdoor), POEJK-2WIRE (poe over coax extender kit), POEJK-CPE1 (ceiling consolidation point box), POEJKPP6-24 (Cat6A LED patch panel), POEJK-HDMIE (hdmi over ip extender), POEJK-DS1 (poe android media player) and POEJK-TOUCH10 (Android poe touchscreen panel).
Can I mix POE-Jack® and traditional jacks on the same floor?
Yes. Many projects use POE-Jack® for desk pods, rooms or zones that benefit from multiple ports, and standard jacks where only a single device is needed. From the core switch’s perspective, a POE-Jack® plate simply looks like another PoE switch uplink.
Does this replace my main PoE switch?
No. POE-Jack® plates work with your PoE switches, not instead of them. The PoE switch (for example, a POEJK-S48-3600 3600w poe switch or POEJK-S48-750E 48 port poe switch) still lives in the rack and feeds power and data to each plate.
Is this only for new construction?
No. New builds are an obvious fit, but POE-Jack® also shines in renovations and retrofits, especially when combined with POEJK-2WIRE poe over coax extender kits and ceiling consolidation enclosures to reuse existing pathways and keep walls clean.
How does this help with LEED and sustainability goals?
A GRID / POE-Jack® design can reduce the total amount of copper, plastic and power bricks in a project by cutting home runs, using universal cat6 cable and eliminating many small power supplies. That supports LEED discussions around materials, energy and clean mechanical spaces, and it is easier to explain than a generic “more Cat6” specification.
Next steps: try GRID on your next project
You don’t need to redesign an entire building to benefit from GRID. Start with a single floor, pod or room and compare it to your usual design in terms of cable pulls, rack space, pathway size and how easy it is to document.
- If you’re an integrator or electrician, sketch your next office, MDU, school or retail project with POE-Jack® zones instead of four drops everywhere.
- If you’re an IT manager, look at where unmanaged desk switches and power bars are causing headaches and see whether an in-wall poe switch plate and central PoE power would simplify things.
- If you’re an architect or engineer, consider where a GRID layout with zone cabling and dc microgrid cores could reduce riser size, tray counts and in-ceiling clutter while still satisfying IT requirements.
When you’re ready, reach out with a floor plan or rough device count. A GRID-based design is often the easiest way to deliver less copper, more PoE and happier racks on Canadian projects using in-wall PoE wall plate switches instead of legacy desk bricks.
