PoE Switch, new Router, PTZ Cameras?

[Justintoxicated]

I'm thinking about installing a security camera outside and since I still use an old wireless-G router I'm thinking to update my current Dlink 8 port switch and router at the same time.

What is a good PoE Switch or router than will power a PTZ video camera or two? Or should I be looking in another direction and not buy a PoE Camera? I think I will need something with zoom on it to view my gate though...

 

[PigLover]

You definitely want to run the cameras on POE (unless they are wireless...duh!). Its much simpler than running network cable and power separately.

You could get a large POE capable switch to be both your primary switch for the home network and POE. However, this is probably too expensive for home use. I'd suggest you get the router/switch/AP that makes sense for your network and then treat anything you do with cameras as a one-off and get a separate injector or small POE switch to push the POE. Run a link for your main switch to the POE switch.

If you are just going to run a single camera (or even two) then external in-line POE injectors are fine. You don't really need to get a specialized POE switch.

Your cameras don't need GigE, so a 10/100 POE will work fine for 2-4 cameras - like this which you can find for $100-130.

If you do need GigE or are going to run more than just a few cameras (maybe a POE wireless AP too) then take a look at this managed 8-port GigE POE. This is the switch I use for my cameras and AP and I really like it, though it is limited to a total of 45W POE so if you have cameras with IR illuminators it might only be able to support 3 to 5 of them. You can find this switch at just under $200 if you shop hard - otherwise I think about $225 at Amazon or the Egg. The managed switch gives you lots of options to isolate the cameras on their own VLAN, etc. Also - most less expensive cameras are finiky little sh1ts and being able to reset them remotely by bouncing the power on the port from the web interface is very, very handy.

If you get into the larger POE switch models - 12-24 POE ports - the options are endless from Cisco, HP, Netgear, and all the usual suspects.

 

[Justintoxicated]

Yea I'm having a hard time finding decent POE cameras though..

I was looking at this switch

http://www.amazon.com/BV-Tech-Port-...F8&qid=1359756476&sr=1-13&keywords=POE+Switch

or maybe this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004OA721C/ref=gno_cart_title_2

I don't really know what a managed switch does...You said you can bounce power, but Couldn't I just unplug and plug the line back in?

For cameras I was looking at this one :

http://foscam.us/products/foscam-fi8620-wired-ip-camera.html

and I think this is the same thing?

http://www.chinavasion.com/china/wh...s/Speed_Dome_IP_Camera__PTZ_10x_Optical_Zoom/

or this one, it has good reviews but no zoom so I am not sure it would capture what I want it to...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003O5LLFG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_8?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1AO3O3DSJ44PJ

I really have no idea when it comes to this stuff I'll start googling for managed switches though.

 

[PigLover]

Yes - you can just pull the cable to bounce the power. But with the managed switch you can do the same thing while sitting on you butt in front of the TV with your laptop...remote management is a beautiful thing!

As for cameras - opinions are a dime a dozen. I won't even start to offer mine. Doing so would just be an invitation for assault. Take a look at some of the camera-specific forums and read away...one active board is http://www.cam-it.org

Frankly, in your shoes, I might start with an el-cheapo China camera to play with a bit before I drop $400 or more on a remote pan/tilt or pan/tilt/zoom camera. But if you want to spend money when (by your own admission) you don't know what you are buying into - well - that's up to you! If you want to see what is available one-the-cheap type 'dahua' into the ebay search bar.

 

[Justintoxicated]

Yes - you can just pull the cable to bounce the power. But with the managed switch you can do the same thing while sitting on you butt in front of the TV with your laptop...remote management is a beautiful thing!

As for cameras - opinions are a dime a dozen. I won't even start to offer mine. Doing so would just be an invitation for assault. Take a look at some of the camera-specific forums and read away...one active board is http://www.cam-it.org

Frankly, in your shoes, I might start with an el-cheapo China camera to play with a bit before I drop $400 or more on a remote pan/tilt or pan/tilt/zoom camera. But if you want to spend money when (by your own admission) you don't know what you are buying into - well - that's up to you! If you want to see what is available one-the-cheap type 'dahua' into the ebay search bar.

ahh so that's the source for those, someone recommended a dahua camera to me but the only one I could find was 2k... I'll take a look at that forum as well.

My Goal is to monitor my chain-link fence / gate that is about 30-40 feet from the house. so that's a pretty good distance. I think someone poisoned my dog which resulted in a 2k vet bill last weekend. So, although I am broke now I don't want it happening again and if it does I want to be able to press charges.

