System and method for power over ethernet control

A power over Ethernet (PoE) controller, comprising:

• an Ethernet port and first circuitry configured to support network signaling over an Ethernet network, wherein the first circuitry is configured to obtain PoE power from the Ethernet network;
• a device network interface that includes a device port and second circuitry configured to support network signaling over a non-Ethernet network, wherein the device port comprises a connector configured to support a wired harnesses connection, wherein the wired harnesses connection is a four-wire connection with two wires for power and two wires for signaling, and wherein the device network interface is configured to provide at least a portion of the PoE power from the first circuitry via the wired harnesses connection to a device;
• control circuitry, communicatively coupled to the first circuitry and the device network interface, configured to receive device control information via the first circuitry and to generate control instructions, that are more than requests for power, that are configured to control the device in response to the device control information for communication via the device network interface;
• and
• a power converter, electrically coupled to the Ethernet port and the control circuitry, the power converter configured to convert at least a portion of the PoE power to power for use by the control circuitry.