We have a gigabit network and at each desk there is one outlet and a computer and a voip phone. The Voip phones have a 10/100 switch in them and then the computer needs to plug into the phone therefore eliminating the gigabit speeds.
Is there a small/micro device I can simply plug into the wall switch and have the ethernet power the device and then it gives me 2 gigabit ports?
I can't even find 2 port gigabit switches in my searches. I am thinking they are called something else.
The smallest Ethernet switch I've seen are 5-port units. Then there's the question of "would the switch allow PoE to pass through?" I think the answer is "no"; the VoIP phone probably has to be the very first device connected to the wall plate in order to receive power.
If you abandon the idea of using PoE and can use external power (e.g. wall warts) to power the phone and the Gigabit switch, then the solution is rather simple.
HP IntelliJack Gigabit switches can be installed in a wall outlets and can be powered by PoE. They provide four switched Gigabit ports.
If the switch is powered by a 802.3at-2009 (PoE+) source (or a local DC supply), it can power up to two other devices.
Why not get a gigabit switch, with 4 to 8 ports, for your desk? There are several options available which are relatively inexpensive. To have the device powered through the Ethernet cable would require that the main gigabit network switch can supply Power over Ethernet, and that the local switch supports this.
Ethernet splitters only exist for 10/100MBit networks; they cannot be used for gigabit Ethernet because all 8 wires are required.
I have one of these on my shelf. I've never used it, but this would fit the bill, I think.
http://h17007.www1.hp.com/us/en/products/wireless/HP_E-MSM317_Access_Device_Series/index.aspx
