First Time Cam/Security Install Planning

Ethernaught said:
I just lost a draft of a post I had wrote asking about alarms and security. So here's the short of it. I checked the alarms and security sub forum for "install" and "installation" looking for any examples/walkthroughs of a diy alarm system install. Only 6 results. 5 of them were about cameras, not alarm systems. The 1 that was about alarms was 2 years old and nobody replied to the thread.
When I search the internet, I find nothing of use either; no walkthrough/guide, and no videos. Is this due to the nature of the industry (not selling direct to customers, only professionals, mainly?) Is this maybe not the right forum to look for this - maybe there's a site similar to ipct but for security alarm systems?
Alarmgrid replied via email with some links to blog post and kits they have - I've only quickly skimmed a couple though, so maybe there's something closer to what I'm looking for there.
Click to expand...
I had a professional install my alarm system several years ago. I still use them for monitoring of the system. My reasoning for that is they are able to contact police/fire/medics, quicker and more efficiently than I can the majority of the time. Examples: Co2 detection. If someone is home and they don't wake up to the co2 detectors going off, then yeah... Monitoring company sees co2 going off and fire/medics are on their way.

Alarm systems are very much like cameras. It's a multi-layer approach. I've added multiple sensors over the years after learning what works/doesn't work for my application.
Having window/door contact sensors. Then, having motion sensor detectors. Those two sensors are, in my opinion, two of the most important. Of course, Co2, fire/smoke detectors are at the top, on my list.

There are also garage door sensors, mailbox sensors, driveway, etc.. etc.. If you can think of it, there is most likely a sensor that will cover that application.

As for sites/forums for DIY? I've never looked into it. Though I'm sure there are several out there.
 
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Somehow I managed to get somewhere.

-I attempted powering and connecting (ethernet) the camera and just going to the default ip. Didn't work.
-I was using the quickstart guide, which mentioned "network segment". Never heard the term. Couple youtube vids attempted, not specific/to the point enough, so wasated time watching those. Moved on.
-Followed qs guide further;

-SECTION 2.1 step 1, and I'm already confused. "ConfigTool.exe"; what? More internet searching. I guessed I needed to find and DL this tool. Tried to find safe DL for it, first one from dahua site didn't work; error. Found it on dahuawiki site, didn't know if safe. Searched for it on dahua site (international-english). Found and DL'd and installed. Opened it and followed qs guide.
-(Oh, btw, I'd had a tab open with my...ISP/Routers configuration page(s) open, looking for any new device it might show during this).
-Following steps 2 through 7, and 8 to initialize. I chose username, made new strong password, enetered email, and I left "selected P/N" as is - set to PAL.
-Step 9, 10, 11: I duno what Easy4ip, or Auto-check for updates are, exactly. Nor if I need to have those checked/enabled (Please Advise). I clicked finish.

SECTION 2.2 followed the steps. For the (static) ip, I chose one that wasn't taken by any of my other devices. I clicked "Details" (under "Operate", on the "Modify IP tab in Configtool) to get info on the camera and write it down. For the subnet, I took what the "Details" gave me. For the Gateway, I enetered what the "Details" gave me, and that did NOT work; the ip for the gateway...didn't make sense. If that's supposed to be the ip I type to reach my modem configuration page, it wasn't the same. Dunno what's up with that. So when I clicked OK, it didn't work-fail. So I eneterd the ip that I normally enter to access my router config page. I clicked OK, and that worked. If that's wrong Please Advise (like if it's unsecure or something to do that.

I opened a new browser tab, and enetered the static ip I just created for the camera. It brought up a login page with "IP Camera" displayed in the center. I used the login credentials I just created during initialization. (Oh, by the way, I also opened "Search Setting" inside the configtool after creating/changing the user and password for the camera, like it suggests in the qs guide, and sure enough - the new username and password (only the password, actually) hadn't changed. So I changed it to the new one and clicked ok/save)).

