New to IP cameras and need some help picking out components

Blue42

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I was planning to mount to the soffit and put the cable up into the attic. What is CCA? Sorry for all the ?s
 

wittaj

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CCA is copper clad aluminum wiring. You want pure copper.
 

kjinxx2

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Welcome aboard !

I've been using this switch for many years - they are cheap, reliable, and enterprise quality


I currently have 3 in my house (one in the basement w/ my surveillance server, one on my first floor, and one in my attic) all daisy chained back to my PC. I also run a system at a business with this switch as well


Some others may have other suggestions
 
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Blue42

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Welcome aboard !

I've been using this switch for many years - they are cheap, reliable, and enterprise quality


I currently have 3 in my house (one in the basement w/ my surveillance server, one on my first floor, and one in my attic) all daisy chained back to my PC. I also run a system at a business with this switch as well


Some others may have other suggestions
I think I'll just need one? I plan on putting this one in the attic. Yours has held up fine in the attic?
 
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kjinxx2

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Yes, I suppose the feasibility of a switch being in the attic will depend on your geographic location/climate. Humidity would be my main concern I think
 

Blue42

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It does get fairly humid in summers here. I just thought running all cams to a switch in attic and only having to run one wire to a PC would be the easiest route for me, instead of running all the cam wires through the wall.
 

looney2ns

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Welcome aboard !

I've been using this switch for many years - they are cheap, reliable, and enterprise quality


I currently have 3 in my house (one in the basement w/ my surveillance server, one on my first floor, and one in my attic) all daisy chained back to my PC. I also run a system at a business with this switch as well


Some others may have other suggestions
How many fans does this switch have?
Loud?
 
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kjinxx2

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How many fans does this switch have?
Loud?
It's got 2 40mm fans - 3 of the 4 switches i received are totally silent, one of them has a bit of a noisy fan that I could replace if needed but it's in the basement and doesn't bother me. The loads going through the switches are so small that I could likely remove the fans without any issue
 

kjinxx2

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It does get fairly humid in summers here. I just thought running all cams to a switch in attic and only having to run one wire to a PC would be the easiest route for me, instead of running all the cam wires through the wall.
I would personally feel comfortable with my switch even in a higher humidity setting, though I would definitely clog up each port with some dielectric grease just to prevent any corrosion and would monitor the switch periodically
 

Blue42

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I would personally feel comfortable with my switch even in a higher humidity setting, though I would definitely clog up each port with some dielectric grease just to prevent any corrosion and would monitor the switch periodically
Great! Thanks for the advice! Everybody has been very helpful so far and I'm very far from being done asking questions. I'll get the cameras, wire, and switch coming!
 

kjinxx2

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I think I'm going to get pre-made lengths of cable if possible.
Sounds good! I prefer to use the un-terminated wire while running so I can get through 1/4" holes instead of drilling 1/2" holes, and it's just a little easier to fish etc. But for your first cameras I think you'll be fine w/ pre-made and certainly will be one less thing for you to learn (for now!)

Ken
 

Rob2020

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If you have not bought pre-made cables it is not hard to make your own.

Before I arrived here I never made one cable, using the Klein VD226-110 ($50 at Home Depot) and pass through connectors, it is not difficult to make your own cable.
 

Mike A.

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I think I'm going to get pre-made lengths of cable if possible.
Unless maybe you have a very easy and short install it's much easier to pull the cable unterminated and from a roll. Terminating it is not that hard.

Also, don't know about your attic but mine is a pain to get into and a mess to work in. You'll need to access and check/do things at the switch at times. Better to have it where it's more easily easily accessible if you can. Saving a few feet of cable or a smaller hole isn't worth it just for that if you have a place for it otherwise.
 

kjinxx2

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Unless maybe you have a very easy and short install it's much easier to pull the cable unterminated and from a roll. Terminating it is not that hard.

Also, don't know about your attic but mine is a pain to get into and a mess to work in. You'll need to access and check/do things at the switch at times. Better to have it where it's more easily easily accessible if you can. Saving a few feet of cable or a smaller hole isn't worth it just for that if you have a place for it otherwise.
Agreed, I actually recently renovated my second floor laundry room and was able to relocate my attic switch. I think a small closet is also a perfect spot

PXL_20230317_184813950.jpgPXL_20230317_184845096.jpg

You can see I have a sealed pvc box where I run my cables into a shelf in my laundry room
 

Blue42

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Sounds good! I prefer to use the un-terminated wire while running so I can get through 1/4" holes instead of drilling 1/2" holes, and it's just a little easier to fish etc. But for your first cameras I think you'll be fine w/ pre-made and certainly will be one less thing for you to learn (for now!)

Ken
The runs I plan I on having will be 20 to 30 ft. That's why I was thinking pre-made cables. As far as accessing the attic it isn't too bad and there is a storage platform in there so the switch will be closer to the attic floor and easily accessible. On the other hand I'm having trouble finding pre-made cat6 solid copper in 23 ga. Would this stuff work? It's on sale right now too.
 

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kjinxx2

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The runs I plan I on having will be 20 to 30 ft. That's why I was thinking pre-made cables. As far as accessing the attic it isn't too bad and there is a storage platform in there so the switch will be closer to the attic floor and easily accessible. On the other hand I'm having trouble finding pre-made cat6 solid copper in 23 ga. Would this stuff work? It's on sale right now too.
It's really hard to tell from the pictures or even RCA's site what this wire is made of. Based on the pictures I am going to say that it is -at best- a stranded copper cable, but potentially (and, likely, at the price) copper clad aluminum (CCA).


Will it work? Maybe, but I personally wouldn't risk it - I would find a wire that positively says that it is copper
 
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