A network administrator has deployed PoE to power VoIP phones across an office, but several of the phones are not powering up despite being compatible with the technology. The switch is PoE-enabled, and cables are all Cat 6. The administrator suspects that the issue may be related to a power standard mismatch. What is the most likely cause of the problem?
The VoIP phones and the switch are operating on incompatible PoE standards (e.g., 802.3af vs. 802.3at).
There is a firmware incompatibility between the VoIP phones and the PoE switch.
The switch's total PoE power budget has been exceeded.
The Cat 6 cables are not rated for the required PoE standard.
The correct answer is that the switch and VoIP phones are using different PoE standards (e.g., IEEE 802.3af vs. 802.3at). The 802.3af (PoE) standard provides up to 15.4W of power from the power sourcing equipment (PSE), while the 802.3at (PoE+) standard provides up to 30W from the PSE, allowing for up to 25.5W at the powered device (PD). If the VoIP phones require more power than the switch's ports can provide according to the 802.3af standard, they will fail to power on. Ensuring both the PSE and PD support the same or a compatible PoE standard is essential for proper operation.
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