I am so lost on what to buy.... currently using Logitech Alerts

[rawbar]

I currently have a 2 camera Logitech Alert system (one indoor, one out) which I got for free as part of their "delta test" program years ago. The thing I love about it is that it uses powerline adapters so it's easy to put the cameras anywhere. The thing I hate about it is has been completely unreliable. The PC software would often report it had lost connection to the cameras and I'd have to go reset everything. I've had to replace a camera, cable and powerline adapters and I've about had it. Neither camera is currently working and something a bit freaky happened yesterday and my wife wants me to get something working ASAP.

I live in a rental and I can't drill anywhere on the house (vinyl siding, vinyl windows, aluminum eaves) and don't want to invest in the cost of running cables when I may move in a year (And can't drill anyway). So that leaves me with a few different options, all of which I'm tearing my hair out over. FWIW I intend to use Blue Iris.

Wifi. We know the reliability factor of wifi. Every camera would have a decent wifi signal, but... wifi. I've been looking at Hikvision because price is a big factor, but I can't find one that's a bullet with wifi, IP66, 3MP with good IR range. Since I can't realistically mount on the house, I was going to mount it on top of my back gate pointed down the driveway and I think it would be difficult (and silly looking) to mount a dome on top of the gate. Or maybe there is a bracket? Hell, I'm confused over dome vs bullet. I've read IR is better in bullet and better in dome, depending on who's writing. I've read that the lenses are larger in bullet and better in low light. It would need a narrow field of vision as there is a fence on the right and a house on the left and it's looking down a 35' driveway. I think bullet with 2.8mm lens is probably ideal for that scenario.

IP66 Powerline adapters. I can't find any that are reasonably priced ($40-50ish) or really even unreasonably priced. This would be my ideal solution, if something worked just like the Logitechs...... only with more reliability.

PoE to a wifi bridge. Again, can't find decent prices on any IP66 PoE injectors (or IP66 wifi bridges). Then we're back at wifi anyway, so might as well go the wifi camera option over this.

Running ethernet without drilling anything. Maybe flat ethernet cables run out the window could possibly work, but I keep going back to the easier solution of wifi.... but can't find the ideal cameras

Please help unparalyze me from making some decisions. Thanks!

 

[MrCourtney]

Powerline is a great idea that simply doesn't work for some people. There's a lot of variables: age of the house wiring, what is on the same circuit, phase of the moon, etc. I had a Logitech system (6 cameras) and finally went PoE for all of them. Two cameras worked great and the other four were off line 50% of the time. Check Amazon.com for POE injectors. There's lots of good ones under $50 that'll feed up to 8 cameras.
Not too many people here think much of WIFI. It gets congested too easily and can be all around flaky.
Monoprice.com has flat ethernet cables (100 ft) for under $15 if you figure out how to sneak it around the house.
Good luck.

 

[rawbar]

Thanks for the response, you know... it didn't occur to me that the Logitechs are PoE.... I mean, of COURSE they are, but for some reason it simply didn't click. The outdoor one isn't working because of a failed powerline adapter (2nd time I've had one fail). So this makes me think of one more possibility. Try to revive this camera using PoE instead of replacing the powerline adapter or buying a new camera. In the basement, I actually already have a couple of flat 50' ethernet cables from monoprice. Unfortunately I'll have to order a PoE injector, the only ones I have are proprietary for polycom phones.

 

[bp2008]

Wifi. We know the reliability factor of wifi. Every camera would have a decent wifi signal, but... wifi.

It does sound like this may be your only choice. I recommend you get an extra WiFi access point. Something with top-notch customer reviews, or maybe a basic Ubiquiti UniFi. Run it on a different channel for cameras only. Use channels 1, 6, and 11 only. These are the only non-overlapping channels and it is counter-productive to use any of the channels between.

You may be able to user powerline adapters to much better effect if you try to keep them on the same circuit and get some kind of noise filter (a surge protector usually works) for anything that may be causing interference. Don't plug the powerline adapters into a surge protector or UPS though, since it will filter out the signal you want to keep!

I've been looking at Hikvision because price is a big factor, but I can't find one that's a bullet with wifi, IP66, 3MP with good IR range.

