The Mini ASUS EBP15 PoE Switch is Tiny

ASUS EBP15 Power Consumption and PoE+

In terms of power, the brick is certainly more on the scale of the unit itself. It is a 68W power adapter that outputs at 54V. Unlike some very low cost switches, this has regulatory markings.

This switch sips power and the switch itself is rated to use no more than 8W (we were usually well under 4W.) That leaves 60W for the four PoE+ ports. You cannot run all four ports at a full 30W or so. Instead, this is designed so that perhaps you have a 20W AP, along with say three PoE cameras using 5-11W each.

The Idea Behind the ASUS EBP15

At this point, our readers undoubtedly are thinking “I could make my own OPNsense/ pfSense router,” “there are cheaper 2.5GbE switches,” or even “why not just install Ubiquiti and be done with it?” I think those are all valid, but here is another perspective. Many folks these days have mobile setups. Think about if you race cars and have a trailer that has cameras and needs WiFi, or you are a vanlife/ RV’er. Perhaps you actually run the example Patrick likes to use of a hot dog stand. Or you have another small space where you want cameras for security, and maybe only 1-2 APs. Maybe your Internet is some kind of WiFi bridge for when that is in range and uses your phone or hotspot as a 5G backup. This packs almost anywhere and provides a good amount of flexibility.

For the WiFi AP, we had the ASUS EBA63. If you only have 1-3 APs, this type of more locally managed solution works well. If you want to have 20 APs or more, this is not the correct solution. There is something nice about not having to install anything extra for a WiFi controller, especially if you have a largely set it and forget it network.

Another, very valid idea, would be to get an integrated WiFi router. ASUS makes some crazy ones on the gaming side, but for business, these look much more mundane like the EBR63. You would need to add PoE injectors, but that is another viable option.

Of course, if you do not want to cieling mount the AP, and want a few of them, running a mesh WiFi network is always an option as well.

I think many of us who have setup hundreds or thousands of devices forget that many people build networking by installing something and not touching it for another 5 years. That is really the target audience for this kind of small stack. Also, for those who just want to add PoE+ cameras that have some lighting as well, just adding one of these is fairly simple. At $79.99 MSRP, the EBP15 is far from cheap, but it is in the realm of other web managed PoE+ switches in its class. Maybe this is the unit you spend a little more on and install over the holiday’s for your relatives when you help them with their security camera setups.

Final Words

At STH, we are reviewing dozens of networking products each year. To say we have many of them would be an understatement. For some reason, this one is not the fastest, yet it sticks out just because of its size. We really wish the management interface was a bit faster and that this was a 2.5GbE switch for newer WiFi APs, but for cameras, and WiFi 6 APs it actually works well.

Hopefully you liked this quick look at the EBP15.

Where to Buy

We found this on Amazon (Affiliate link) but it is likely going to be found at many retailers and etailers given the reach of ASUS. If you were looking for the router the EBG15 shown, here is the Amazon Affiliate link.