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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Consumer Hardware & Components > Security Cameras - Ideas?

Security Cameras - Ideas?
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alex_kac
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May 19, 2008, 09:33 PM
 
I'd like to setup some network (wired or wireless) network cameras within my house for security when we're gone on long trips and to make sure our cats are good.

I have ethernet wired throughout my house with a patch board in my closet - about 40 ports available and all the cabling nicely wrapped and hung on accessible hooks inside the walls.

In any case all I'm looking for is 4 indoor camera and two outdoor cameras and I'd like to get some suggestions from users here if I decided to do it myself. I'm looking at hints on equipment, techniques on how to hook it all up.

My thinking is to buy 6 ethernet wired cameras and have them use the ethernet through the house via a splice/hub inside the wall and to use power lines provided by the light sockets. But I'm literally pulling stuff out of thin air here. I have plenty of networking experience, running cables, splicing ethernet cables, and so on, but honestly a lot of that is years ago. Power, is another thing. I just don't know what to really do there.

Thanks!
     
mduell
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May 19, 2008, 10:05 PM
 
The solution to your power uncertainly is PoE, Power over Ethernet. Note there are "PoE" cameras which send power over ethernet but not necessairly what the IEEE PoE standard specifies, and there are PoE cameras that follow the IEEE PoE standard.

D-Link DCS-1110 is a "PoE" camera. It comes with an AC adapter that injects power into the ethernet (two ethernet ports, one to go to your switch and one to go to the camera), but you'd have to plug in at a point near the camera since it's only 5V and 2.5A. It

Panasonic BB-HCM511A is a PoE camera, so you'd need to also buy a PoE switch to put in your wiring closet, but from there all you have to do is run ethernet to the camera.
( Last edited by mduell; May 19, 2008 at 10:33 PM. )
     
alex_kac  (op)
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May 19, 2008, 10:14 PM
 
I thought of that, but I really don't want to invest in all new switch equipment. I have pretty expensive switches in there now. Supposedly PoE can work over fully unmodified ethernet cabling, but it seems like the whole thing would be far more expensive than the alternative.
     
mduell
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May 19, 2008, 10:30 PM
 
Please see my edited reply; the price of PoE switches has come down quite a bit, now only ~$25/port.
     
dowNNshift
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May 19, 2008, 10:41 PM
 
Check out EzWatch, Link: Security Cameras, Video Surveillance Camera Systems & CCTV Video Security. Surveillance equipment.
We've had great success with the quality of their equipment and DVR software. With the ezwatch software you can remotely monitor the entire system using software you can run in Parallels or Fusion.

I'd seriously discourage you from using wireless cameras unless they're encrypted, otherwise anyone could keep an eye on you. Wireless cameras are 3x's the price in many cases too.
     
Eug
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Aug 14, 2008, 02:40 PM
 
Any other ideas? I came across reviews of the Axis 207 camera which supports both wireless and wired Ethernet, but there are a few problems including the fact it's indoor only and it's fairly costly.

OTOH, it has a built in web server so you can monitor it from any Mac browser. There's also the Axis 211W, but it's really, really expensive.
     
   
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