I have a driveway that is about 3000 feet long. I'd like to put an outdoor camera at the beginning of my drive and then be able to view it from the house, over wifi, and possibly via my iPhone when not at home. I have seen some systems that have radio line of sight signals where you attach a receiver to your roof top and the transmitter to a camera some distance away, but I have not heard from anyone how efficient these systems are. Any suggestions or comments on this topic would be appreciated. Obviously money is a factor but for the right system I'd spend for it. I just want something of quality without going bankrupt either. thanks
Long Range Video Surveillance
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I have strongly considered fiber but I have no knowledge of how to splice it, I would have to run it inside of a pvc pipe alongside my driveway to make sure it doesn't get cut down the road, and so that option would be pretty expensive. I was sort of looking for alternatives to see what the other options were. There is a power box in the vicinity of that location, Id just have to get the power company to come out and set up an outlet for me (with attached meter likely)
Well, then you can setup a point-to-pont bridge using this: https://www.ubnt.com/airmax/nanostationm/
It's easier to setup and more cheaper than the fiber.
You must install it on a pole as high as possible because the trees will reduce the signal.
It's easier to setup and more cheaper than the fiber.
You must install it on a pole as high as possible because the trees will reduce the signal.
nayr
IPCT Contributor
you need direct line of sight for wifi, if it has to pass through tree tops dont count on it working at that distance..
Have you consider a game camera instead? they already run off battery and dont require a network to support them.. some can send pics via cellular networks.. and even those expensive units will likely be more cost effective than getting IP camera running out there.. If you have to install a 30ft pole and buy a solar setup you wont end up being much cheaper than trenching a fiber out there.
installing another meeter is going to add a duplicate service fee to your bill, so it'll cost you like $20/mo regardless of power usage.. My dad got a 2nd meeter for his new garage to avoid ripping up pavers on the back of the house; now he regrets it.. after a couple of years it'd of been cheaper to dig the trench to the house and repair the pavers, and the fee is just going up
Have you consider a game camera instead? they already run off battery and dont require a network to support them.. some can send pics via cellular networks.. and even those expensive units will likely be more cost effective than getting IP camera running out there.. If you have to install a 30ft pole and buy a solar setup you wont end up being much cheaper than trenching a fiber out there.
installing another meeter is going to add a duplicate service fee to your bill, so it'll cost you like $20/mo regardless of power usage.. My dad got a 2nd meeter for his new garage to avoid ripping up pavers on the back of the house; now he regrets it.. after a couple of years it'd of been cheaper to dig the trench to the house and repair the pavers, and the fee is just going up
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You mentioned line of sight -- Do you have it? If not, you can get closer to that goal by moving the wifi bridge (on either side, or both) to an ideal position. You're limited to about 300ft on each side (without repeaters/amplifiers/etc) so in your setup is that possible to get line of sight? I think a lot of people forget that's a completely viable option for cases like these. You don't need the wifi bridge right next to the cam.
If I could get high enough up a tree, I may be able to get line of sight. Or maybe I could put the camera a 1/3 of the way from the end of the drive, the receiver a 1/3 of the way from my house and then run cable from there. Its not ideal but I don't want to pay $5000 for this one camera. I would consider fiber optic, but I don't even know where to begin looking for that, buying it? installing it?
What about something like this?
http://camsat-cctv.com/cctv/for-pal-ntsc-cameras/tco-5807h-1
What about something like this?
http://camsat-cctv.com/cctv/for-pal-ntsc-cameras/tco-5807h-1
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nayr
IPCT Contributor
intop of a tree is not going to work unless its a dead tree, or one your willing to kill that you can convert into a post.. you'll need to chop off all the limbs and leave just the trunk so the sway is minimal.. and eventually its going to rot away. Would be better to consider installing a street light on a post, the electric company can help with that usually and the'll bring power to it... then you can attach your directional antenna to the top and run the line to wherever your camera is best located at.