 

[PigLover]

If the goal is to monitor a fence I'd suggest looking at 1.3mp bullet cameras with IR illuminators. Look for a spot where you can see down the length of the fence. The PTZ won't do you a bit of good unless you happen to be home when whatever you want to see happens...

You might need two of them to see the whole fence, but you'll be better off with two well-placed bullet cameras than you would be with one PTZ in a location you have to point it to use it.

Also - look for a software NVR that can produce video clips based on motion detection. I use Blue Iris and am real happy with it. Its cheap and decently functional.

 

[Justintoxicated]

If the goal is to monitor a fence I'd suggest looking at 1.3mp bullet cameras with IR illuminators. Look for a spot where you can see down the length of the fence. The PTZ won't do you a bit of good unless you happen to be home when whatever you want to see happens...

You might need two of them to see the whole fence, but you'll be better off with two well-placed bullet cameras than you would be with one PTZ in a location you have to point it to use it.

Also - look for a software NVR that can produce video clips based on motion detection. I use Blue Iris and am real happy with it. Its cheap and decently functional.

I definitely don't need the Pan and Tilt, but I think I do need the zoom if I want to mount it on the house, otherwise the amount of effort installing the cams will go up exponentially if I have to dig trenches and get permits. I already really suck at running cables... It's likely they will all go out an attic vent and along the walls etc lol.

Does Costco sell anything decent? I don't think I want a DVR I'd rather record to my server.

 

[feffrey]

Axis cameras are great but they are not cheap.

 

[Justintoxicated]

You definitely want to run the cameras on POE (unless they are wireless...duh!). Its much simpler than running network cable and power separately.

You could get a large POE capable switch to be both your primary switch for the home network and POE. However, this is probably too expensive for home use. I'd suggest you get the router/switch/AP that makes sense for your network and then treat anything you do with cameras as a one-off and get a separate injector or small POE switch to push the POE. Run a link for your main switch to the POE switch.

If you are just going to run a single camera (or even two) then external in-line POE injectors are fine. You don't really need to get a specialized POE switch.

Your cameras don't need GigE, so a 10/100 POE will work fine for 2-4 cameras - like this which you can find for $100-130.

If you do need GigE or are going to run more than just a few cameras (maybe a POE wireless AP too) then take a look at this managed 8-port GigE POE. This is the switch I use for my cameras and AP and I really like it, though it is limited to a total of 45W POE so if you have cameras with IR illuminators it might only be able to support 3 to 5 of them. You can find this switch at just under $200 if you shop hard - otherwise I think about $225 at Amazon or the Egg. The managed switch gives you lots of options to isolate the cameras on their own VLAN, etc. Also - most less expensive cameras are finiky little sh1ts and being able to reset them remotely by bouncing the power on the port from the web interface is very, very handy.

If you get into the larger POE switch models - 12-24 POE ports - the options are endless from Cisco, HP, Netgear, and all the usual suspects.

This this a decent managed switch?
http://www.amazon.com/8PORT-200-08-...1360007791&sr=1-8&keywords=managed+POE+switch

I really try to avoid all netgear products since I have $bunch of various networking stuff all die within 3 months of warranty expiration. Kinda decided to not use them again.

 

[PigLover]

Nope. That Cisco unit is not a PoE switch (as in it does not provide PoE to other devices connected to it). It supports receiving its power via PoE (as in it can be powered by a PoE switch).

I understand if you have concerns about prior experience with products from NetGear. Your personal experience is what it is and nobody can argue that. But you should notice that the particular switch recommended above is covered under NetGear's prosafe warranty program - lifetime warranty - so the switch is at least guaranteed to outlive its original purchaser - and if you are dead you probably won't care that the cameras don't work anymore .

 

[Justintoxicated]

Nope. That Cisco unit is not a PoE switch (as in it does not provide PoE to other devices connected to it). It supports receiving its power via PoE (as in it can be powered by a PoE switch).

I understand if you have concerns about prior experience with products from NetGear. Your personal experience is what it is and nobody can argue that. But you should notice that the particular switch recommended above is covered under NetGear's prosafe warranty program - lifetime warranty - so the switch is at least guaranteed to outlive its original purchaser - and if you are dead you probably won't care that the cameras don't work anymore .

Yea I have had decent stuff in the past they just really pissed me off once and the only thing I could do was vote with my wallet to never purchase them again.

Anyways, could I plug this switch into my existing DLink gigabit and still remote manage it?

The reviews on amazon for this switch say "I'd give it five stars, but you need to install NetGear's software in order manage the switch - no web-based admin." what good is a managed switch for bouncing power if I need to be home to do it? Or maybe I'm confusing it with this one... http://www.netgear.com/business/products/switches/prosafe-plus-switches/GS108PE.aspx not sure what the difference is...

