Written 21 Aug 2026. Specs from the maker pages linked below. Prices from those stores. I haven't used these.
Power two Wi-Fi points from one small switch
Some Wi-Fi access points take power from the ethernet cable. That is called PoE. Count the watts and the ports. You don't need a whole brand stack on day one.
What to buy
| Box | PoE | Street, 2026 | Buy if |
|---|---|---|---|
| TP-Link TL-SG1005P | 5 ports, 4× PoE+, 65W total, fanless, unmanaged | The default two-AP brick. Maker page lists 65W / 30W per port. | Two APs or a camera plus an AP. No VLANs. |
| TP-Link LS108GP / similar 8-port budget PoE | More ports, still cheap | Varies. Read the watt budget, not the port count. | You already know camera number three is coming. |
| UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE | 4× PoE+, 52W, fanless, managed | $109 on the UI store, 22 Jun 2026 listing. | You already live in UniFi. 52W is easy to outgrow. |
| TP-Link TL-SG1016PE | 16 ports, 8 PoE+, 150W, smart managed | Often cited around $140. | A house with cameras. Not a first apartment AP pair. |
APs
Ceiling or high-shelf, wired backhaul, one per floor. A $40 mesh satellite hopping on Wi-Fi is not an AP. If you are already UniFi, stay UniFi so you are not running two apps. If you are not, a current TP-Link Omada EAP is the less preachy path.
Add the AP draw (often 10–20W) before you celebrate a 52W switch. Two APs plus two cheap cameras will surprise you.
Sources
TP-Link TL-SG1005P (65 W / 30 W per port). TP-Link LS108GP (62 W on eight PoE+ ports, read the watt budget). UI Switch Lite 8 PoE ($109, 52 W). TP-Link TL-SG1016PE (8× PoE+, 110 W on the US maker page). Street moves.