Splitting 1 Cat5 to run 2 Poe cameras

Dasstrum

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So I am installing a camera system on a house that had cat5 cable run from a walk-in media closet to each bedroom in the house during construction. This is a tri level house and is impossible to run new cabling from what I've seen so far without removing facia panels or drywall to look for a conduit channel.

In the back 2 rooms there is a cat5 jack where I am looking to put 2 cameras. Here is the question:

My poe switches are mode-a and use pins 1,2,3,6. I tested out a config using only 4 of the 8 wires of 1 cat5 cable. So basically 2 rj45 connections for 1 wire and everything is working fine in my testing. Is there any long term concerns for doing this?
 

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Kpog

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This topic is relative to my interests.
 

Jeff DeWolfe

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I would personally never do this. The "proper" way to do this would be to get a small PoE switch. There is no right way to split RJ45/cat 5 other than using a switch. Another reason not to do this is now you have all of that wire exposed and not properly twisted to prevent interference, cross talk, etc.
 

giomania

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Check out the ~$38 Odiysurveil 1x4 PoE switch in my PoE switch suggestion list. The input requires PoE+, but it works great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

Fastb

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1 to 4 PoE Extender
Very descriptive review by well regarded expert.

Personally, I've double-upped some cat 5 cables to carry two channels. I also combine e-net and telephone on a single cat5 cable. I was in a real pinch, it was expedient. I worried about crosstalk, esp considering the telco line uses 90V to make the phone ring. Fortunately, I didn't experience any problem. The e-net traffic was minimal, considering our internet connection was through a dial-up modem, LOL!

I wouldn't double-up on cat 5 or cat6 these days....
 

Kpog

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Check out the ~$38 Odiysurveil 1x4 PoE switch in my PoE switch suggestion list. The input requires PoE+, but it works great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Thank you! Just picked one up to use outside my house in a nema enclosure. I have been researching the best way to do this. Since I only wired up a limited amount of cable runs, this will help me add coverage in a couple spots.
 

Ford

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tigerwillow1

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Just reporting info while staying out of any debate over what's right and wrong. I have used a few cat6 cables split for two cameras and never had a lick of trouble with it. Like always, there are pros and cons. Running 2 cameras on one cable still needs 2 ports on your POE switch. The POE extender saves a port on your switch, but the power from that port has to be split to power the extender and the two cameras. If you're not driving the cable with a POE+ port, you'll most likely overload the port when the IR lights come on. I build the splitter cables, but there's a commercial one that looks to me like it does the job: WT-MMF-RJ45.
 

giomania

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1 to 4 PoE Extender
Very descriptive review by well regarded expert.

Personally, I've double-upped some cat 5 cables to carry two channels. I also combine e-net and telephone on a single cat5 cable. I was in a real pinch, it was expedient. I worried about crosstalk, esp considering the telco line uses 90V to make the phone ring. Fortunately, I didn't experience any problem. The e-net traffic was minimal, considering our internet connection was through a dial-up modem, LOL!

I wouldn't double-up on cat 5 or cat6 these days....
Same thing I posted earlier, but just to clarify I did not mean to suggest I found this device. The credit goes to @nayr for bringing it to my attention, as is noted in the cliff notes.

Mark
 

c hris527

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Just reporting info while staying out of any debate over what's right and wrong. I have used a few cat6 cables split for two cameras and never had a lick of trouble with it. Like always, there are pros and cons. Running 2 cameras on one cable still needs 2 ports on your POE switch. The POE extender saves a port on your switch, but the power from that port has to be split to power the extender and the two cameras. If you're not driving the cable with a POE+ port, you'll most likely overload the port when the IR lights come on. I build the splitter cables, but there's a commercial one that looks to me like it does the job: WT-MMF-RJ45.
If I had to go that route working in somebody's house, that would look way better.
 

giomania

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So I am installing a camera system on a house that had cat5 cable run from a walk-in media closet to each bedroom in the house during construction. This is a tri level house and is impossible to run new cabling from what I've seen so far without removing facia panels or drywall to look for a conduit channel.

In the back 2 rooms there is a cat5 jack where I am looking to put 2 cameras. Here is the question:

My poe switches are mode-a and use pins 1,2,3,6. I tested out a config using only 4 of the 8 wires of 1 cat5 cable. So basically 2 rj45 connections for 1 wire and everything is working fine in my testing. Is there any long term concerns for doing this?
Apparently, most PoE switches are Mode-A, but I assume this should be confirmed by viewing the specifications?

What is PoE Mode A and Mode B?
 

Dasstrum

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Thanks for all the input. I'm going to buy the splitter and hide it in the porch ceiling soffit. Seems like the best option anyways.
 
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