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Power Switch Buyers Guide
Jack Hughes
15
The main purpose of power switches is to give you control of the power supply to one or more devices. Generally speaking you wish to control the power supply to a device from some distance away from the device itself. This buyers guide will outline the various types of power switches and how they can give you control over the power to your devices.
On this page:
What is a power switch?
Each power switch has an input power connector that is connected to the mains power supply or an Uninterruptible Power Supply. One or more devices you wish to control are plugged into the output power supply sockets. Each power switch has at least one output power supply socket and may have up to eight. You are then able to control the power to your devices though the power switch.
Why choose a power switch?
The whole point of power switches is to give you control of the power supply to your devices.
Remote Control
A power switch gives you the ability to control the power to one or more devices remotely. Power switches give you control over a devices power supply. Power switches are especially useful when you need to control the power to equipment but do not want to have to travel to the remote location to do it. The remote location may be on the next continent, the next city or it might be just down the corridor.
Remote control may be as simple as using a remote control (like a TV remote) to control the power from the other side of a room or you could switch on or off a device from the other side of the world using the power switch’s built-in website.
Scheduled Control
Many power switches can be configured to schedule switching on or off devices as well as power cycling at specific times during the day. As an example, you may wish to switch off office Wi-Fi access in your office outside of work hours. In which case you might switch on the power supply to your Wi-Fi access point in the morning at 8am and then switch it off again at 6pm.
Flaky Broadband
Many networked power switches can recycle the power to your broadband router if remote connectivity fails.
API
Most networked power switches have a built-in web based API for programmatically controlling the power to your devices. The API is typically built on top of HTTP so that you can make changes to the power outlets.
If you would like to see an example, please see the Exploring the Aviosys IP Power 9850 CGI interface using Powershell.
Choosing the right power switch
There are quite a number of power switches to choose from. Choosing the right one for you can seem daunting. The following section should help you choose the right power switch for you at the right price and with the features you require.
Ethernet Power Switch
Power switches with ethernet support provide a huge amount of flexibility. You can typically configure, schedule and control the output power sockets through a built-in web interface.
Rack Power Switch
Most equipment in server rooms is installed within cabinets making it difficult to install equipment that does not fit into that form factor. Fortunately, several power switches are supplied with rack mount brackets so they can sit inside your cabinets along with all your other equipment.
GSM Power Switch
Often you will need to control the power to one or more devices in a location where you do not have network access. At those locations, power switches with out-of-band GSM access are very useful.
IP Power Range
Aviosys have been manufacturing the IP Power range of networked power switches for over 20 years. In that time, Aviosys have consistently improved the IP Power range with new models and higher quality components.
Summary
| IP Power 9255 UK | IP Power 9255 PRO UK | IP Power 9828S | IP Power 9258S | IP Power 9258S-P with Ping | IP Power 9850 UK | IP Power 9858MT-S | IP Power 9820MT-S | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SKU | IP9255UK | IP9255PRO-UK | IP9828S | IP9258S | IP9258S-P | IP9850UK | IP9858MT-S | IP9820MT-S |
| Mounting Options | Shelf | Shelf | Shelf | Shelf | Shelf | Shelf | Shelf | Rack |
| Network Connectivity | Ethernet | Ethernet | Ethernet | Ethernet | Ethernet | Ethernet | Ethernet | Ethernet |
| Number of Output Sockets | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| Output Socket Type | UK Three Pin | UK Three Pin | IEC | IEC | IEC | UK Three Pin | IEC | IEC |
| Auto Ping Reboot | ||||||||
| Scheduled Operation | ||||||||
| Max Input Load | 8A | 8A | 10A | 15A | 15A | 10A | 15A | 15A |
| Max Socket Load | 8A | 8A | 10A | 6A | 6A | 10A | 10A | 10A |
| Power Measurement | None | Per Outlet | Per Unit | None | None | None | None | Per Outlet |
Why a power switch through OPENXTRA?
OPENXTRA has been around for a long time. We have been supplying power switches to UK based businesses and around the world since 2003. In that time, we've built up a huge amount of experience in finding solutions to our customers power switching needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Power Switch FAQ
Is the Aviosys 9258-1U available?
No. Aviosys ceased manufacturing the IP9258-1U some time ago. They have replaced it with the IP9820 unit.
Is the Aviosys 9258-DS still available?
No. Aviosys ceased manufacture some time ago. It has been replaced by the IP9820 unit.
Is the Aviosys 9258-PRO still available?
No. Aviosys ceased manufacture some time ago. It has been replaced by the IP9820 unit.
Which Aviosys power switches support recycling power on network failure?
Many of the Aviosys models have an auto ping feature. The units are able to continuously ping an external ip address of your choosing. If one or more pings fail, then you can specify which port you want to have the power recycled ie switched off then on again. The port you choose should be the power port of your broadband router.
Does the IP9258UK connect to the network using RJ45 or wireless?
The IP9258UK connects to the network using an RJ45 connector only. It does not support wireless.
Will the IP9255 device power cycle on ping fail?
Yes. The IP9255 will cycle the power when one or a number of pings fail. Perfect for rebooting an unreliable broadband router at a remote site.
What is the maximum power load for IP9258S?
The maximum power load is 6 Amps per socket, with a maximum of 10 Amps for the whole unit.
We are looking for a product like the Net Power 8800, but instead of USB, we require it to plug into our network?
Yes. The closest model to the Net Power 8800 supporting an ethernet network is the IP9255 and the IP9255PRO.
