Additional cable Vs outdoor switch

[mcfly76]

Hi, I have 4 poles at the corners of my garden, where I have my POE cameras. I was evaluating to run another CAT6 cable per pole for additional cameras/ir illuminators, or to install an outdoor POE switch (Unifi Switch Flex) at each pole and use it to power the devices there.
The distance is on average 70m per pole from the patch panel/indoor switch, so there's a considerable amount of cable needed.

Moreover, my garden was hit by a lightning few months ago, and out of 4 cameras, only one survived, despite the surge protectors at both ends indoor/outdoor (Unifi surge protector devices). My installer suggested to use more professional devices, but they cost 350EUR each. I was thinking that adding an outdoor switch could provide an additional layer of protection (better to fry a 100 bucks switch than a 300/400 or more camera). Not an expert, so I don't know if this could work.

Thanks

 

[sebastiantombs]

If you have power at the garden end consider using a dedicated encrypted RF link. That will remove the physical electrical connection between those cameras and your network and protect your network should a lightning strike happen at the garden end of things. You would also need a small PoE switch at the garden end to aggregate the cameras onto a single feed to go to the RF link. Ubiquity makes the Nano series of RF links and they are very dependable, will easily support four cameras and will span up to a few kilometers effectively.

 

[Old Timer]

If you have power at the garden, it opens a lot of options.
I would isolate the garden from the rest of the system with a Ubiquity link like above, or fiber.
The fiber converters are cheap enough now days it's a good option for short distances.
You can pick up an 8 port POE switch with a SFP for $35 for a no name.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0899MWYKL/ref=

I have ran 120v power alongside the fiber going to a remote camera with no problems.

 

[wittaj]

calling @Teken

 

[Holbs]

I mean... lighting + metal = chaos. You could do much to mitigate lighting strikes. Could pound in a lightning rod in the ground properly grounded to the highest metal pole/object in the immediate area and have all 4 cameras LOWER than they highest metal point in the surrounding area and then grounded to it. Could do RF to isolate garden from main network. The higher $$$ you go for equipment, the better quality and dependability. They do make fuses to 'mitigate' lighting strikes (ONEAC and APC are the bigger dogs) along with power conditioners. For our $2k-$20k phone systems and network equipment, we 100% respected ONEAC and/or APC though they did come with larger price tags.
I'd say #3 big dog is CyberPower (easily found on Amazon).
Have to watch out for those basement manufacturers like Eugene's Powah Kondishiner.