new user install questions

[superdave98052]

Hi,

I am fairly comfortable with cat5 punchdowns having terminated all cat5 cable that the builder strung through the house but left unterminated.

My 'wiring center' for outdoor cat5 that i plan to string, is going to be my second floor outdoor balcony with power outlet! Good location, free from tampering unless someone climbs up there with a ladder.

1) I plan to use a 'residential wiring ethernet bridge' to get ethernet from the balcony into the house, though the power outlet. I have tested it (ping) and it seems to work. Anyone else have experience with these? I prefer not to go drilling holes in the house because I have to sell it someday.

2) I'd like to terminate the cable on the balcony in some sort of enclosure, where I can have a row of 8 or 16 punchdowns, and also room for an ethernet POE switch. Something with a door would be nice, rather than having to futz with a screw-on cover every time i need to get in there. Any recommendations here? I suppose an empty electrical enclosure from the home store may work.

3) At each camera location, what are the preferred options? I can think of terminating each table in a small plastic box that takes cat 5 receptacles, then use a patch cable to reach the camera. This is fine for high-up eaves/soffit locations, but probably not good where people can screw with it (unplug it, see what happens if they short it, etc). In that case, do people stuff a punchdown and patch cable into an electrical junction box and stuff it all in and hope the camera mounts flush? Or just terminate the cable with a cat5 plug right in the junction box, leaving yourself a little slack. I am kind of obsessive about using 'structured wiring' everywhere though, having had to tend to some prior guy's half-arsed DIY cabling install at an air force base many years back (zero structured wiring, just plugs everywhere).

4) location. i have a tradeoff choice between very discrete (and also hard to reach), or less discrete and easy to reach from the balcony (but not the ground ). i'm thinking the latter, so i don't have to get out the ladder every time i need to make an adjustment!

thanks folks

superdave98052

 

[harrijs]

You are looking for a nema enclosure. Many manufacturers and sizes available. I would run all of the cables to the cameras and terminate them as home runs directly to the camera. Not much sense adding additional pieces to the puzzle that could cause frustration when troubleshooting a potential problem.

 

[superdave98052]

Thanks for the tip on the nema enclosure.

on the cabling my thinking with the patch cable from run-termination to camera, was that it'd give a little flexibility in positioning, changing cameras in the future, etc. i have some existing non-poe cams i may want to power of poe for a while, etc.

but as long as i'm sure i'm never gonna move the new poe cams, no point I suppose.

so what is the best way to terminate in the junction box? A cat5 receptacle right on the cable, with heat shrink tubing to tidy it up a bit? leave my self a little excess and coil it up?

 

[ServiceXp]

so what is the best way to terminate in the junction box? A cat5 receptacle right on the cable, with heat shrink tubing to tidy it up a bit? leave my self a little excess and coil it up?

Yes, in the box, and if your camera comes with the sealing boots (apparently some don't), use them they work Very well,... If not @fenderman recommends using this product and yes always leave yourself some excess.

 

[harrijs]

Yes, in the box, and if your camera comes with the sealing boots (apparently some don't), use them they work Very well,... If not @fenderman recommends using this product and yes always leave yourself some excess.

I wouldn't waste the extra money or time on a keystone jack in the box. Terminate the end of the cable and leave yourself a maintenance loop of a couple feet.

 

[bp2008]

Hi,

I am fairly comfortable with cat5 punchdowns having terminated all cat5 cable that the builder strung through the house but left unterminated.

My 'wiring center' for outdoor cat5 that i plan to string, is going to be my second floor outdoor balcony with power outlet! Good location, free from tampering unless someone climbs up there with a ladder.

1) I plan to use a 'residential wiring ethernet bridge' to get ethernet from the balcony into the house, though the power outlet. I have tested it (ping) and it seems to work. Anyone else have experience with these? I prefer not to go drilling holes in the house because I have to sell it someday.

2) I'd like to terminate the cable on the balcony in some sort of enclosure, where I can have a row of 8 or 16 punchdowns, and also room for an ethernet POE switch. Something with a door would be nice, rather than having to futz with a screw-on cover every time i need to get in there. Any recommendations here? I suppose an empty electrical enclosure from the home store may work.

3) At each camera location, what are the preferred options? I can think of terminating each table in a small plastic box that takes cat 5 receptacles, then use a patch cable to reach the camera. This is fine for high-up eaves/soffit locations, but probably not good where people can screw with it (unplug it, see what happens if they short it, etc). In that case, do people stuff a punchdown and patch cable into an electrical junction box and stuff it all in and hope the camera mounts flush? Or just terminate the cable with a cat5 plug right in the junction box, leaving yourself a little slack. I am kind of obsessive about using 'structured wiring' everywhere though, having had to tend to some prior guy's half-arsed DIY cabling install at an air force base many years back (zero structured wiring, just plugs everywhere).

4) location. i have a tradeoff choice between very discrete (and also hard to reach), or less discrete and easy to reach from the balcony (but not the ground ). i'm thinking the latter, so i don't have to get out the ladder every time i need to make an adjustment!

thanks folks

superdave98052

1. Yes, powerline adapters are a good choice when new interior wiring is undesirable. Performance may vary depending on which electrical circuits you plug each adapter into.
2. Can't help here. I ran everything out of my garage.
3. My outdoor cabling is very much half-arsed DIY type stuff. In fact I don't even crimp my own cables most of the time, preferring to use manufactured cables. You would be very displeased with my cabling
4. If a goal is to be able to recognize a person's face, it is actually better to have the cameras lower. If you are concerned about vandalism, cord cutting, etc, then you can always use vandal resistant cameras, run everything in conduit, and mount cameras on junction boxes so no cables are exposed.