Is the Aviosys IP Power 9258S supplied with British plug sockets or American?
We can supply the Aviosys IP Power 9258S and 9258SP units with either UK or EU plugs. We also have a small number of US plugs if required. The price is the same for all plug types.
Can the Aviosys IP Power 9258S be programmed to switch an outlet on/off many times in a single day (for example, once every 3 hours)?
The IP9258S can be programmed with only one event (ie on and off) per port per 24 hour period. this can be repeated every day or set by day but not many times in the same day. Of course, this can be done 'manually' form a remote location however.
Is it possible to use the Aviosys IP Power IP9258SP to turn off/on a dsl router once internet connectivity is lost?
Yes. Simply configure the IP address for the IP Power 9258SP to ping, the number of consecutive pings that need to fail and the power port into which the router is connected to the unit. Then when the remote IP address fails to respond to the number of consecutive pings you have specified it will stop and then start the power to your broadband router.
If I buy more than 1 IP power switch for different points in the house, will the browser be able to distinguish between the different units?
Yes. You would set up each IP Power Switch with a unique IP address on your home network. You can then log into whichever unit you want to view by typing in its IP address into your browser.
Can the individual sockets be labelled on the Aviosys IP Power 9258S within the web interface?
Yes, you can label individual sockets with meaningful names. In the web interface there is a box in which you can type your own memorable labels for each socket.
Can I remotely control the Aviosys IP9258S on my home broadband network?
The power to the PC can be controlled remotely by the Aviosys IP9258SP, but only if the PC is connected directly into one of the ports on the power switch itself. In addition, the IP address of the power switch must also be accessible remotely either using the port forwarding feature on your broadband router or by using fixed IP address given to you by your ISP.
Can the IP Power 9258 set one outlet to OFF then 45 mins later to ON; and do that up to seven times in one/same day?
You can set the schedule for a once a day action and repeat that every day, Monday to Friday and separately Saturday and Sunday. You can also set a delay on an action, so that On or Off won't take effect until a time has elapsed. In addition you can also use Wake on LAN so that a particular MAC address can wake the device up. However it is not possible to time multiple ON/Off actions on the same day.
Does the Aviosys IP Power IP9820 have a CLI to control it?
All network enabled Aviosys models support HTTP based commands so can be controlled using command line tools like wget or curl.
Does the NetPower USB Power Switch device support Linux?
No. The NetPower USB Power switch will not run on a Linux server. It is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7.
Can you control the IP Power 9258S unit using RS-232?
No. The Aviosys IP Power 9258S and 9258SP models both have a RS232 interface but it is used only to log information.
Can the IP Power 9258 be used to switch on of 6 times a day like an programable clock?
The timer schedule limits the number of times you can switch each port on and off to once per day.
Can the IP9258SP be used to control low energy lighting, e.g. LEDs or CFLs?
The Power Switches are not aware of the type of devices connected to the outlets, they just switch power On or Off.
I am looking for a device that will ping internet sites, if it cannot get a connection, it will reset what ever is plugin in.
IP9258S-P, IP9255, IP9255PRO, 9258DX and IP9820 units can perform continuous Pings to specified IP addresses. If the Pings fail then the relevant power outlet can be turned off and On again
I am looking to fit a remote controlled power switch to our local telecoms mast in order to switch on an air traffic hazard beacon when needed; would the IP9255 be the right product for the job?
Yes. So long as the current drain is within the IP Power 9255 maximum of 8 amps. The device has a built in web server so you could browse to the device and switch your air traffic hazard beacon on / off as and when required. If you have a management system, you can also integrate it using the SDK.
I want to use the IP Power 9258S to turn on and off a machine that delivers Oxygen to my mother in another part of the country?
I would not recommend this for a medically critical application.
Where can i find firmware update for IP Power 9258S?
You can login to your power switch and use the Firmware Update option on the IP Power interface, or go to the manufacturer's website and download the latest firmware.
Can the IP Power9258 be set up so that it connects the power to an appliance for a predetermnined period, e.g. two minutes?
You can set a schedule to switch a port On (or Off) for 2 minutes, or indeed for any time. You can specify a date and time to switch too. However the scheduler is not designed to switch ports On and Off several times a day. See more details for further information...
Can you supply a IP9255 as a 2 pin EU plug? If you can, tell me what code to use?
Yes we can supply EU versions. Just add your country code to the part number, for example for Germany 9255GE. for France 9255FR. The price is the same for all versions.
If the unit power cycles after no response from a ping will it wait a set time period before pinging again?
You can program in a delay, the number of Pings and the time between Pings before a failure is indicated.
Can the IP9258S-P be used to reboot equipment?
Yes. You can use the Auto Ping feature to switch the socket that is attached to your router.
How many power cycles is each port rated for? I want to use it for test power cycling products i.e. run a test that does 100 to a 1000 power cycles, each on cycle would be about 5 minutes
No maximum is quoted in the specification. Each power cycle takes about 1 second so it would be unwise to flood the switch with lots of requests to power On/Off. The IP Power Switch is not designed for...
Can you supply the IP Power 9255 Pro with a US socket?
Yes. The IP Power 9255 Pro is available with a US socket. I usually supply the UK and EU versions. I can supply the US version but there would be a minimum order size of 12 units, 1 box.
I want to ask if it is feasable having a remote control for example like the one used for TV? I don't need an internet or ethernet remote control, and i just want it to control 8 channels
The IP9820S unit comes with a battery operated Remote Control, so you can control the 8 ports, just like on a TV remote.
Categories: Guides
Power Switches