Hi everyone,
Longtime reader here with a few posts so thought I'd post here. I already have about a dozen cameras here that I've hardwired into existing construction thanks to the info I've found here. They've been set-and-forget so I don't fiddle around much with them. I'm asking for recommendations for my dad.
His location has no existing cameras and very limited networking infrastructure (i.e. comcast modem+router and some WiFi repeaters). He wants to be able to monitor a boat lift and dock that are about 250 feet away (say 100 feet is flat from the house and then there's a hill that goes down about 75 feet to a 75 foot dock). Line of sight to the is house maybe possible. There's not a hard dollar budget but he doesn't want to spend a lot of his own time to set this up. I don't want to be 24x7 tech support either... There will be 12VDC power at the location and adding 120V is much easier than say running say CAT6 cables (partly due to lack of a wiring closet / demarcation point and also older house where it's difficult to fish wires). WiFi does not currently reach the location. 1 camera would suffice for him (based on his current knowledge) although I think we all agree here that more would be better ;-)
I suggested several options from easiest to hardest. 1- trail camera with cellular upload, 2 - a standalone system with a receiver and wireless cameras, 3 - run cables to get WiFi at the shore and use WiFi cameras with an NVR, 4 - similar to 3 but hardwire the cameras. 4 sounds pretty good but the dock needs to be removed every fall/winter so I actually prefer option 3 with cameras mounted on the lift so that we're not messing with network cabling twice a year. But an IP Camera (WiFI or hardwired) may be too time consuming and frustrating for him to install in this location.
I know this is IP CAM TALK, so maybe not a lot of experience with / love for options 1 or 2 (trail cams or standalone proprietary systems). And I've avoided these largely based on what I've learned here. That said, I'm wondering if there is a standalone system with wireless cameras and receiver that could work here? Wireless range and reliability is my biggest concern. Would be nice to record 24x7 but other than that the feature requirements are fairly minimal. That said whatever I recommend I want to have decent picture quality, especially at night. I know the world of IP cams offers many more options than the standalone proprietary systems do.
I looked at a Lorex system () as an example but not sure the range would work. Also, although simple is better for him, at some point spending hours of trial and error trying to get a sub-par system to work is not what he wants either.
Are there good standalone systems that could work here? Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
Longtime reader here with a few posts so thought I'd post here. I already have about a dozen cameras here that I've hardwired into existing construction thanks to the info I've found here. They've been set-and-forget so I don't fiddle around much with them. I'm asking for recommendations for my dad.
His location has no existing cameras and very limited networking infrastructure (i.e. comcast modem+router and some WiFi repeaters). He wants to be able to monitor a boat lift and dock that are about 250 feet away (say 100 feet is flat from the house and then there's a hill that goes down about 75 feet to a 75 foot dock). Line of sight to the is house maybe possible. There's not a hard dollar budget but he doesn't want to spend a lot of his own time to set this up. I don't want to be 24x7 tech support either... There will be 12VDC power at the location and adding 120V is much easier than say running say CAT6 cables (partly due to lack of a wiring closet / demarcation point and also older house where it's difficult to fish wires). WiFi does not currently reach the location. 1 camera would suffice for him (based on his current knowledge) although I think we all agree here that more would be better ;-)
I suggested several options from easiest to hardest. 1- trail camera with cellular upload, 2 - a standalone system with a receiver and wireless cameras, 3 - run cables to get WiFi at the shore and use WiFi cameras with an NVR, 4 - similar to 3 but hardwire the cameras. 4 sounds pretty good but the dock needs to be removed every fall/winter so I actually prefer option 3 with cameras mounted on the lift so that we're not messing with network cabling twice a year. But an IP Camera (WiFI or hardwired) may be too time consuming and frustrating for him to install in this location.
I know this is IP CAM TALK, so maybe not a lot of experience with / love for options 1 or 2 (trail cams or standalone proprietary systems). And I've avoided these largely based on what I've learned here. That said, I'm wondering if there is a standalone system with wireless cameras and receiver that could work here? Wireless range and reliability is my biggest concern. Would be nice to record 24x7 but other than that the feature requirements are fairly minimal. That said whatever I recommend I want to have decent picture quality, especially at night. I know the world of IP cams offers many more options than the standalone proprietary systems do.
I looked at a Lorex system () as an example but not sure the range would work. Also, although simple is better for him, at some point spending hours of trial and error trying to get a sub-par system to work is not what he wants either.
Are there good standalone systems that could work here? Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
