prewiring for future system

[j4str 0]

I'm doing a remodel on my home and while the sheetrock is off, I thought I should get some cables for a camera system installed. I'm not sure whether I'd be better with an IP system or traditional analog. Anything else I need to run while my walls are open?

[Boogieman 1]

Run cat6...you can use baluns if you later want an analog system..but its nuts to run analog cables or an analog system when you have this opportunity of open walls..run as much cable and conduit to locations where you may want a connection as possible

[tomcctv 190]

Hi. If your at that stage with your home then cat6 with coax to camera locations and just run cat6 to locations you might need sensors or lights in the future

 

Good to run cat6 to every room while at the stage you are at ..... Create your own network all back to a central point ...... Even if you don't use it at least your home is ready for the future

 

Network lights and switches

 

Network fridge and freezers

 

Networks door openers

 

Spend a few $100 now is better than 1000s later

[j4str 0]

Hi. If your at that stage with your home then cat6 with coax to camera locations and just run cat6 to locations you might need sensors or lights in the future

 

Good to run cat6 to every room while at the stage you are at ..... Create your own network all back to a central point ...... Even if you don't use it at least your home is ready for the future

 

Network lights and switches

 

Network fridge and freezers

 

Networks door openers

 

Spend a few $100 now is better than 1000s later

 

 

my house isnt THAT open. The grand scheme of things, is im converting my attached garage in to habitable space. The garage is going to be a day care for my wife, but we want to put the camera system dvr/nvr/pc out there. I'll certainly be able to fish wires in the future if need be, but it wouldn't make sense to not run a few things while its easily accessible. Ive done a little (very little) research and it sounds like i definitely want an ip camera system. I have a box of cat5e that's nearly full. Is cat5e sufficient, or do i need cat6?

 

Im installing a media panel in my attic, where i intend to run all the phone lines/coax/network cables to. Would it make sense to run the cables for the cameras to the media panel, or do they need to run to nvr location?

[Boogieman 1]

Cat5e is sufficient but i would still go cat6, in the grand scheme of things its 100 bux to future proof and have a better quality cable. Cable problems is not something you want to hassle with and rerun.Also ensure that your cable is SOLID COPPER not copper clad aluminium (CCA).. and use solid cable not stranded.

[shockwave199 0]

I have eight premade 100' cat5e patch cables. Totally free and ready to go. It's really skinny cat5e cable too, like as garbage as premade analog spaghetti cable- like 28 or 26 gauge. But it was free and given that savings, I was gonna just use it to install my IP system. Until last week when I thought- haven't I learned anything about the benefits of quality cable? Is saving 145 or so bucks THAT much of a deal breaker that I should do all that work only to have possible streaming stutters or dropouts, problems pushing POE down a crappy run, or just the cable failing in a year or two? YES, I've learned that much, lol. So, I invested in good cat6 cable. It may be that your cat5e cable is good quality, in which case you'd be fine. But make sure it is. Cat6 is even better though. And definitely go with a megapixel system, IP.

[j4str 0]

should i run the cable to my central media panel or over to where the pc or nvr will go? The media panel is a more central location and would be much easier

 

the cable i have is honeywell 5078 e158012-a. Solid copper 24awg

[Z2TT 0]

The cables have to go where your NVR will be, as they need to connect to the NVR.

[Don Stephens 0]

The cables have to go where your NVR will be, as they need to connect to the NVR.

 

This is completely incorrect. Having an NVR that you'll be connecting any cable to, other than a single connection from NVR to network, is uncommon. NVRs with built in switches are advised against as they're poor in quality in comparison unless you're just looking for as simple of an installation as possible.

 

If you have a central hub where you've located your modem, router, and switches, then that's where you should be running all of your cable. Running a cable or two for your NVR and PC back to that hub makes a lot more sense than running significantly more cables to a more inconvenient location where you don't need them. It's also going to unnecessarily stretch out the lengths of your runs.

[Z2TT 0]

NVRs with built in switches are advised against as they're poor in quality in comparison unless you're just looking for as simple of an installation as possible.

 

That is like saying radios with inbuilt clocks have poor quality clocks.

 

POE NVR's are nothing uncommon, it appears you have either been using the wrong equipment or have your opinions based on negative personal experiences, security professionals and distributors across the globe have regular turnover of POE NVR's.

