POE-Jack® In-Wall PoE Switch Guide for Canada | GRID Networking
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POE-Jack® In-Wall PoE Switch Guide for Canada | GRID Networking

This explainer is for Canadian IT managers, low-voltage contractors, integrators and design teams who keep hearing “in wall PoE switch,” “PoE wall plate” or “PoE wall jack” and want a clear, code-aware pattern they can drop into drawings and BOMs. If you are comparing a POE-Jack® in-wall switch to traditional four-drop cabling or a cheap desk switch, this is the focused pattern guide you can hand to your engineers, estimators and LEED reviewers.

In-Wall PoE Switches in Canada: Active POE-Jack® Desk & Wall Pattern (2026 Explainer)

Last updated: December 2025 | Reading time: ~14 minutes

Quick Answer: What Is an In-Wall PoE Switch?

An in-wall PoE switch (often called an “in wall poe switch,” “PoE wall plate switch,” “in wall ethernet switch” or “PoE wall jack”) is a small PoE-powered switch that mounts in a standard wall box and breaks one PoE uplink into several local Ethernet ports. In the GRID ecosystem, that device is the Active POE-Jack® in-wall switch, such as APOEJK2-WH.

In a typical Canadian office, condo or clinic, the pattern is simple: one 23-AWG Cat6e home run from a managed PoE or PoE++ switch feeds an in-wall POE-Jack®, which then provides multiple powered ports at the desk, TV wall or touch panel. That lets you replace the usual “four jacks back to the closet” or “one jack plus a cheap desk switch” with a single, tidy plate that is part of your structured cabling design.

Pattern at a Glance: One Cable In, Multiple Ports Out

The core Active POE-Jack® pattern is “one cable in, several ports out”:

  • One PoE / PoE++ uplink from a GRID switch (for example POEJK-S48-750E or POEJK-S48-3600) runs over 23-AWG Cat6e plenum like POEJC6E-CMP.
  • The uplink lands on an Active POE-Jack® in-wall switch such as APOEJK2-WH, which splits that feed into multiple gigabit RJ45 ports.
  • Those ports can power and connect devices like laptops (via PoE-to-USB-C), VoIP phones, Wi-Fi APs, cameras, digital signage players and PoE touch panels.
  • The in-wall switch is powered entirely by PoE; no local AC receptacle or power brick is required at the desk or wall.

For design purposes, treat the in-wall POE-Jack® as a small managed edge switch that lives at the desk or TV wall, while the main “power plant” PoE cores stay cleanly in your IDFs and MDFs. You still get VLANs, QoS and monitoring at the core, but you avoid four home runs and a pile of unused ports.

Where This Pattern Fits in Canadian Buildings

Most Canadian projects that adopt in-wall PoE switches are solving one of three problems: too much copper, too many desk switches or not enough power flexibility at the edge.

Typical use cases

  • Desk pods and open offices: One Active POE-Jack® per 2–4 desks, feeding laptops (via POEJK-USB adapters), phones and an AP instead of four home runs per workstation.
  • TV walls and AV hubs: Hide the in-wall PoE switch behind displays with POEJK-DS1 Android signage players, HDMI-over-IP receivers and a local AP.
  • Touch panels and control walls: Pair the pattern with PoE touch screens like POEJK-TOUCH10 for room booking or automation.
  • Suites and MDUs: One POE-Jack® per suite or cluster instead of multiple drops back to a congested riser.
  • Serious home offices and professional suites: Clean, multi-port plates instead of a desk switch and power strip jungle.

For building-type specific design patterns (riser relief, cabins, retrofits, etc.), see the scenario guides listed in More Resources.

Cabling Rules: 23-AWG Links, Distances & Cascades

In-wall PoE switches work best when they are treated as part of your structured cabling, not as an afterthought. A few simple rules keep projects predictable:

  • Use 23-AWG Cat6e plenum (such as POEJC6E-CMP) for permanent links feeding POE-Jack® plates. The thicker copper improves voltage drop and thermal behaviour in Canadian plenums and risers.
  • Observe normal 100 m / 328 ft channel limits between PoE switch and in-wall switch. The POE-Jack® then gives you another patch-length hop to devices at the wall.
  • Use slim Cat6A patch leads (for example the GRID SlimPatch series) in racks and at the wall to keep dressing clean without loading trays with small-gauge cable.
  • For long or tricky paths where you cannot pull new Cat6e, combine this pattern with POEJK-2WIRE IP-over-coax/2-wire extenders.

PoE & Power Budgeting for In-Wall Switches

The heart of the pattern is that one PoE++ uplink powers both the in-wall switch and the attached devices. For APOEJK2-WH–class devices, the uplink is typically an IEEE 802.3bt feed, with a portion reserved for the switch electronics and the rest available as PoE on the four ports.

Practical design rules

  • Think in watts per plate, not just watts per port. Two or three moderate loads (phone, AP, signage player) are a better fit than four high-draw devices on one plate.
  • Reserve margin for cold starts and cable losses, especially on long runs in cold Canadian mechanical rooms and parkades.
  • Pair desk and pod plates with PoE cores that have adequate per-port power and total budget, such as POEJK-S48-750E or POEJK-S48-3600.
  • For industrial or distributed topologies, use GRID’s DIN-rail PoE switches and 48 V DC supplies as intermediate power plants.

If you are pushing the limits with long cascades, many high-power devices or mixed injectors/switches, use the dedicated PoE-Jack® cascading and distance guide (linked below) to validate your design before tender.

Boxes, Code & Coordination in Canada

In-wall PoE switches live in the grey zone between “just another low-voltage device” and “something new the AHJ has not seen before.” The key is to treat them like any other listed communications device and coordinate early.

