Silicon Labs Unveils 90W PoE to Expand AP and IoT Wireless Gateways
Power supply is doubled, and Ethernet ends are extended from 15W to 90W.

Silicon Labs has unveiled a product family that reduces the complexity associated with adding 90W Power over Ethernet (PoE) to power sourcing equipment (PSE) and powered devices (PD).

The new 90W PoE product family complies with the IEEE 802.3bt standard, which doubles power delivery over standard PoE and extends wireless access point (AP) and Internet of Things (IoT) wireless gateway capabilities. It supports the realization of PoE-powered 5G small cells and digital buildings through higher power supply.

The new 802.3bt product family includes the Si3471 PSE controller, Si3274 quad Ethernet port PSE controller, and Si34071 single-chip PD solution.


Si3471 PSE Controller
The Si3471 PSE controller is a fully automatic 90W single-port 802.3bt standard power supply solution that helps easily add 90W of power to single-port midspans or injectors.

All details related to the 802.3bt standard are automatically managed, and no external host MCU, firmware download, or software programming is required. It is easy to configure using 3 digital I/O pins and reduces system cost and complexity with a small 38-pin 5mm x 7mm QFN package and a simple BOM.


Si3274 Quad Ethernet Port PSE Controller
It is a suitable solution for industrial and commercial Ethernet switches and security recording equipment that power up to four 90W 802.3bt PoE ports or up to eight 30W 802.3at/af PoE ports.

It can operate in an autonomous mode configured to supply maximum power to each port, or in a host mode that allows developers to manage power using a register map accessed via the I²C interface.

The Si3474 is available in an industry-standard 56-pin 8mm x 8mm package.


Si34071 Single Chip PD Solution
A single-chip PD solution integrating an 802.3bt interface and a high-efficiency DC/DC converter with an end-to-end efficiency of over 90%, including a simple 9600 baud UART interface for connecting to a system MCU.

The new product provides high power for 5G small cells, wireless APs, and IoT gateways, and the Si34071, paired with the Si3471 PSE controller, is available in a small 32-pin 5mm x 5mm QFN package.


Brian Mirkin, Vice President at Silicon Labs, stated, “Silicon Labs’ 802.3bt PoE product family helps developers simplify system design while meeting requirements for power, size, and cost,” adding, “The new PoE product family extends both ends of Ethernet cables from 15W to 90W, "It provides developers with a wide range of options for PSE and PD applications," they stated.