Little_Old_Me wrote

I have found documentation on the TP Link website that lists the Access Points and the power options for each one and the only option for the EA245 is powering it from a switch.

The documentation from TP-Link for EAP245 describes three possible ways to power an EAP245:

1. Using the 12V power adapter included in the package,
2. using an IEEE 802.3at (not af!) compatible PoE injector or
3. using an IEEE 802.3at compatible PoE switch.

See the Quick Installation Guide for the EAP245.

Don't use a 48V passive power injector, it does not conform to 802.3at.

Absolutely right, I also don't like the version numbering for different models such as the EAP225 v1/v2 and v3. Those are completely different platforms with different specs and it would be much better to call them EAP225 and EAP226 or something like this.

Note also that EAP245 v1 needs up to 12.7 watts, thus exceeding 802.3af (else you could use 802.3af-capable power injectors such as the TL-POE150S). There are guys using 802.3af power supplies instead of 802.3at (aka PoE+) with the EAP245v1, but maximum power of af injectors is only 12.5 watts over long cable runs. You should always have ~15% reserve in the power budget.

Of course, there are indeed 803.3at-capable power injectors on the market, but they are not made by TP-Link.

TheDreamer wrote

Hmmm, I had noted that 802.3af could deliver up to 15.4 W, while only an assured 12.95W due to cable losses....which puts the EAP245 within the range, though a bit close.... but I'm no where close to the 100m limit.  Just a 5m CAT7 ('cause its shielded...)

Depends on the actual voltage (can be 44 to 54V), the length of the cable and the resulting voltage drop. In my experience, a PD can use between 11.5 and 13.5 W, so I calculate with 12.5W (theoretically it's 12.95W on 48V and a loop resistance of 12Ω/100m for the cable, that's correct). Next, actual power requirements depend on the load of the EAP, so with only small loads an EAP245 could easily work with an 802.3af injector, especially on short cable lengths.

BTW: CAT.5e cables are available as shielded cable too, even with double shielding (braided shield and foil shield/pair) and also with solid wires, which have better conductivity characteristics for PoE than have stranded wires used in standard patch cables.