Wow, this thread blew up!
I really appreciate all of the info.
I am wavering on whether or not I want/need a managed switch. I prefer to set the IP address of all of my devices at the router/switch using static addresses simply for the ability and ease of changing an address (or group of addresses) if I change the address scheme or move a device somewhere else, rather than having to go to the device or access the device through a web ui.
But thinking it through, that might not be necessary/needed with the cameras. I will probably just keep watch on ebay and other places to see if a really good deal comes up and then decide on whether or not to get it, or wait until I run out of ports on the little switch I have since right now I have to get another 180 camera.
I put the test 180 up in a temp setup very similar to where it will be once the real cabling is installed, and moved the 5442 to another area yesterday afternoon. After a few hours (late afternoon into the evening), my wife determined that she really liked the picture and definition of the 180, and the amount of area that it covers. After it got dark, she determined that the night vision capability, the definition she was seeing and clarity of the 180 was really to her liking.
Then right around the time she was getting ready to take the dog outside for the evening ritual, the following conversation occurred:
Her: How much does one of the 180s cost?
Me: 250 plus the mount, less than 300.
Her: Were you are planning to get a 180 to replace the 'brown one' (the 5442 is brown)?
Me: That was what I want to do eventually.
Her: Can the brown one be used somewhere else
Me: Yes, there are a couple of places it can be moved to.
Her: Can you just replace the brown one with it without a lot of effort or do you have to redo everything you did yesterday?
Me: Nope, same mount, just disconnect the network cable, loosen on screw, take off the camera and mount and then connect the cable to the new camera, put the new camera and mount on the mounting plate and tighten the set screw. The hardest part will be tweaking the camera so that you see the area you want to see and we did that today, so you know what that will take.
Her: Will that mess up the plans you had for putting in the cameras you wanted and where you wanted which type of camera?
Me: Nope, that was what I thought I would do in the future anyway
Her: Can you order one tomorrow and put it up this week?
Me: I'll order one tomorrow. It should be here in a couple of days. Remember it is supposed to get cold and snowy Tues-Thurs, so I might not get it up until Fri.
Her: Fri is fine, but you should go ahead and order it so that we have it as soon as the weather is good.
Her: Is the 180 what you are planning on putting out back as well, and would it work on the other side of the house? Oh, is it okay if there is overlap on the video like you did today?
Me: Yep. Yep. Yes, overlap is what we want.
Her: Ok, you figure out what we need where and then when the cabling is done, just get the cameras that you think we need.
Damn it is nice when the camera sells itself!