How to Daisy-Chain Multiple Nearity A20S Speakerphones with PoE

Connect two or more Nearity A20S speakerphones in a daisy chain to cover medium and large meeting rooms. The main unit connects to your computer by USB-C and to power; extension units receive both audio and power over standard Ethernet cables — no extra power adapters needed.

Before You Begin

Make sure that:

• You have one A20S per coverage zone, up to six devices in a single chain.
• You have the power adapter for the main A20S. Only the first (main) unit needs a power connection.
• You have Ethernet cables (CAT5e or better) to link the units.
• Your computer has an available USB port.
• Your meeting application or supported web browser is ready to use.

Understand the Ports

Each A20S has four connection points:

• USB-C Port: Connects the main unit to your computer for data transmission and device control.
• DC IN (Power Port): Powers the main unit. Only the first A20S in the chain needs power — it feeds the extension units over PoE.
• RJ45 Input Port (PREVIOUS): On extension units, connects to the previous A20S in the chain.
• RJ45 Output Port (NEXT): Connects to the next A20S in the chain.

Step 1: Plan the Layout and Position the Units

1. Count your coverage zones. Use 1 A20S for a small room (about 161 ft² / 15 m²), 2 units for a medium room (about 323 ft² / 30 m²), and up to 6 units for a large room (about 646 ft² / 60 m²).
2. Decide which unit is the main A20S — it should be the one closest to the computer running the meeting.
3. Place each unit flat on the table so participants sit evenly around it, and do not cover the microphone holes.

Step 2: Connect the Main A20S

1. Connect the power adapter to the DC IN port of the main A20S.
2. Connect the main A20S to your computer with the USB-C cable.
3. Wait for the device to finish starting. The touch controls light up when the unit is ready.

Step 3: Chain the Extension Units

Run an Ethernet cable from the RJ45 Output port (NEXT) of the main A20S to the RJ45 Input port (PREVIOUS) of the first extension A20S.

For additional units, run an Ethernet cable from the NEXT port of the current unit to the PREVIOUS port of the next unit. Repeat until all units are connected — up to four A20S devices in total. Extension units power on automatically through the chain; no separate power supply is required.

Step 4: Select the A20S in Your Meeting Platform

The whole chain appears to your computer as a single microphone and speaker.

1. Open your meeting platform's Settings, Devices, or Audio menu.
2. Select the Nearity A20S as both the Speaker and the Microphone. The exact device name may vary by operating system or platform.
3. This works the same way in Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Webex, and most other meeting applications.

Step 5: Test Before the Meeting

1. Speak from the seat farthest from the main unit and check that the microphone level responds.
2. Play a test sound and confirm that audio plays clearly from every unit in the chain.
3. Join a test meeting and ask a remote participant to confirm that voices from all seats are heard clearly and without echo.