used 7150 c12 for my ruckus APs (r550, r510, etc), the switch only allows any 4 ports for POE

[chiefroastbeef]

Hi guys,

I've been running Ruckus r550 APs for the last year or so at my small office.  I jumped at the chance to get a used Ruckus 7150 c12 (my first time trying out a managed switched).

All of the ports work fine if I plug a power supplies into the Ruckus APs, but if i remove the power supplies, the c12 is only able to POE 4 APs, and it gives me the "power disabled on port XXX because of power management" message in console.

I've searched long and far and don't know what to do.

Below is the info from my switch via console (show version, show inline power, show inline power detail):

Thank you in advanced!

SSH@ICX7150-C12-Switch> show version

  Copyright (c) Ruckus Networks, Inc. All rights reserved.

    UNIT 1: compiled on Dec 16 2021 at 03:40:25 labeled as SPS08095f

      (31457280 bytes) from Primary SPS08095f.bin (UFI)

        SW: Version 08.0.95fT211 

      Compressed Primary Boot Code size = 786944, Version:10.1.21T225 (mnz10121)

       Compiled on Wed Aug 25 06:27:49 2021

  HW: Stackable ICX7150-C12-POE

==========================================================================

UNIT 1: SL 1: ICX7150-C12-2X1G POE 12-port Management Module

      Serial  #:XXXX

      Software Package: BASE_SOFT_PACKAGE   

      Current License: 2X1G  

      P-ASIC  0: type B160, rev 11  Chip BCM56160_B0

==========================================================================

UNIT 1: SL 2: ICX7150-2X1GC 2-port 2G Module

==========================================================================

UNIT 1: SL 3: ICX7150-2X10GF 2-port 20G Module

==========================================================================

 1000 MHz ARM processor ARMv7 88 MHz bus

    8 MB boot flash memory

    2 GB code flash memory

    1 GB DRAM

STACKID 1  system uptime is 50 minute(s) 43 second(s)             

The system started at 04:29:46 GMT+00 Fri Dec 17 2021

The system : started=warm start   reloaded=by "reload"

SSH@ICX7150-C12-Switch>show inline power

Power Capacity:    Total is 124000 mWatts. Current Free is 1600 mWatts.

Power Allocations: Requests Honored 595 times

 Port Admin Oper    ---Power(mWatts)---  PD Type  PD Class     Pri  Fault/

     State State   Consumed  Allocated                             Error

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

  1/1/1 On On          6300      28850  2P-IEEE  Class 4        3  n/a

  1/1/2 On Off            0          0  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

  1/1/3 On On          6500      28850  2P-IEEE  Class 4        3  n/a

  1/1/4 On Off            0          0  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

  1/1/5 On Off            0          0  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

  1/1/6 On Off            0          0  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

  1/1/7 On On          6200      28850  2P-IEEE  Class 4        3  n/a

  1/1/8 On On          6500      28850  2P-IEEE  Class 4        3  n/a

  1/1/9 On Off            0          0  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

 1/1/10 On Off            0          0  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

 1/1/11 On Off            0       7000  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

 1/1/12 On Off            0          0  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Total                 25500     122400

Power Supply Data On unit 1:

++++++++++++++++++

Power Supply Data:

++++++++++++++++++

Power Supply #1:

Max Curr:  2.3 Amps

Voltage:   54.0 Volts

Capacity:  124 Watts

PoePower:  124 Watts

POE Details Info. On Unit 1 : 

General PoE Data:

+++++++++++++++++

Firmware                                                          

Version

----------------

02.1.8 Build 004

Hardware

Version

----------------

V2R4

Device HW version         : 0:V2R4      1:V2R4      

Device Temperature(deg-C) : 0:60        1:66        

Device Status             : 0:Good      1:Good      

Cumulative Port State Data:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

#Ports    #Ports     #Ports   #Ports    #Ports       #Ports     #Ports

Admin-On  Admin-Off  Oper-On  Oper-Off  Off-Denied   Off-No-PD  Off-Fault

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

12        0          4        8         0            8          0        

Cumulative Port Power Data:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

#Ports  #Ports  #Ports        Power       Power

Pri: 1  Pri: 2  Pri: 3  Consumption  Allocation

-----------------------------------------------

0       0       12         26.400 W   122.400 W

[jdryan]

Hi Cheif ! 

The All ports working when the APs connected have a power supply connected to them, is due to the reason : that the Power requirement of the APs being full-filled by the Power Brics/ Power Adapters powering the APs. 

When they are connected directly on the switch, their power requirement is full-filled via PoE coming from the switch. 

here usually there is a rating for how much power can be delivered by a switch on its own. 

in this case on the unit : ICX7150-C12-Switch : by the output of show inline power. 
SSH@ICX7150-C12-Switch>show inline power
Power Capacity:    Total is 124000 mWatts. Current Free is 1600 mWatts.

the shows implies that the switch capacity : 124000mWatts : i.e. 124 Watts of PoE power.
that implies that the switch would have a pool : 124W to deliver to APs connected to it. 

here in our case : based on the detection data : 
............

