Methods and apparatus are disclosed for balancing power across all
conductors of an Ethernet connection. Balancing circuitry is disclosed to
allow an Ethernet midspan device to receive power from an Ethernet Power
Sourcing Equipment (PSE) on the signal pairs of an Ethernet connection.
The balancing circuitry is configured to sense the level of the received
power, and generate a second power source substantially equal to the
received power level. The received power is provided to an Ethernet
Powered Device (PD) over the signal pairs of an Ethernet connection, and
the generated power to the PD over the unused pairs of the Ethernet
connection.