Ubiquiti USW-16-PoE: front panel, ports and setup guide
The USW-16-PoE is a 1U UniFi switch with 16 gigabit RJ45 ports, eight of them PoE+, and two 1G SFP uplinks. Click any port on the panel below to see what it does, then read on for rack mounting and how to adopt it in UniFi.
- 1U rack mount
- 16 x 1G RJ45
- 8 x PoE+
- 2 x 1G SFP
- 42 W PoE
- Front status display
USW-16-PoE specifications
| Model | USW-16-PoE (UniFi Standard 16 PoE) |
| Form factor | 1U, full 19 in. rack width (brackets included) |
| Copper ports | 16 x 1G RJ45 in two blocks of eight |
| PoE | Ports 1 to 8, PoE+, 42 W total budget |
| Uplinks | 2 x 1G SFP, stacked on the right |
| Display | Status screen on the left of the front panel |
| Power | AC inlet on the rear (power cord included) |
| Management | UniFi Network application via a UniFi console |
| In the box | Switch, 2 rack brackets, 8 M4 bracket screws, 4 cage nuts, 4 M5 rack screws, power cord |
Every port on the front panel, explained
Click a card to light up those ports on the panel above.
8 PoE+ ports (1 to 8)8 on the panel
The left block of eight. Odd numbers are on the top row and even numbers on the bottom, counting left to right.
These ports carry data and power for access points, cameras and phones. All PoE devices share the 42 W budget, so three 12 W access points plus a 5 W camera leaves about 1 W spare.
8 gigabit ports (9 to 16)8 on the panel
The right block of eight, data only. Use them for PCs, servers, printers and anything with its own power supply.
Numbering continues the same way: odd on top, even underneath.
2 SFP uplinks (17 and 18)2 on the panel
Two 1G SFP cages stacked at the right, port 17 on top. Use a fiber module or a DAC cable to link back to your UniFi console or core switch, as in Option A.
Also on the front
- Status display: the square screen on the left shows the switch state during boot and adoption.
- Reset: the small pinhole at the far right, below the SFP cages.
On the rear
- AC power inlet: the only rear connection. Use the cord from the box.
Rack mounting, step by step
The switch ships with everything needed for a standard 19 in. rack. The box holds the switch, two rack brackets, eight M4 screws for the brackets, four cage nuts and four M5 rack screws, plus the power cord.
- Fix a rack bracket to each side of the switch with the M4 screws and a Phillips screwdriver.
- Clip a cage nut into each rack rail where the bracket holes will land, two per side.
- Lift the switch into place and fasten the brackets to the rails with the M5 screws.
- Plug the power cord into the inlet on the rear and into an outlet.
- Connect an uplink from your UniFi console, then finish setup in the UniFi Network app.
Adopting the switch in UniFi
The switch is managed by a UniFi console (a Cloud Gateway or other UniFi OS device) running the UniFi Network application. The quick start shows two ways to bring it online:
- Option A, fiber or DAC: run a 1G link from the console to one of the SFP ports.
- Option B, copper: run a 1G Ethernet cable from the console to any RJ45 port.
Once linked, open the UniFi Network app on a phone or the console's web interface and adopt the switch. The front display shows its state while it boots and waits for adoption.
Frequently asked questions
How many PoE ports does the USW-16-PoE have?+
Eight. Ports 1 to 8 are PoE+ and ports 9 to 16 are data only.
What is the PoE budget of the Ubiquiti USW-16-PoE?+
42 W shared across the eight PoE+ ports.
Are the SFP ports on the USW-16-PoE 10G?+
No. Ports 17 and 18 are 1G SFP uplinks.
How do I set up the USW-16-PoE?+
Connect it to a UniFi console by SFP or RJ45, then adopt it in the UniFi Network app.
Does the USW-16-PoE come with rack ears?+
Yes. The box includes two brackets, bracket screws, cage nuts and rack screws.
Where is the reset button on the USW-16-PoE?+
A pinhole on the front panel at the far right, just below the SFP cages.
Plan this network switch in your rack
The USW-16-PoE is in the Ubiquiti library for DaMatrix, with every port mapped so you can drag it into a rack, patch it and print the documentation.
Related Ubiquiti devices
- U7-Pro-Max
- Ubiquiti Aggregation (USW-Aggregation)
- Ubiquiti Dream Machine Pro (UDM-Pro)
- Ubiquiti Dream Machine Pro Max (UDM-Pro-Max)
- Ubiquiti Dream Machine Special Edition (UDM-SE)
- Ubiquiti Enterprise Firewall (EFG)
- Ubiquiti Enterprise Firewall Core (EF-Core)
- Ubiquiti Pro Max 16 (USW-Pro-Max-16)
- Ubiquiti Pro Max 24 PoE (USW-Pro-Max-24-PoE)
- Ubiquiti Pro Max 48 PoE (USW-Pro-Max-48-PoE)
- Ubiquiti Pro XG 48 PoE (USW-Pro-XG-48-PoE)
- Ubiquiti Standard 24 PoE (USW-24-PoE)
- Ubiquiti Standard 48 (USW-48)
- Ubiquiti WAN Switch (USW-WAN)
Summarized from the UniFi Network 16 PoE installation guide. This page is a quick reference; check the full manual for safety warnings and model-specific limits.