I had a little look at the feed for the camera, examining my ceiling on screen. Hah.
The main stream, where it started, has quite a delay. Then, it switched to sub stream. Then, while in sub stream, it would periodically go to a black screen with the spinning progress circle, before showing a picture/feed again. I didn't play with anything else (other than trying to enable audio, and see if I could hear anything, which didn't work). The picture didn't look great (main stream).

That's all I can take for tonight.

Edit: Also, there are two manuals for this... Web 3.0 Operation Manual, and Web 5.0 Operation Manual...?

I'll try and search the wiki here for noob/first time setup and stuff, see what I find. Can I expect decent results (test results) with this...web based software, in comparison to actually having a BI machine?
 
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Oh, how can I safely disconnect this now? Haha. Just close "X" the configtool, unplug 12v power adapter, then disconnect ethernet (suppose that doesn't matter if power is disconnected). Or do I have to hit that "eject" icon button in the top right of "configtool".

Thanks.
 
Just unplug power, the ethernet can stay or also be unplugged. Without power it's not active.
 
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I'm looking at these two options for poe switch. Might wait and see if there's a discount for black friday.
TP-Link
IPCamPower
Info in the listing for TP-Link seems off. 13port is selected below title info. And title info says 8port, yet model number suggests 13port (TL-SL1311MP).
 
I count 11 ports with all the uplinks. Maybe that’s what the 11 stands for in 1311


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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So, navigating to the ip address to see the ip camera login and information, this software is web based or partly built into the camera?
I wanted to check if I could record a segment of video with some audio in it to hear what it looks and sounds like. So I navigated to settings>storage>local a little notice popped up briefly saying "no sd card". If I installed an sd card in the camera, I guess I could record a few test clips to that (once configured within these settings, maybe)? Otherwise, I guess FTP and NAS are what one's BI machine will fall under, and will be the destination for recordings. I haven't gotten a lot into the BI part yet.
 
That is correct, the software and plug-in are in the camera.

Yes and SD card in the camera is a good extra security backup measure, as well as for troubleshooting.

Regarding BI, you do nothing in the camera settings for FTP or NAS. You simply pull the camera feed into BI and then set up recording within BI.
 
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Ethernaught said:
I'm looking at these two options for poe switch. Might wait and see if there's a discount for black friday.
TP-Link
IPCamPower
Info in the listing for TP-Link seems off. 13port is selected below title info. And title info says 8port, yet model number suggests 13port (TL-SL1311MP).
Click to expand...

Refurbs on their ebay store:
16 port/8 POE+ Gig smart switch for same price:
www.ebay.com

TP-LINK 16-Port Gigabit Easy Smart PoE Switch with 8-Port PoE+ TL-SG1016PE 6935364098865 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for TP-LINK 16-Port Gigabit Easy Smart PoE Switch with 8-Port PoE+ TL-SG1016PE at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com

24 port Gig POE+ smart for $50 more:

I have one of the 24-port above and one of these 8-port POE+ Gig managed switches that's been good so far:

Switches with the ports on the rear annoy me. lol I guess maybe better if on a desk..
 
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Mike A. said:
Refurbs on their ebay store:
16 port/8 POE+ Gig smart switch for same price:
www.ebay.com

TP-LINK 16-Port Gigabit Easy Smart PoE Switch with 8-Port PoE+ TL-SG1016PE 6935364098865 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for TP-LINK 16-Port Gigabit Easy Smart PoE Switch with 8-Port PoE+ TL-SG1016PE at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com

24 port Gig POE+ smart for $50 more:

I have one of the 24-port above and one of these 8-port POE+ Gig managed switches that's been good so far:

Switches with the ports on the rear annoy me. lol I guess maybe better if on a desk..
Click to expand...
Thanks for that, man. Switches on front, never thought of that. They don't ship to my location/canada, though.
 