 

The OP has not mentioned what size his home is or how many cameras he is running, his requirements for viewing etc, and my recommendation are based on a residential Setup (4-8 Cameras. Keep in mind my recommendation is general advice for a residential property.

 

There are many scenarios for example where you will have a longer total cable run from the each camera to the NVR when using a standalone POE Switch and Standalone NVR, a nice example is all cameras running to a POE Switch in the Hub, then uplink from POE switch to Standalone NVR in theatre room.

[Boogieman 1]

Z2TT, you are mistaken again..the extra run from the poe switch to the NVR is irrelevant and not counted in the total run..as long as there is an intervening poe switch it doesn't the additional run does not impede performance...The NVR;s with built in poe switches are noisy and creates issues when trying to access the camera interface itself (you will need to hook the pc up directly to the NVR to be able to reach that cameras that have ip addresses that cannot be accessed via the network, some newer hikvision nvr have a virtual server feature..but that is still not the norm)...

[Don Stephens 0]

I'm glad someone beat me to responding to that mess. I'm still trying to understand his previous statement about how your network cables "have to go where your NVR will be."

[shockwave199 0]

What's not to understand? If you use a poe nvr, the runs must all go to the nvr. I use a poe nvr. For me at home, the setup makes enough sense and the work around to hit the cameras web pages doesn't bother me. Plus, nvr's have fans and so does poe switches. That's double the fan noise, unless you get a couple four port fanless switches for an eight channel setup. It's what makes sense in any given setup, plus some user preference thrown in. For the op, a poe nvr does not make sense. I would only suggest that an attic with extreme temperature swings can be bad for certain gear, such as a poe switch. Be careful if your attic gets blazing hot.

[Boogieman 1]

 

There are plenty of 8 port poe switches(with all ports POE) that are fanless.

http://www.amazon.com/Fanless-Managed-Desktop-Switch-GS1900-8HP/dp/B00GU1KULM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417032570&sr=8-2&keywords=managed+poe

One of the benefits of poe is that you dont need to homerun everything....This makes for VERY easy installs where in the past you had to homerun all the coax...

With this managed switch you get the benefit of the full control as well...

The only true benefit to using an NVR with poe is that its doesnt require any real network knowlege because you just hook the camera up and you are good to go.....

 

[j4str 0]

 

i have since moved the media panel from the attic, down in to the same closet as the future NVR, so now they are side by side. I ran my the cables to the media panel, but i may just end up running them to boxes and putting rj45 ports on the wall in the closet, then i can hook them up how ever i want.

 

 

heres my camera layout.

1. daycare interior

2. daycare interior

3. daycare front door

4. daycare back room

5 daycare back room

6. driveway/street

7. daycare backdoor/path

8. back porch door

9. front yard/street

10. back yard

11 back yard

12. shed back yard

13. front door

*. is the media panel and nvr location

 

many of those are way in the future. The only ones i want to install at the beginning are 1, 3, 4, 7, and 13.

 

 

another question. I have a 1000' spool of shielded 20/3 and another 1000 of shielded 18/4. I have absolutely 0 use for these. Im planning to run a few runs to various spots for spares for whoe knows what. Can anyone think of any good uses for them? Should i just run to my camera locations for power, or is poe easier/better?

[Boogieman 1]

dont waste time running that cable..run good quality cat5/6 and use poe..its much easier, cleaner than having a bunch of wall warts, and if you get a managed switch you can reboot a camera remotely if needed...

[Z2TT 0]

I'm glad someone beat me to responding to that mess. I'm still trying to understand his previous statement about how your network cables "have to go where your NVR will be."

 

Don, when somebody comes on a forum with something generic like "I have a XYZ/unknown house and the roof is off and I want to know where to run things, give me recommendation", my recommendations are very broad and based on the use of a POE NVR which is more suited to smaller setups, I should have worded that post a bit better, apologies. It is not a "Be all and end all" of IP CCTV cabling methods. I'm not doubting the advantages that you mention of Independant POE Switch and NVR setups.

 

I often encounter way too many installs (All aspects of cabling not necessarily cctv) done by people who tend to theorize a lot and overcomplicate installations that add no Value to the customers needs, which is why I always aim for the simplest cabling method that achieves the same result for the end user.