Can't hardwire, what's the best WiFi cam w/ local streaming?

[ever0095]

Hello all,

I've been lurking on this forum for a few years, and have gathered that WiFi cams aren't a popular recommendation. I think my use case requires it, but would love some advice. My situation:

• I rent in a loft conversion - concrete everything, and running cat6 cable in/along the walls won't fly with the owner.
• Currently own a Samsung SmartCam HD Pro, and paired with Blue Iris via WiFi it's been a champ. Absolutely horrid UI and website, but that's irrelevant for me.
• I need to add a second WiFi cam, and I assume the HD Pro's a bit dated by now. I have plenty of wireless bandwidth to do this. New cam will hit a WiFi extender, most other devices will hit main router for WiFi.
• Ethernet over powerline isn't an option - different circuits.
• 2.4GHz devices tend to lose connection in my home, haven't determined cause, possibly the prevalence of commercial WiFi APs in the downtown core where I live. 5GHz works great.
• All new WiFi cams in the market seem to be cloud storage only, I'm not interested in that. My internet connection drops intermittently and I prefer 24/7 surveillance via Blue Iris.

Two questions:

• Given the above, what's the best WiFi cam with local streaming? Is the HD Pro on top?
• If I were to jury rig a non-WiFi cam using a WiFi to Ethernet adapter, what's the best indoor day/night option under $200? I'd prefer a wide angle vs. pan/tilt, but I'm open.

Thanks!

 

[badmannen]

Can you at least power the thing or you need battery driven solution?

Sent from my One Plus X using tapatalk

 

[nayr]

couple points, PowerLine Networking works across circuits.. it struggles when it crosses phases/legs, so if the two outlets are on different circuits means nothing.. thats common, are they on the same phase? if not that could be a problem.. usually your fuse box has 2 rows, one is each phase.. if the 2 circuits are on the same side of the box then it should work.. if they are on different sides of the box you need a device installed into the circuit breaker to bridge the signals across phases.. your getting 220v service thats split into two hot 110v legs inside your service box.

Microwave Ovens are why your 2.4GHz shits out from time to time.

You think you have plenty of bandwidth avilable, but thats not true.. you already have alot of interference if 2.4 drops out all the time, and adding devices that transmit data non-stop is just more interference to the mix.. there will be a tripping point where it'll all come crumbling down, and wifi extenders just make things worse.. not better.

Good Luck, when I rented the Wifi was absolutely terrible due to the high density sardine apartments full of access points and microwave ovens, so I didnt run any video surveillance system and saved the money for a deposit on a house heh..

 

[fenderman]

Get cameras with SD card slots so they will record locally regardless of wifi interruption. Look at the hikvision cube cams.

 

[FrankOceanXray]

Ya, record locally or ... ya cant even run ethernet along the baseboards? Pull em off, tuck them in and put the baseboard back.

 

[ever0095]

Thanks for the responses guys.

• Powering it isn't an issue.
• Powerline networking's been tried by the previous tenant, I tried it with newer TrendNet devices, no luck in either case. Not sure on cause, but rates here for electricians are nuts.
• My currrent setup allows for two HD video streams via Chromecast Gen2, Sonos, the HD Pro, and five other (older) WiFi cams simultaneously, without hiccup, over a period of 12 hours. That isn't a typical scenario, and hitting the throughput ceiling's a risk I'll take.
• My extender's in AP mode, and it's required given the amount of concrete betweent that area and the router.
• SD card backup would be nice in case of PC crash, but Blue Iris integration's a must.
• I was actually just looking at a Hikvision DS-2CD2432F-IW-4MM as a possible option. Seems like the IQ's superior to my HD Pro.
• No baseboards.

If I do run with a hardwired camera but bridge the gap with a WiFi to Ethernet adapter, what's my best bet for a hardwired cam under 200?

 

[pschmehl]

Good Luck, when I rented the Wifi was absolutely terrible due to the high density sardine apartments full of access points and microwave ovens, so I didnt run any video surveillance system and saved the money for a deposit on a house heh..

Have you ever thought about what it means to say you saved enough money to buy a house by not installing a video surveillance system? Yikes!

 

[nayr]

no I am saying any system installed by the limitations of most renters is going to suck.. then your going to move in a couple years and then be back at square one.. put the money in savings and get out of renters hell.

if you want video surveillance and cant afford to own, then rent from an individual and see if you can work out an arrangement where he installs one for you and charges a lil more on rent.. big mega corp is not gonna give a shit and chances are any cameras they do have in place dont even work.. (apartments blocks)

The most reasonable thing for renters cameras with onboard storage and forget something like BluIris really, connect to the camera via network when you can and check its recordings if something turns up missing.. trying to store it in a central location w/out the capabilities of running wires really blows chunks... and rarely can you get power and screws into external surfaces either in these situations, so they are mostly cameras to watch the inside to make sure the landlord or maintenance people are not fucking w/your shit.. your never going to get a decent surveillance system w/out the ability to wire things up.. dont tell me your going to put a camera inside the window sil looking out lol..

WebCams != Security Cameras, and anything that is wireless is pretty much always a WebCam.. all his other devices that seem to work okay with plenty of bandwidth are intermittent use.. if his 2 chromecasts were streaming HD video 24/7/365 he'd notice it dropping out alot more frequency than with just a few hours a day of use.. one day wifi may be great, the next day it may be shit and there is nothing you can do about it.. but if its recording to local storage then external interference wont drop it out and you can always be confident events will be recorded.

Hikvision Cube cams would be great for apartment dwellers, when stuffed with SD storage they can get a couple days of HD quality recordings fit w/a little help from the PIR sensor.. when recording locally its a standalone device that only needs electricity to work, and wont be using any network capacity if nobody is actually viewing it or reviewing footage.

 

[rnatalli]

Did you try AV1200 MIMO powerline adapters? Powerline is hit or miss, but you do have better odds with these adapters.

 

[fenderman]

He will be ok with two cams on wifi with SD storage as backup..

 

[Kawboy12R]

Why not try any of the popular low-budget wired Dahua/ Hikvision cameras paired with a Ubiquiti M5 Loco Nanostation in client antenna mode? A Dahua 4431C-A and M5 Loco put you under $150 with 4mp and audio.

 

[ever0095]

Appreciate all the suggestions. RE: the recent points:

• Powerline adapters have definitely been hit or miss for me over the years.
• Blue Iris (or similar) compatibility is needed, as I monitor the live feed regularly. Checking an SD card intermittently wouldn't work, but that's a good idea as a backup in case of wireless interference.
• Wirelessly streaming HD video via 2 Chromecasts plus multiple cam feeds for 12 hours was a stress test. Worked fine with Nighthawk R7000. No noticeable issues. If anyone else is on the fence about this solution due purely to throughput concerns, give it a shot. If your goal is a bomb-proof security system, you aren't likely going wireless.
• I've ordered the Hikvision referenced above and an ethernet to 5GHz wireless adapter. Should allow me to avoid both 2.4GHz interference and pissing off the unit owner. Will report back once it's all installed and tested for a bit.

Thanks again!