I don't think Hikvision has a bullet with WiFi. The only outdoor camera models I'm aware of with WiFi are domes:

2014 New Hikvision dome camera DS 2CD2532F I S W, audio,Wifi ,3MP Mini dome,Up to 10m IR Network camera,DS 2CD2532F IWS-in CCTV Cameras from Computer & Office on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
Free shipping New Arrival 3Mp Mini Dome Camera POE IP Audio I/O WIFI camera DS 2CD2132F IWS-in CCTV Cameras from Computer & Office on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

In this case I'd have to go with the second option, the 2132F. It is cheaper and has better IR range than the smaller 2532F.

Since I can't realistically mount on the house, I was going to mount it on top of my back gate pointed down the driveway and I think it would be difficult (and silly looking) to mount a dome on top of the gate. Or maybe there is a bracket?

Can you mount on a vertical surface? i.e. the side of a post? Both of the cameras I linked are adjustable on 3 axis so it should be fine that way.

Hell, I'm confused over dome vs bullet. I've read IR is better in bullet and better in dome, depending on who's writing. I've read that the lenses are larger in bullet and better in low light. It would need a narrow field of vision as there is a fence on the right and a house on the left and it's looking down a 35' driveway. I think bullet with 2.8mm lens is probably ideal for that scenario.

Generally speaking IR is no better in either type of camera. Lenses also are typically the same size in the Hikvision product lines. You can't get the 2032 bullet with a 2.8mm lens, though most of the other models have that lens option.

You may like this guy's spreadsheet comparing Hikvision cameras: http://www.ipcamtalk.com/showthread.php/2873-Hikvision-Product-Comparison

IP66 Powerline adapters. I can't find any that are reasonably priced ($40-50ish) or really even unreasonably priced. This would be my ideal solution, if something worked just like the Logitechs...... only with more reliability.

Yeah I think you will need an enclosure if you are going to plug them in outside where they can get wet.

PoE to a wifi bridge. Again, can't find decent prices on any IP66 PoE injectors (or IP66 wifi bridges). Then we're back at wifi anyway, so might as well go the wifi camera option over this.

I don't know of any IP66 PoE injectors, but have a look at Ubiquiti NanoStation Loco M2. These are 2.4ghz directional WiFi radios that can be used as access points or wireless clients. The radios themselves are weatherproof but the power injectors they come with are not, so you need them to be mounted indoors or in an enclosure. Something like this maybe, though probably a different size or style since I just linked the first one I found: Wiegmann 8 in. x 8 in. x 4 in. NEMA 3R Screw Cover Box-RSC080804RC - The Home Depot

Running ethernet without drilling anything. Maybe flat ethernet cables run out the window could possibly work, but I keep going back to the easier solution of wifi.... but can't find the ideal cameras

Please help unparalyze me from making some decisions. Thanks!

Flat ethernet cables might not be twisted pairs so they might have severely limited range... Not sure!

 

[bp2008]

Also, 2.8mm is the widest readily-available lens, btw. 4mm is narrower. 6mm is narrower still. 12mm is very narrow compared to the others.

 

[MrCourtney]

>>>Flat ethernet cables might not be twisted pairs so they might have severely limited range... Not sure!

I'm running 5 of my 9 cams on 100 foot flat cables. Works great!

 

[olli]

Here's a working link to the Hikvision chart.. http://www.ipcamtalk.com/showthread.php/2873-Hikvision-Product-Comparison

Good luck with building your system

 

[rawbar]

Thanks, I had looked at the chart before I made the original post, that's where I was seeing no bullets with WiFi. FWIW, here's a pic of the gate. As you can see, I have to put the camera on top (that's a logitech there now) in order to get line of sight over cars that may be parked in the driveway. I think I will try the flat ethernet cable out the windows since I already have some. Just shopping newegg for cheap PoE switches now.

 

[bp2008]

This is a popular PoE switch: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704080

 

[rawbar]

For cameras, I'd think gigabit would be preferable? I'm thinking this one with 4 PoE ports. Far as I can tell, all 8 ports are gigabit.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704175&cm_re=poe_switch-_-33-704-175-_-Product

This is a popular PoE switch: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704080

 

[bp2008]

You can count on each cam using 4-12 Mbps (depending on personal preference for storage space vs image quality) and you don't really need gigabit unless you are going to be coming close to 100 Mbps total in a single switch.

 

[rawbar]

FWIW, just to test things out, I bought a $28 Trendnet PoE injector, ran the flat cable out the window and over to the logitech on the gate. So I'll pick up a couple more cameras and go the PoE and cable out the window route. Thanks for the help everybody.

and it's working