Powering an Apple Homepod mini over ethernet (USB-C)

[MrCheese]

I've been swapping out Sonos for Homepod minis, they aren't as good but are adequate for background music.

They come with a hard-wired USB-C connector and an apple 20W mains plug. They only connect to the network via wifi.

I'd iike to put a couple of them in locations where I only have a cat-6 ethernet cable (about 5-10m runs). Is it possible to power them over the ethernet cable? I have a PoE+ switch with a 65w power budget.

Seems I have 2 options:

1) use the apple power plug and make some sort of adapter to use the ethernet as a simple piece of wire (eth->usbc socket one end, usbc plug->eth the other)

2) use the poe switch to power the device and have some sort of eth->usbc socket the other

I've googled a bit and can't really find anything that does this even though I think at 18w the power requirement of the homepod is fairly modest.

Anyone have any thoughts?

[b.e.n.n.y_b.o.y]

Something like this? https://www.amazon.co.uk/UCTRONICS-PoE-Splitter-US...

Not quite 18w though, looks like its 2.4A at 5v which is around 12w, so depends whether that's enough for your device or not.

[Jenny Tailor]

IIRC Homepod Miini needs a min of 18W.

[frisbee]

This suggests it draws piss all power but runs at 9V (USB-C PD raises the voltage to supply more power):

https://psn.medium.com/how-much-power-does-the-hom...

[MrCheese]

Thanks for the replies, I hadn’t realised it was 9v.

Perhaps this would work?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125262787326?mkcid=16&a...


Bit of a wait to get it though….

[MrCheese]

MrCheese said:

Thanks for the replies, I hadn’t realised it was 9v.

Perhaps this would work?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125262787326?mkcid=16&a...


Bit of a wait to get it though….

It works! I got 2 of them and can power a stereo pair over 15m cable from a PoE switch. Quite a game changer for me as I can put speakers in locations where I can’t get mains.