Veracity OUTREACH (Superceded by OUTREACH LITE) - Manual (Page 2)

Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of using POE?
Using POE to power network devices leads to more straightforward
installation, as devices can be installed and relocated without having
to install new power cable. POE is limited to safe levels of voltage
and current and is a universal standard, whereas there is a wide
variation in power standards worldwide.
POE allows all devices to be powered from a central, controlled
source, which may be an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).
Power management can be more sophisticated, and remote devices
can be simply powered down or reset if necessary.
OUTREACH brings all these benefits to installations beyond 100m
(328ft) at full 100Base-T capacity.
What are POE power classes?
Powered devices can advertise the amount of power they require
when they are enabled by a power source, as one of three classes
as follows:
Class 1 0 - 3.8 Watts
Class 2 3.8 – 6.5 Watts
Class 3 6.5 – 13 Watts
For example, a 5 Watt network video camera would request Class 2
power, so its POE power source would allocate 6.5 Watts (7 Watts
including losses) of its power budget to the camera.
Power classification is optional; devices that do not advertise a class
are placed in Class 0 and allocated the full 13 Watts (around 15
Watts including losses). Some low cost devices may not implement
power classification; if they only draw 1 Watt the POE source would
have to allocate full-class power to them.
OUTREACH is a Class 0 device as it may draw the full range of
power. A 30 Watt POE switch should therefore be able to enable 2
OUTREACHes from its power budget.
What is Power Promise TM ?
Power Promise is Veracity's unique, patent-pending technology which
gives OUTREACH the capability to detect the power characteristics of
all POE devices and cables in the link. Only Power Promise
technology enables OUTREACH to decide whether to enable POE to
powered devices.
Installers can simply connect OUTREACH to their POE equipment
without any setting-up or calculations required, and the Power
Promise technology will ensure the power delivered does not violate
the POE specification, which could in turn result in overloaded power
supplies or incorrect operation of powered devices.
Why are Ethernet connections limited to 100 metres / 330 feet?
This limit for cable length originated for previous Ethernet standards.
100Base-T Ethernet equipment must be sensitive enough to operate
correctly over this distance, but in full-duplex mode there is no
technical reason to prevent correct operation over longer distances.
OUTREACH uses class-leading Ethernet circuitry, and OUTREACH-to-
OUTREACH connections may typically exceed 130 metres (430 feet).
Although operation over 100m/330ft is not guaranteed, this does
allow some overhead for longer cable runs in actual installations.
Cable length to other devices will depend on the device's own
Ethernet performance.
The POE specification also limits cable lengths to 100m/330ft,
however OUTREACH's Power Promise technology allows installations
to run beyond this safely.
Do I need to configure OUTREACH for use on my network?
No, OUTREACH is a transparent Layer 1/2 device and requires no
MAC or IP address. It introduces virtually no delay and other
network devices will be unaware there is anything other than a cable
between them.
OUTREACH is compatible with both patch and crossover cables.
Can OUTSOURCE be used as a conventional POE injector
(midspan)?
Yes, OUTSOURCE is a fully IEEE-compliant single channel POE
midspan. It can be used to provide power for any compatible POE
powered devices.
Where should you install OUTSOURCE?
OUTSOURCE can be installed anywhere before the first OUTREACH in
the chain, although normally it will be connected via a patch cable to
a network switch with the longer cable running to the OUTREACH.
Note that OUTSOURCE is a passive device, it does not extend the
signal so the total cable length on either side should not exceed
100m/330ft.
OUTSOURCE can safely be connected after a conventional POE
switch. The switch will not enable power to the OUTSOURCE and the
OUTSOURCE will only enable power to the OUTREACH.
How can I extend both power and Ethernet to equipment that is
not IEEE 802.3af POE compatible?
OUTBREAK is a POE splitter that divides its POE network connection
into a non-POE Ethernet signal and a 12 Volt 1 Amp auxiliary supply.
It can be used to power devices that are not POE compatible, devices
which are compatible with older POE standards, or devices that are
POE compatible but which require a shared 12V supply for other
equipment.
Note that OUTBREAK is a maximum POE class device so must be
used in conjunction with an OUTSOURCE.
Can I use OUTREACH on cable types other than Cat5 or above?
Yes, OUTREACH will function correctly although this is not
recommended. The Power Promise technology will account for extra
power losses, but network range or performance will suffer if the
cable does not meet the specifications for 100Base-T Ethernet.
I have a CCTV installation which uses video baluns to transmit
analogue video over twisted pair – can OUTREACH help me
upgrade this to a digital link?
Yes – the cable should be 4-pair Cat5 or better for best performance.
Cut the cable every 100 metres and install an OUTREACH to repeat
the signal and forward POE to your IP camera.
Troubleshooting
OUTREACH not receiving power / all LEDs off
Confirm that the OUTREACH has been installed in the correct
orientation, and allow 4 seconds for each POE source and
OUTREACH in the chain to enable its POE output.
Check the cable for correct, secure wiring. The POE source will
usually display an error indicator for some faults. If it indicates that
its power budget has been exceeded then other POE devices must
be disconnected or an OUTSOURCE or additional POE switch must
be installed.
Some POE switches are not IEEE compliant by default. If
conventional IEEE POE cannot be enabled, the link will have to be
upgraded with an OUTSOURCE.
No Ethernet connection / Link LED off
Check the cable condition and allow time for all powered devices to
be enabled. A reliable Ethernet link is not guaranteed over
individual cable segments exceeding 100m (328ft) in length,
although power may still be carried.
All connected devices must be 100Base-T Full Duplex capable and
preferably have Auto-Negotiation enabled (default for most basic
10/100 POE switches).
Not forwarding power / POE Enabled LED off or blinking
The POE Enabled LED will flash in a repeating pattern to indicate the
type of fault detected. 9 flashes in a row means that there is not
enough power available to enable the connected device, given the
cable length and device power class. Usually the link can be simply
upgraded with an OUTSOURCE to remedy this.
If the LED is off or emitting any other pattern then there is a cable
fault or the powered device is not IEEE 802.3af POE compliant.
The OUTREACH is functioning but the Power Good LED is blinking
OUTREACH will only enable power to POE devices if it is guaranteed
to meet the characteristics of the IEEE POE specification. The Power
Good LED will blink if the characteristics for the power delivered are
close to, but still within, the specified limits.
OUTREACH is intended for use with POE equipment from reputable
manufacturers, which will have been tested over the full range of
the POE specification. If there is any doubt over the operation of
the installed equipment, the link can be upgraded with an
OUTSOURCE.
Maximum range is less than expected
Check the cable for faults. The cable should be Cat5 or higher
specification and 24AWG or heavier duty (lower AWG).
Range varies depending on the characteristics of the cable and POE
power source used. Also the powered device may be requesting a
higher than necessary power class. In both cases the link can be
simply upgraded with an OUTSOURCE to increase maximum range.