---
title: "Understand when additional switches are required"
canonical: "https://help.vicon.com/space/Valkyrie/1758152/Understand%20when%20additional%20switches%20are%20required"
format: markdown
---
To benefit from the power and range of Vicon Valkyrie cameras, connect each Valkyrie camera to a PoE++ port of an Ethernet (PoE++) switch. If your motion capture application requires more than eight Vicon Valkyrie cameras, you must add one or more additionalPoE++ switches.

A Vicon Valkyrie camera, Lock unit, and the Vicon Valkyrie host PC each connect to one port on a switch. The connection to the Valkyrie host PC carries all the control data as well as all the motion capture data from the cameras.

Video data can be routed separately. For information on how to correctly route video data through an Ethernet switch, see the [*Vicon Systems Setup Guide*](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Connect/pages/1613723). Note that the ports connected to host PC ports do not draw any power.

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Switches in Valkyrie systems

The following types of switches may be included in Valkyrie systems.

- **Simple switch** A simple switch can provide up to 8 PoE++ connections for Valkyrie cameras, and PoE connections for a Lock and a PC. For an example of this type of system, see [Set up a basic Vicon Valkyrie system](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Valkyrie/pages/1737097) and [Add a Vicon Lock to a basic Valkyrie system](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Valkyrie/pages/1754817).
- **Power switch** A power switch can provide up to  8 PoE++ connections for Valkyrie cameras, and also connect to another switch through an SFP+ port to enable you to expand your system to up to 80 Valkyrie cameras. For an example of this type of system see [Vicon Valkyrie system with up to 80 cameras and a Lock](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Valkyrie/pages/1746716/Example+Vicon+Valkyrie+systems).
- **Data switch **A data switch can provide up to 16 SFP+ ports for connecting to other switches. However, the SFP+ connection can only carry enough data for up to 80 Valkyrie cameras, so only up to 10 power switches can connect to a data switch, enabling you to expand your system to up to 160 Valkyrie cameras with two data switches. For examples of these types of systems see [Vicon Valkyrie system with up to 80 cameras and a Lock](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Valkyrie/pages/1746716/Example+Vicon+Valkyrie+systems) and to see how to add further cameras, see [Vicon Valkyrie system with up to 160 cameras and a Lock](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Valkyrie/pages/1746716/Example+Vicon+Valkyrie+systems).
- **Lock power switch** Use a Lock switch when a Vicon Lock needs its own PoE power source. For an example of this type of system see [Vicon Valkyrie system with up to 80 cameras and a Lock](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Valkyrie/pages/1746716/Example+Vicon+Valkyrie+systems).

This table shows the number of switches required to support various example systems. 

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| **Valkyrie** | **Lock** | **Lock switch** | **FLIR camera** | **Simple switch** | **Power switch** | **Data switch** | **See** |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1–8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | [Set up a basic Vicon Valkyrie system](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Valkyrie/pages/1737097) |
| 1–8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | [Add a Vicon Lock to a basic Valkyrie system](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Valkyrie/pages/1754817) |
| 1–8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | [Add supported FLIR cameras to a Vicon Valkyrie system](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Valkyrie/pages/1753957) |
| 9–80 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1–10 | 1 | [Vicon Valkyrie system with up to 80 cameras and a Lock](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Valkyrie/pages/1746716/Example+Vicon+Valkyrie+systems) |
| 81–160 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11–20 | 2 | [Vicon Valkyrie system with up to 160 cameras and a Lock](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Valkyrie/pages/1746716/Example+Vicon+Valkyrie+systems) |

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> For further information on the requirements of different configurations, see the [Valkyrie system diagrams](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Connect/pages/1610501).

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> For further information on the requirements of different configurations, see the Valkyrie system diagrams in the [Setup and Connectivity documentation](https://help.vicon.com/space/Connect).

For information on setting up a mixed system that includes older Vicon cameras (Vantage, Vero or Viper) and Vicon Valkyrie cameras, see [Set up a mixed Valkyrie system with Vantage or Vero cameras](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Valkyrie/pages/1770423).