  • Mount the in-wall switch in a listed wall box or low-voltage ring that matches the product’s depth and temperature ratings.
  • Use plenum- or riser-rated cable appropriate to the space, and follow your engineer’s details for fire stopping and separation from power circuits.
  • Document in-wall PoE switches clearly on Division 27 drawings so they are not mistaken for generic jacks during review or site inspections.
  • Coordinate with the electrical engineer and authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) to avoid last-minute questions about device listings, box fill or heat.

This explainer is about patterns and topology, not a substitute for stamped drawings or formal code advice. Always confirm details with your engineering team and local inspectors.

Pattern Variants: Desks, TV Walls & Touch Panels

Once you understand the basic “one uplink, multiple ports” idea, you can reuse it across many locations with small tweaks. Here are common variants that show up in Canadian projects:

Desk pod pattern

  • One APOEJK2-WH between two to four desks.
  • Devices: 2–3 laptops (via PoE-to-USB-C), 1 IP phone, optional AP under the ceiling tile.
  • Ideal for open offices and hot-desking layouts.

TV wall / AV pattern

  • POE-Jack® behind a display, feeding an HDMI-over-IP receiver, a POEJK-DS1 signage player and a small switch or AP if required.
  • Clean wall, no power strips or bricks in the millwork.

Touch panel / control wall

  • In-wall PoE switch placed behind or near a POEJK-TOUCH10 panel.
  • Additional ports for local sensors, door controllers or a room-side AP.

Suite / small office pattern

  • One POE-Jack® at the main desk area of a small office or condo suite.
  • Feeds a handful of endpoints while keeping the riser and closet wiring light.

For building-scale examples that combine these patterns with riser and IDF design, see the high-rise, renovation and commercial office scenario guides under More Resources.

Example: 4-Desk Pod Bill of Materials

Here is a simple bill of materials for a 4-desk pod using the in-wall PoE switch pattern in a Canadian office:

  • 1 × APOEJK2-WH Active POE-Jack® in-wall switch.
  • 1 × 23-AWG Cat6e home run (for example POEJC6E-CMP) from the IDF to the pod location.
  • 1 × port on a GRID PoE or PoE++ switch (for example POEJK-S48-750E).
  • 4 × Slim Cat6A patch cords from the in-wall switch to devices or nearby outlets.
  • Optional: PoE-to-USB-C adapters (POEJK-USB) for laptops or small devices.

Compared to four traditional home runs and a desk switch, this pod uses one patch panel port, one PoE switch port and one home run, while still serving all four desks. That is where the cabling, rack and labour savings add up.

When Not to Use an In-Wall PoE Switch

In-wall PoE switches are powerful tools, but they are not the answer everywhere. Use caution when:

  • You have very high-power non-PoE loads (large displays, specialty medical gear, heaters) that exceed what PoE and PoE splitters can practically supply.
  • Your organisation enforces strictly centralised switching policies that disallow any edge switching outside of racks.
  • You are dealing with extreme EMI environments or long distances where fibre to the device is clearly the right answer.
  • A location only ever needs one or two low-priority ports and you are not concerned about under-desk clutter or coordination.

In these cases, you might still use POE-Jack® for desks and light loads, while serving outliers with traditional fibre, specialised industrial PoE or separate AC circuits.

FAQ: In-Wall PoE Switches & POE-Jack® in Canada

Is an in-wall PoE switch code-compliant in Canada?

It can be, when treated like any other listed low-voltage communications device. That means using an appropriate wall box or low-voltage ring, plenum/riser cable where required, and following the Canadian Electrical Code and local AHJ guidance. Always confirm details with your engineering team and inspectors.

How is an in-wall PoE switch different from a desk switch?

An in-wall PoE switch like POE-Jack® is powered entirely by PoE from a central switch and mounts in a wall box, presenting multiple ports at the wall. A desk switch usually needs its own AC adapter, sits loose under a desk and is often unmanaged and undocumented. POE-Jack® keeps power centralised and integrates cleanly into structured cabling.

Can one Ethernet cable really feed multiple devices at a pod?

Yes, provided the upstream PoE switch, cable and in-wall PoE switch are sized correctly. One 23-AWG Cat6e permanent link can deliver data and power to the in-wall switch, which then allocates that budget across its ports. In most desk pods, the limiting factor is total PoE wattage, not bandwidth.

Does this pattern lock me into GRID switches and cabling?

The concepts work with any standards-compliant PoE switches and Cat6/6A cabling. GRID’s ecosystem is tuned specifically for PoE-Jack® patterns (23-AWG links, PoE++ cores, IP-over-coax extenders, touch panels and USB-C power), which simplifies design and support, but you can adapt the pattern to other brands if needed.

Can in-wall PoE switches help with LEED or sustainability goals?

Yes. By replacing four home runs and a pile of desk bricks with one PoE-fed plate, you can cut copper, patch hardware and AC adapters while centralising DC power. That improves your story for LEED Materials & Resources and Energy & Atmosphere credits when documented properly.

Is this pattern suitable for small offices and professional suites?

In many cases, yes. A single POE-Jack® plate feeding a few key devices can keep small spaces tidy and flexible without overbuilding the riser. It only becomes overkill if you truly need just one or two devices and do not care about organisation or future change.

If you are working on a specific Canadian project and want to turn this pattern into a complete bill of materials, notes and a LEED-friendly narrative, you can combine this explainer with the main POE-Jack® pillar guide and the cost calculator linked above.

More Resources: Pillar Guides, Deep Dives & Shopping

Up: main POE-Jack® pillar

Across: scenario guides

Across: technical deep dives

Down: shop the in-wall PoE pattern

Specifications and features are subject to change without notice. Always confirm final details with the latest GRID Networking documentation and your engineering team before design or tender.