PoE Single Board/Micro/Mini Computer/Server

I have an 8gb Raspberry Pi 4 that has been a workhorse for years. I keep it for my not intense but essential networking purposes, NetBoot.xyz, Homepage, etc., because I can run it over PoE (edit: Power over Ethernet), so it is always on as long as my network is up.

It is growing long in the tooth, and I find myself wanting to replace it with something a bit more capable. Looking at the 8gb Pi 5 at $80 plus another $30 for a PoE hat, I wonder if there is something out there that would be a better value for running PoE? Can you convert a micro pc over to PoE? Does anyone have any recommendations for computers that run off PoE or can be converted to PoE?

Swordcutlass ,

MINISFORUM S100-N100 launching later this year as efficient mini-PC with Power over Ethernet support

chunkystyles ,

I bought an N100 mini PC (not POE) as my new server a couple months ago. I really like it. That processor is great for power efficiency.

Deckweiss ,

Personally I am a fan of the soquartz blades

But I doubt one of those is more powerful than a pi. I run a cluster of them with k3s and distributed nvme storage, but that may not be useful for your particular needs.

snekerpimp OP ,

I have three Raspberry Pi 4 4gb and 1 Pi 4 8gb at my disposal, and I still have moments where the thing I need to do will hiccup, or be slower than usual. The Pi 5 has been said to be two times as fast, which is plenty for me. just with the price all in of over $100, curious if anyone else has a better option/opinion

Deckweiss ,

What things do you do that hiccup?

It honestly reallt depends whether your task is hindered by storage speed (sd card), io speed (lan + usb ports), single core speed or lack of threads/cache.
It would be good to find out what the limiting resource is, to understand the best upgrade path.

snekerpimp OP ,

Webpage loads are slow, especially images, netboot is a bit slow. I'm sure it's i/o bottleneck and that everything is running in docker containers. I could probably optimize things a bit better, I just don't have that kind of time for these projects, and getting an old dell micro would be faster than what I have. but they don't run on PoE+ that I know of.

Deckweiss ,

I think pi 5 might be pretty good for you.

If I am not mistaken, they improved the io A LOT in the pi 5.

Also, you might be able to use the old HAT, at least it worked with pi3 poe hats on pi4.

AtariDump ,

… they don't run on PoE+…

They do not; the power requirement is too high. You’re not going to find a computer with a “desktop class” CPU that can be powered via PoE.

BombOmOm ,

Laptop class CPUs can though. AMD Ryzen chips are useful all the way down to 15w. There is a post in this thread of a mini-PC with one and PoE. Real happy that exists.

AtariDump ,

Got that link? I just looked and don’t see anything in this post linking to a computer with a desktop class processor that will run on PoE.

BombOmOm , (edited )

Thisin! Links to a few min overview of a Ryzen based PoE mini-pc.

https://lemmy.world/comment/7886685

Level1Techs just posted this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW4WyuGKsho

jqubed ,
@jqubed@lemmy.world avatar

I actually didn’t know the Pi can do PoE; that gives me some ideas!

NickwithaC ,
@NickwithaC@lemmy.world avatar

You need a hat for it.

CraigeryTheKid ,

Ugh now even my Pi needs clothes??!? Ridiculous.

ShortN0te ,

Yeah. Imagine, before you can get going with your project you even have to 'boot it up'. A real deal breaker.

snekerpimp OP ,

I have a cluster of four running all off a single switch, incredibly convenient.

wildbus8979 ,

Level1Techs just posted this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW4WyuGKsho

BombOmOm ,

I would be interested in this as well. The Pi certainly works and I am running one POE. But the Pi can be very limiting.

If you are converting something, be aware PoE has a power budget of 15w and PoE+ has 30w. Though PoE++ can do 100w, I have not seen many switches with that.

CurbsTickle , (edited )

Unable to delete so editing instead. Leaving Lemmy.world due to privacy concerns.

Zeoic ,

PoE++ Type 4 goes up to 100w, its Type 3 that goes to 60w. Why the hell they didnt just call it PoE+++ I'll never understand

sacbuntchris ,

What's PoE?

WhatAmLemmy ,

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet

bigMouthCommie ,
@bigMouthCommie@kolektiva.social avatar

power over Ethernet

apex32 ,

I can't believe someone downvoted you for asking about the acronym.

I get frustrated when the title, body, and comments all use an acronym, but I can't figure it out from context. Even more frustrating is when the linked article also doesn't explain it.

peter ,
@peter@feddit.uk avatar

I think googling poe or poe computing will give you it

snekerpimp OP ,

Power over Ethernet. Sorry, read it over three time for spelling, didn’t catch that I never gave the acronym meaning.

johsny ,
@johsny@lemmy.world avatar

Path of Exile.

DaGeek247 ,
@DaGeek247@fedia.io avatar

Power over Ethernet. it essentially combines the power plug with the ethernet cable. super helpful for stuff like network cameras where the nearest wall socket is 50 feet away.

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