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A neighboring house had a camera, or perhaps cameras, installed recently. There's one right above the front door; directly above it. I was looking at it, and here's how I'd describe the install. The cable comes out the right side of the camera's "housing" at the rear (probably that little notch, for 'surface mounting'), then it runs along the top trim area of the door frame til the end, where it turns 90* downward and runs down the right side trim, then, it turns 90* to the right and runs off the door trim and follows along the (wooden) siding for maybe 15+ feet (maybe a foot off the ground), where it enters the house through a hole that was drilled. The cable is stapled along the way, somewhat lazily looking. This was not a diy job, some company or other did it.

What do you think? Haha.
 
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Sounds about like one of my neighbor's old cable TV runs. Cable company ran it up from the basement to a corner of the house and then off at a diagonal over the siding to a bedroom in the middle of the house where they went through. Looks ridiculous.
 
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Mike A. said:
Sounds about like one of my neighbor's old cable TV runs. Cable company ran it up from the basement to a corner of the house and then off at a diagonal over the siding to a bedroom in the middle of the house where they went through. Looks ridiculous.
Click to expand...
Pretty sweet, hey?
I think I'm just gonna run the cable for my first cam through a closed, ground level, front window with a towel for insulation. Sure, the window will need to be left unlocked and everything. But it's easier. I'll just run the cable up the siding, drap/hang it over the front door's light fixture, hang a loop of excess cable from the camera, and shoot a few staples in it somewhere, maybe.
 
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I'm not confident enough to purchase anything but a varifocal, yet. And that leaves me with the only well recommended camera that I'm aware of (from this site only) being the t5442t-ze. But trying to decide between a 2.8mm and a 3.6mm has me feeling unsure. For the use of a front door camera, to INDENTIFY people at the front door, I'm not sure how much of a difference there'd be in the two, practically.

The distance from mounted height of, say, 7 feet, to the person on sidewalk no more than 6 or 7 feet away (and probably much closer, about 4 feet?), would be about 10 feet (direct line of sight). Cam would have to be mounted on wooden siding to the side of the door, or on a pole that's attached to the siding - also just to the side of the door, angled left/right towards the door. As mounting on door fram/trim above would be too high and not a good angle, and even if mounted to the left/right door trim at a better/lower height, I would think would be a bit too close (to the subject), maybe not though...?

So, I wonder, is either of these focal lengths going to have trouble with the subject being too close? And secondly, at that distance to subject (10 feet or less), is the closer zoom of the 3.6mm FL necessary for detail/IDENTIFY?
For some reason I feel as though they'd both do the job, but the 2.8mm will have significanly wider view but may not be of much use anyway (sligtly distorted at the extreme perimeter, no?).

Sorry for the somewhat redundant question.

Edit: I also forgot the subjects height from the ground. So the distance to the subject would be less than the 10ft "hypotenuse" I initially thought of. Anyway...
Edit 2: My bad guys. I know I'll likely just have to try one or the other, or get the varifocal out to the front to 'test' and see first, then still just try one or the other.

I've seen one "front porch" cam install here, and the camera couldn't have been mounted higher than 4 or 5 feet. But that was an off-street house, with a decent front yard and walk way, and with a "cove" style / covered porch area. Not a house that's essentially built right on the sidewalk, with no protection what-so-ever from the elements / easy access from sidewalk traffic. It seems odd to visualize a camera at such a low height on the front of someones house, right on the sidewalk, where a dog could stand on it's hind legs and have a lick. I envision it being something people would wanna touch, or worse.
 
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did you install any cams yet? this first posted in August,,,,,are you runnig anything yet?
 
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Flintstone61 said:
did you install any cams yet? this first posted in August,,,,,are you runnig anything yet?
Click to expand...
No, haven't run any cable or installed anything yet. Got first cam, during last sale. So far just initialized it and looked around the ipcam software built in a little bit. I need a 2x4 (or something) for making a test rig. I have a 50ft ethernet cable to use for now.
 
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