You might be able to find an old windmill locally from a farm for a good price, and convert it into a radio tower..
you can buy a spool of fiber that long, you'll hire someone to come out and terminate both ends.. then hook em into media converters to hook em up to copper.. you can get armored cable that dont need to be laid in conduit.. just rent a trencher and put it a foot or so deep.. You'd need to install a utility/equipment box out there to put the equipment inside of.. but your going to need that either way.
You might be able to find an old windmill locally from a farm for a good price, and convert it into a radio tower..
you can buy a spool of fiber that long, you'll hire someone to come out and terminate both ends.. then hook em into media converters to hook em up to copper.. you can get armored cable that dont need to be laid in conduit.. just rent a trencher and put it a foot or so deep.. You'd need to install a utility/equipment box out there to put the equipment inside of.. but your going to need that either way.
mando209
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how many trees are in the way? sometimes u can get signal with a few trees in the way but if it's alot of trees it wont get signal. 2nd property is 1.2 miles away with a couple of trees(about 3-4 huge tall trees) in the way and signal is good.i use two of these for that setup.been using it for almost a year now.you can contact flytec computers and they can answer anything about setting up the antennas.nice customer support.airgrid antenna is looks big when u hold it in your hands but once u have them up you wont noticed them.the ubiquiti forums also is a good place.they'll get u up and running 
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nayr
IPCT Contributor
depends on the trees too, Conifers are much more of a bitch than deciduous, 2.4Ghz full wavelength is ~5in long.. and thats the average size of alot of conifers needles, so they act as lil antenna that absorb the signal.. if your trying to get it through a small conifer forest it'll be much more challenging.
if its just deciduous trees your too late to install it this year, you need to setup your wifi network late next spring.. or its likely your wifi signals will disappear once the leaves come back.
if its just deciduous trees your too late to install it this year, you need to setup your wifi network late next spring.. or its likely your wifi signals will disappear once the leaves come back.
If you're looking to place the cam up the road a bit (Or supply power from the house a few hundred feet) you can just extend Ethernet and power to the cam using these things:
https://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Gigabit-PoE-Repeater-TPE-E100/dp/B00SDFFZZY?th=1
I've only tested these with IR and PTZ functioning cams to a distance of exactly 1,000ft, but it did that task quite well with only one unit 475ft into the line. In other words, I had zero packet loss, zero stream issues, and full PTZ functionality with only one in-line amp/repeater in a 1,000ft run. I even threw four or five different PoE powered IP phones on it and ran jitter tests... powered each phone and had the same exact latency as 1ft from the server.
The mfg states:
"Daisy chain up to 7 units for a total PoE+ network extension of 800 m (2,600 ft.)" <-- I'd be curious about ping times though...
You could also split that distance in half throw the WIFI bridge halfway down the driveway and use only one or two of the repeater/amplifiers. Power output may be a bit of an issue depending on what you go with there though.
All worth at least looking into. A lot of people may not give these things the time of day or have issues with my tests, but screw it. They work really well!
https://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Gigabit-PoE-Repeater-TPE-E100/dp/B00SDFFZZY?th=1
I've only tested these with IR and PTZ functioning cams to a distance of exactly 1,000ft, but it did that task quite well with only one unit 475ft into the line. In other words, I had zero packet loss, zero stream issues, and full PTZ functionality with only one in-line amp/repeater in a 1,000ft run. I even threw four or five different PoE powered IP phones on it and ran jitter tests... powered each phone and had the same exact latency as 1ft from the server.
The mfg states:
"Daisy chain up to 7 units for a total PoE+ network extension of 800 m (2,600 ft.)" <-- I'd be curious about ping times though...
You could also split that distance in half throw the WIFI bridge halfway down the driveway and use only one or two of the repeater/amplifiers. Power output may be a bit of an issue depending on what you go with there though.
All worth at least looking into. A lot of people may not give these things the time of day or have issues with my tests, but screw it. They work really well!
As an Amazon Associate IPCamTalk earns from qualifying purchases.