 

[AP2]

i did this about a week ago at my new house. I'm running a fortinet unmanaged 8 port POE switch ($225) with 2 axis AXIS M5013 PTZ ($500 ea) all connected to my Synology 713+ NAS for recording.

 

[Justintoxicated]

i did this about a week ago at my new house. I'm running a fortinet unmanaged 8 port POE switch ($225) with 2 axis AXIS M5013 PTZ ($500 ea) all connected to my Synology 713+ NAS for recording.

Sounds like a nice setup you have there Not familiar with Synology 713, I was hoping to connect to my WHS box for now but having to purchase a NAS would be ok too.


How about this switch? I'd rather pay $100 more if I have to than buy a Netgear product

http://www.amazon.com/Cisco-SF-302-08P-SRW208P-K9-NA-Managed/dp/B004496TFS/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

 

[PigLover]

That switch should work just fine. You don't need a new NAS - you should be able to record to your WHS without any problem.

 

[Justintoxicated]

That switch should work just fine. You don't need a new NAS - you should be able to record to your WHS without any problem.

I foudn a cheaper switch but it looks like the other one you said is not POE, But I think this one might be? Not sure how to tell...

http://www.amazon.com/8PORT-200-08P...d=1360024180&sr=1-2&keywords=Cisco+PoE+Switch

How can I tell if they mean it has POE ports or if it is powered by PoE wording can be so deceiving! Sounds like it might be kinda noisy to have on the computer desk though... I have no easy way to re-wire everything really.

 

[PigLover]

Easiest way to tell is RTFM. In this case you don't even have to do that - just read what it says on the Amazon web page you linked to...

In this case the difference is a subtlety of the part number. Sg 200-08P vs Sg 200-08.

 

[Justintoxicated]

Easiest way to tell is RTFM. In this case you don't even have to do that - just read what it says on the Amazon web page you linked to...

In this case the difference is a subtlety of the part number. Sg 200-08P vs Sg 200-08.

really? I'm not seeing it anywhere on the page. Where does not say how many ports are PoE if any, and if they are 10/100 or gigabit... I'm reading it as 8 Gigabit POE ports which seems too good to be true for a managed switch in this price range. And when it's too good to be true it usually is. I just don't get how they can advertise it as such if it is something else. Probably too loud anyways since it's rack mount.

 

[PigLover]

really? I'm not seeing it anywhere on the page. Where does not say how many ports are PoE if any, and if they are 10/100 or gigabit... I'm reading it as 8 Gigabit POE ports which seems too good to be true for a managed switch in this price range. And when it's too good to be true it usually is. I just don't get how they can advertise it as such if it is something else. Probably too loud anyways since it's rack mount.

SMH.

 

[DouglasteR]

It has to be PTZ ?

I currently have a lot of the Dahua 3200C and theyre really really great cameras (true 1080p, small, fast) but no PTZ

 

[Justintoxicated]

It has to be PTZ ?

I currently have a lot of the Dahua 3200C and theyre really really great cameras (true 1080p, small, fast) but no PTZ

Nah it just needs to have decent magnification.

Not really sure how I will be able to run a line to the camera anyways at this point. I'm considering dropping the whole project. I could run a line out the window and around the exterior of house or something but that does not seem right...

Not sure what to do anymore...

 

[athlon1.2]

Can you run the cable through your attic? I wouldn't run a cable to a camera out a window and across the wall, anyone can just walk up to it and cut the cable.

For one or two cameras, why not just get their PoE option? Active POE Injector & Splitter (Up To 200 Feet) with a regular switch PowerDsine 3001G at the switch and a Gigabit Power over Ethernet (PoE) Splitter

 

[Justintoxicated]

Can you run the cable through your attic? I wouldn't run a cable to a camera out a window and across the wall, anyone can just walk up to it and cut the cable.

For one or two cameras, why not just get their PoE option? Active POE Injector & Splitter (Up To 200 Feet) with a regular switch PowerDsine 3001G at the switch and a Gigabit Power over Ethernet (PoE) Splitter

If I knew how to run the cable through the attic I would, it's probably a 35 foot run. I can pop my head into the crawl space, but I can't actually fit in it. It's full of ducting and sprayed fiberglass insulation, so there is maybe 2 feet height above the ducting to work, but no way to actually go up there. The run to the garage would be straight though. For a second camera im pretty sure the wiring would have to run out a vent, but maybe not, if I was a cable running guru.

Same reason I have an Ethernet cable run across my hallway in my house for 3 years now, no easy way to bring it into the living room...

I'm not even sure who I could call to have this done for me, an electrician? Do they do this kind of thing because none of them that I talk to want that job.