IMPROVED NETWORKING APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING ELECTRICAL POWER OVER WIRED DATA TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS

A networking apparatus (4) comprising a power distribution bus (29), a plurality of network interface circuits (20, 21, 22) each connected to a powered device, PD, controller (26) and a channel of a power source equipment, PSE, controller arrangement, and electronics circuitry. The PD controller (26) is configured to control supply of electrical power to the bus (29) when one of the network interface circuits is powered by a network (50) in which the networking apparatus is installed or connected to. The PSE controller arrangement comprises either a mutualized PSE controller (28) with a plurality of channels (1, 2, 3) or a plurality of PSE controllers (28) each having a respective channel (1, 2, 3) and is configured to control supply of electrical power from the bus (29) when at least one of the network interface circuits (20, 21, 22) is self-powered and aims to power a remote device through the network. The networking apparatus (4) allows a transfer of data and electrical power between the interface circuits (20, 21,22), each interface circuit (20,21,22) being capable of a bidirectional transmission of data and a selectively monodirectional electrical current over a wired telecommunications network. The PD controller (26), the PSE controller arrangement, the plurality of network interface circuits, and said electronics circuitry are mutually arranged and configured to:- put or maintain a first interface circuit (20) of the plurality of interface circuits into a powered mode, where the apparatus receives feeding power from the network (50), when a voltage received in input by said first interface (20) circuit exceeds a predefined threshold, and deactivate the channel (1) of the PSE controller arrangement connected to said first interface circuit (20) receiving power preventing flow of power from the power distribution bus towards said network; and, at the same time,- put or maintain the interface circuits (21, 22) of the plurality of interface circuits other than said first interface circuit (20) in a power supplying equipment mode enabling feeding power to flow from the power bus towards the network.