     State State   Consumed  Allocated                             Error

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

  1/1/1 On On          6300      28850  2P-IEEE  Class 4        3  n/a

  1/1/2 On Off            0          0  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

  1/1/3 On On          6500      28850  2P-IEEE  Class 4        3  n/a

  1/1/4 On Off            0          0  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

  1/1/5 On Off            0          0  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

  1/1/6 On Off            0          0  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

  1/1/7 On On          6200      28850  2P-IEEE  Class 4        3  n/a

  1/1/8 On On          6500      28850  2P-IEEE  Class 4        3  n/a

  1/1/9 On Off            0          0  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

 1/1/10 On Off            0          0  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

 1/1/11 On Off            0       7000  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

 1/1/12 On Off            0          0  n/a      n/a            3  n/a

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Total                 25500     122400

..............................

we have each APs drawing a reservation of 28850 : thats for class 4 PoE+. 
the 4 reservations : are taking up 122400mWatts : i.e. 122.4 W 

removing the reservations from pool : 124W - 122.4 W = 1.6 W remains. 

hence when fifth AP is connected : the error : power disabled on port XXX because of power management 

would come as PoE power pool would have no sufficient power to reserve for the fifth AP. 

now the question comes : about why this reservation : when detection of PoE happenes on the switch based on the end device automatically, power class/ PoE Class  of the end device is sensed and the reservation takes place  based on that. 

for Class 4 28850 to 30000 mWatts is generally the range,

hence this is why, when connected along with Power Brics/ Power Adapters, All ports on the switch can assist with a AP connection : as the switch does not have to worry about powering up the AP. 
when the APs power is dependant on the switch, and we have more APs, it is generally suggested to have a check on switch PoE capacity. based on which we can decide if all APs can be powered up by the switch or not. 

Do let us know if this helps !

Thanks !! 

[chiefroastbeef]

Thank you for your reply! I appreciate your detailed answer.  So for the 7150 c12, it is only capable of POE powering 4 r550 APs? If i want to connect more r550s to it, I'll need to use a POE injector, or have the AP near a power outlet so i can plug in a power supply?

[jdryan]

Hi Cheif ! 

for the 7150 c12 model can have more APs, however it would depend on what is the PoE Power class they belong to. 

for Example : R550 : has a PoE rating of 12.71W and PoE + Rating of 18.71 W of Max consumption where full functionality of the AP would be seen. 

https://webresources.ruckuswireless.com/datasheets/r550/ds-ruckus-r550.pdf

here in this case the AP is being detected as Class 4 device : hence the switch is reserving 28.85 Watts : 
In this the power of up to a Max around 20-22W Would be Used by AP  during functioning/working , however the rest of the reserved power is also transmitted to account for attenuation/losses during transmission across on the ethernet line. 

why I mention that, from the value seen on the consumed power : its less than the reserved power : 
here we could have the power allocation set by static definition of limits of how much power to supply for an AP on a given port. 
With this, you will see  power returning to the PoE pool and this can facilitate more APs. 
But with that you would run into issues where, if the switch rebooted and AP at the time of boot up would need full power, this would be denied and there may be issues for AP to come up, and along with that there could be other issues as well. 

So, having the switch auto sense the APs Power class via PoE / PoE+ would stand beneficial for the AP. the Number of APs that a Switch can support would completely depend on the total capacity the switch would have.

Based on that, yes for the switch on auto-sense for PoE Devices : based on the PoE capacity of the device [ here the 7150c12 ] you would be able to 4 APs of PoE class 4 power off of it. 

The PoE injectors would sound an better option when compared against placing the APs near Power Outlets. 
As that would work with the current ethernet cabling that's in place, and deliver the power on the same single line going out to it. 

However, there is a third alternative : having a switch capable enough to support the Power demand of all APs. 
As there are switches that would have up to 1440 Watts of PoE power or higher ,  larger number of APs could be powered without a worry of its Power Class reservation on the Switch. 

Do check the below Datasheet : 
https://www.commscope.com/globalassets/digizuite/61735-ds-icx-family.pdf 

There would be a switch that would definitely fit the requirement.

Do let me know your thoughts on the same. 

Thanks !! 

[jdryan]

Hi Cheif ! 

Apologies for the delay ! , the last response I had made must have gotten lost as i refreshed the page. 

regarding the bit where 7150-c12 can having only 4 APs. 
this is dependent on the PoE power Pool of the switch and PoE Class of AP. 
Here as its Class 4, we see a reservation of around ~30W  on the switch, 
so that the capacity of the switch - the total reservation taken out by the APs : 124W - 4(~30W) = 4W remaining. 

Now the Question would arise : why reserve a large amount : well when we check on the APs : at the time of Boot or POST : that can consume upto : 20-21 Watts, and there would be variation seen when on full load as well. Also there is Factor to consider that the Loss seen during the transmission of Power  from the switch over the cable to the AP. hence there is always a distance limit mentioned to how far of a cable run can be had on specific CATx ethernet cable when working with PoE Based end points, beyond which loss can impact the total power delivered. 

Considering all that, the bit of having the Adapters / PoE injectors does sound good over the option of having them placed next to an power outlet, 

However, there are few switches that do delivers upto 1440W or higher in PoE Capacity, one of these Units should be able to meet the Requirements : Do have look at the Specs data shared below : 

https://www.commscope.com/globalassets/digizuite/61735-ds-icx-family.pdf

they would generally be a 48 port one : hence that should help. 

there is one bit, I did not mention about the bit that we can set power statically on the Switches : as we see that the Power used versus the allocated there is a difference. 
we can do this once, the APs are detected and they are working steady, we set the power statically to a specific value, and have the remaining come back to the pool, with that you can have more APs come up. 
With this however there is one issue that you may face : that is should there be a reboot of the switch done during activity / or a power outage reboots the switch : then there could be issue where the APs may not get enough power for completing POST. 
Considering that having the switch autosense the PoE class of the AP and supply the Power would be better. 

hence from the options you have shared : using injectors [ is they are being used already ] looks to be a better option than placing next to a power outlet, however if there are quite a number of APs , then would suggest to look for switch with Higher PoE capacity as that can be a better choice there. 

Do let me know your thoughts ! 

Thanks !!