Practical guide
Count usable switch ports after uplinks
PortPlan starts with the port constraint. Reserve uplink ports before comparing the remaining user ports with the quantity in the device CSV.
Reserve the uplink ports
Enter total switch ports and the ports reserved for upstream links. The default 16-port and 2-uplink inputs leave 14 user ports for the device rows.
user ports = switch ports - uplink ports
The default network uses 8 device ports, leaving 6 of the 14 user ports available.
Multiply quantity by port use
Each CSV quantity consumes the same number of physical ports as devices. Access points, cameras, and doorbells remain separate rows so a change is easy to review.
device ports used = sum(quantity)
Keep class as a reference label
PoE class is carried into the table for review. Use the actual switch and device documentation for the per-port watt assumption rather than inferring draw from the class text.
Check your own scenario
Replace the illustrative inputs with measured values and dated specifications.
Open PortPlan PoE BudgetMethod and references
Read the full calculation method and its limits
Method and examples reviewed 2026-09-30. Examples are illustrative; input values and specifications are not independently verified.