PoE or Not

If the board will live on a ceiling or in a shed, PoE saves running a separate power supply. Check whether the PoE module is included or sold as an option.

ESP32 vs S3 vs P4

Classic ESP32 is cheapest and best documented. The S3 adds PSRAM, native USB and camera support. The P4 is a powerful RISC-V chip for displays, video and audio, but has no built-in radio.

Ethernet Chip

RMII PHYs like the LAN8720 use the ESP32’s internal MAC. SPI controllers like the W5500 work on chips without a MAC, such as the S3. Both are supported in ESPHome with the right config.

Programming and Storage

USB-C boards flash directly. The WT32-ETH01 has no USB port, so you need a USB to serial adapter for the first flash. TF card slots help with logging and camera stills.

Enclosure and Mounting

Most boards ship bare. Plan a vented case, and keep the PoE module’s hot parts away from sensors so temperature readings stay accurate.

Sold by UeeKKoo, this ESP32-S3R8 board with wired Ethernet comes in four versions; this one is the board plus PoE module. The listing confirms the 240 MHz dual-core LX7, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and PoE support. It has the most ratings of any S3 PoE listing we found, which makes it a confident pick for a ceiling-mounted Bluetooth proxy.

The full bundle: the same ESP32-S3 Ethernet board with an OV2640 camera and the PoE module. One cable powers a simple snapshot camera for a doorbell, 3D printer or gate, with ESPHome’s camera component or Arduino sketches. Do not expect NVR-grade video; it is ideal for stills and low-resolution streams.

The same Waveshare ESP32-S3 Ethernet design, listed with a PoE module header rather than a bundled module. It keeps the 8 MB PSRAM, 16 MB flash, W5500 Ethernet, camera interface and TF card slot. Choose it if you will power the board over USB-C or add PoE later. The rating is lower and based on just 8 reviews.

The ESP32-P4 is Espressif’s high-performance RISC-V chip, and this Waveshare board pairs it with Ethernet, PoE and, as the name says, Wi-Fi 6. The listing covers a JPEG codec, image signal processor, H.264 encoder, MIPI-CSI and MIPI-DSI, USB 2.0 OTG, SDIO 3.0, a TF slot, microphone and speaker headers, an RTC battery header and Secure Boot with flash encryption. It suits wired touch panels, video doorbells and voice satellites.

A wired-only ESP32-P4 board with 32 MB in-package PSRAM and 32 MB NOR flash, a 100M RJ45 port, MIPI-CSI and DSI, USB 2.0 OTG, a TF slot, an onboard microphone, a speaker header and a PoE module, per the listing. Without a wireless chip it is a clean choice for a hardwired control panel or intercom where you do not want any radio at all.

This listing (sold by wottzentic) describes a dual-core RISC-V ESP32-P4 at up to 360 MHz, a 100 Mbps RJ45 port, USB 2.0 OTG Type-C, a TF slot, 32 MB PSRAM and 32 MB NOR flash. It clearly states that PoE needs an optional module that is not included. Good for bench development of P4 projects before committing to a PoE install.

Sold by UeeKKoo, this ESP32-P4-ETH variant ships with pre-soldered headers and a PoE module, and its listing highlights AI speech interaction with online large language model platforms, along with MIPI-CSI, MIPI-DSI, USB OTG and microphone support. Only 5 ratings so far, so treat it as an early-adopter option.

If you need several wired nodes, this three-pack of WT32-ETH01 modules lowers the per-board cost. The listing describes transparent data transfer between any pair of serial, Wi-Fi, Ethernet and Bluetooth ports, which makes them handy as serial-to-Ethernet gateways for RS485 or UART devices. Same caveats as pick #2: no USB and no PoE.

Home Assistant Bluetooth proxy

Waveshare ESP32-S3 ETH + PoE on the ceiling: Ethernet backhaul frees the radio for BLE scanning.

RS485 or UART gateway

WT32-ETH01 with an RS485 transceiver to bring a Modbus meter onto the LAN.

Garage or printer camera

ESP32-S3 PoE + OV2640: one cable, snapshots into Home Assistant.

Wall touch panel

Waveshare ESP32-P4-WIFI6-POE-ETH with a MIPI-DSI display for a wired dashboard.

Wired voice satellite

Waveshare ESP32-P4-POE-ETH with its onboard microphone and a speaker.

Wired WLED controller

WT32-ETH01 is a popular wired WLED base for reliable LED effects syncing.

Does ESPHome support Ethernet on these boards?

Yes for the common chips. ESPHome’s ethernet component supports RMII PHYs like the LAN8720 used on WT32-ETH01 and SPI controllers like the W5500 on the ESP32-S3 boards. ESP32-P4 support is newer, so use a recent ESPHome release and check the docs for your exact board.

Can I use Wi-Fi and Ethernet at the same time?

In ESPHome a node uses one network interface, so you pick Ethernet or Wi-Fi. With custom Arduino or ESP-IDF firmware you can run both, for example as a bridge. For Bluetooth proxies, Ethernet is preferred because it leaves the radio free for BLE.

What PoE switch do I need?

Any switch or injector that provides standard IEEE 802.3af (or 802.3at, which is backward compatible) will power these boards. Avoid passive 24 V injectors unless a board explicitly supports them. A small PoE switch on a UPS keeps all your nodes running in a power cut.

How do I flash a WT32-ETH01 without USB?

Connect a 3.3 V USB to serial adapter to its TX, RX and ground pins, hold IO0 low while powering up to enter bootloader mode, then flash with the ESPHome web flasher or esptool. After the first flash, ESPHome can update over the network.

Can I add Ethernet to an ESP32 I already own?

Yes, with an SPI module like the W5500, the same way the classic Arduino Ethernet shield works. It takes several GPIO and some wiring, so an integrated board is usually tidier for permanent installs.