PoE Camera Not Powering On? 7 Causes and Fixes

A PoE camera that stays dark almost always comes down to power, not the camera. Work through these seven checks in order.

1. Is the port actually PoE?

Not every switch port delivers power. Confirm the camera is on a PoE port of a compliant switch like the 8-port 802.3at or a single-port injector. A plain LAN port won't power anything.

2. Cable good end to end?

PoE needs all eight conductors. A mis-terminated RJ45 drops power. Re-crimp with the crimper kit and verify with the cable tester — all 8 lights in order.

3. Under 100m?

Past 100m, PoE voltage drops and the camera won't boot. Use a long-range switch, a wireless bridge or fiber.

4. Enough watts?

A PTZ or 4K camera needs 802.3at (30W); a 15.4W 802.3af port leaves it dark. Check the switch's per-port budget.

5. Uplink, not a PoE port

Don't plug the camera into the switch's dedicated uplink — that port often isn't powered. Use a numbered PoE port.

6. Patch lead / auto-MDIX

Some cameras need a known-good patch. Swap the patch lead between camera and switch.

7. Camera or switch fault

If another camera powers on the same port, the unit is faulty — replace it. If nothing powers on any port, the switch or injector is the problem.

Background: powering cameras without an outlet and switch vs injector.