Does anyone know if Hikvision uses mode a or mode b to power their cameras? We need to share one existing cat6 to 2 ip cameras. We will use 2 pairs for each camera, but that will only work if mode a will work.

You could always do a Planet POE splitter. POE+ input for power then standard POE output.

One guy here says Mode A: [Link: cctvforum.com] and there's a link to an article that I'm gonna haveta read soon!

btw, I googled "do hikvision cameras use POE mode A or B?" to get that. There are a lot of other responses that might be helpful, too.

Of course the Ernie brain says quietly in the background "is there some reason to think that all camera models that they ever made do exactly this?" You didn't mention a model number..............

Ernie, I read all of the stuff you mentioned before I posted. I don't think there is a true answer out there. I am going to have to try it myself.

According to [Link: duncansonline.ca], in order to be compliant with 802.3(af), the PDs must be able to use powered by either mode, the "gotcha" being that the PSEs often are set up only for one mode. (I hate definitions that contain abbreviations that aren't defined right there!)

That is, the powered device (PD), the camera, must be able to be wired as Mode A or Mode B, but the power sourcing equipment (PSE) does not have to be made to work with both modes. So it looks like the limiting factor will not be the cameras, but the power supplying device (PSD, which we hope nobody uses as an abbreviation).

IF, that is, the camera is truly 802.3(af) compliant.

AND you need your power sourcing equipment to be Mode A, called Endspan, which we in the audio world might refer to as phantom power: electricity imposed on the signal leads. That is, only two pairs of wires are used, which is what you need to do.

All in all, this is a tough question to get an answer to on Saturday morning. It'll really have to wait until Monday when you can call someone.