Technical Tip: 802.3bt (PoE++) Support for FortiSwitches

There are 3 types of PoE (Power over Ethernet):

• PoE (802.3af) low power, PSE: 15,4 Watt, PSE stands for Power Source Equipment, which means the power provided by the port of the Switch.
• PoE+ (802.3at) medium power, PSE 30 Watt.
• PoE++ (802.3bt) high power, PSE 60-90 Watt.

To determine if a FortiSwitch model supports 802.3bt (PoE++), check the datasheet for that specific model. 

Making some example: 

• The PoE++ is not supported from the FortiSwitch model 108F FPOE, as indicated in the FortiSwitch™ Secure Access datasheet on page 9. The 'Power Over Ethernet (PoE) Ports' row indicates that it supports only 802.3af/at (PoE and PoE+).
• The PoE++ is supported instead by the FortSwitch 124G FPOE, it support the PoE++ for 8 ports, as indicated at the page 10 of the same Datasheet quoted below: 

Screenshot of the first part of the page 10 of the Datasheet

Notes:

• The default FortiSwitch PoE mode is the 802.3af (PoE) as explained here: Troubleshooting Tip: Validating PoE issues on a FortiSwitch connecting with PoE devices.
• The PoE standard used is negotiated between the switch and any object that needs to be powered by the switch.
• A full PoE FortiSwitch does not mean that PoE++ is supported. More information is available in Troubleshooting Tip: POE issues.
• If an AP requires PoE++ but the switch only supports PoE+, PoE+ will be negotiated, after which the AP behavior change will depend on the vendor and the model used. Usually, the AP works, but with a log indicating the insufficient power received and disabling some functionality.