PoE Camera Install and Camera Placement

Saltster

Pulling my weight
Dec 7, 2017
220
132
Florida
PoE Camera Install and Camera Placement

Hi I have the Reolink = RLK16-410B8 16-Channel 4MP PoE Security Camera System. I currently have 8 wired poe 4 MP cameras, and 1 RLC-422W 5MP Dual-Band WiFi Security IP Camera. all are working great, and the videos both day and night are very nice high resolution videos. At-least I think so :-)

The wireless is in my boat outside, and the other 8 are on the front porch, back porch, driveway, and garage. going to add a few ore cameras soon.

I'm also looking to add some 198 LED Long Range 300-400ft IR Illuminators for my trucks parking areas.

Here is my Install starting with the unboxing than and Placement setup.

Unboxing

PC010125.JPG


Just testing the video on my TV screen
PC040137.JPG
 
Ok

First I wanted to see how the placement looked on the screen, before I drilled any holes in the celing, so I set up a ladder and placed the camera in different locations and angles

PC070148.JPG



Placed my laptop close so I could see how the views looked.
PC070150.JPG

Reviewing my angle and placement of my front door. There will be two cameras here, facing opposite angles and directions so they cover the whole porch and both sides of a person.

Preview_NVR_03_20171207_105911_330077656.jpg
 
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Looking good.
Just out of curiosity - what type of wire are those pre-made cables? I can only see EIA on the markings.
Are they solid copper or CCA (Copper-clad Aluminium). Looks like CCA.
 
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Looking good.
Just out of curiosity - what type of wire are those pre-made cables? I can only see EIA on the markings.
Are they solid copper or CCA (Copper-clad Aluminium). Looks like CCA.

Hi you caught me as I was still uploading some pics and info.
I made sure I got Solid Copper Wire...

I got 1,000 ft box
http://amzn.to/2kxa4V9

also got 100 pack of Pass Through CAT5e RJ45 Network Cable Modular Plugs
http://amzn.to/2BI8Cm6

TRENDnet 8P/RJ-45 and 6P/RJ-12, RJ-11 Crimp, Cut, and Strip Tool
http://amzn.to/2j4O6sd

100 Pcs Mixed Color CAT5E CAT6 RJ45 Ethernet Network Cable Strain Relief Boots
http://amzn.to/2BIVDRd

Also Made a 100ft cable section so I could run the cable around the house to check out different placement locations before I drill any holes.

here is my connection diagram I am using.

network wiring diagram.jpg
 
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I decided that the camera angle looked better by the wall
PC070151.JPG


View of the porch, walkway and steps
Preview_NVR_03_20171207_105741_329987500.jpg

Below are the two views of camera placement
Top against wall, Bottom about a foot away from the wall.

Top pic shows more of the yard (see top right) of pic
Double View.jpg

I'm not going to drill the holes until I see what it looks like tonight in the dark with the landscaping lights on.
 
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Welcome Saltster,

Enjoyed watching your setup. Thanks for sharing!

After watching a LOT of security camera captures, I recommend finding a way to bring at least some of those cameras down lower which cover the entry ways to your home so that you can increase the chances of getting a good facial ID image.

In many setups I see great shots of hats and top of heads, but no good facial images.

( mounting the camera 8 feet or lower is recommended for a good facial ID, and close enough to get 100 pixels per foot ( ppf ) or more on target .. so cameras have to be close enough to get that. )
 
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Welcome Saltster,

Enjoyed watching your setup. Thanks for sharing!

After watching a LOT of security camera captures, I recommend finding a way to bring at least some of those cameras down lower which cover the entry ways to your home so that you can increase the chances of getting a good facial ID image.

In many setups I see great shots of hats and top of heads, but no good facial images.

Thanks for your input, that's why I'm posting before and as I am hard wiring my install... I appreciate any feedback that anyone has to offer.

I will be posting as I do each cameras placement, should take me a few weeks to complete the install.. Doing it myself, and once I find a location, I want to see how each camera looks at night. before I drill and run the wiring in the attic.

Yes I thought of that, my porch is 12ft high and the wall is concrete block, so the roof mount is the best for this location. I am going to have two cameras on the porch entry so I get both sides of anyone at the front door, and on the whole porch. The camera is only 8feet from the beginning of the 3ft door, and up 12 ft.

I will also be using a junction box for the wiring connections, which should bring it down another two inches. I will be heading to Home Depot to pick some up before I drill and for final placement.

I really to not want to use a drop down mount, or wall mount. So the roofs and roof soffits are going to be my choice.

unless you have some other mounting suggestions for me to look at.

Thanks
 
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I also have some other layers of security. Besides doing this install with up to 16 cameras, I have the Elk M1, hardwired and motion in the house, and will also have some video cameras placed inside.

I have the Elk M1 for several years now
 
After watching a LOT of security camera captures, I recommend finding a way to bring at least some of those cameras down lower which cover the entry ways to your home so that you can increase the chances of getting a good facial ID image.

In many setups I see great shots of hats and top of heads, but no good facial images.
I just did a walk through to see if it captures my face with my hat on, let me know if you think it looks Ok in this position or not? Thanks.

Below are some pics I just took

192.168.50.97_03_339863078.jpg 192.168.50.97_03_339871687.jpg 192.168.50.97_03_339881562.jpg 192.168.50.97_03_339889468.jpg 192.168.50.97_03_339896281.jpg 192.168.50.97_03_339909515.jpg
 
Hi Saltster,

Indeed too high.

Is the concrete block hollow? or filled in?

One option is to surface mount a 1/2" EMT to a junction box further down the wall.

If you get a camera with a better "zoom" lens you can mount it by the corner of the house down a bit and get a good angle on those by the door.

Suggested location for such a camera - note this gets a good side view, would still be nice to have a good frontal facial ID shot - I've got a camera mounted 5 feet high by my front door.

housePC070150-idea.JPG
 
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Needed to adjust my settings some, before I took some snap shots out of the video footage, now the photos look better.

192.168.50.97_03_341144171.jpg 192.168.50.97_03_341192421.jpg 192.168.50.97_03_341197843.jpg 192.168.50.97_03_341203109.jpg 192.168.50.97_03_341212343.jpg 192.168.50.97_03_341217484.jpg 192.168.50.97_03_341224656.jpg 192.168.50.97_03_341237203.jpg
 
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Hi Saltster,

Indeed too high.

Is the concrete block hollow? or filled in?

One option is to surface mount a 1/2" EMT to a junction box further down the wall.

If you get a camera with a better "zoom" lens you can mount it by the corner of the house down a bit and get a good angle on those by the door.

Suggested location for such a camera - note this gets a good side view, would still be nice to have a good frontal facial ID shot - I've got a camera mounted 5 feet high by my front door.

View attachment 24377

If the camera was at the top of the window, you would be able to touch them. But I will see how it looks in that position.
 
If the camera was at the top of the window, you would be able to touch them. But I will see how it looks in that position.

Hi Saltster,

Don't worry about people being able to touch the camera, if you've got a solid camera mounted well it should work for long enough to get a good number of images.

Hard to meet the facial ID requirement and not be accessible.

Thus some like good quality turret / eyeball style cameras as they are harder to grab and force out of alignment.
 
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OK, screwed the camera onto to the top of the window frame, guess I will have to worry abut running it up the inside of the wall later LOL

Here is the lower view pics. Is there enough difference to matter?

192.168.50.97_04_343832984.jpg 192.168.50.97_04_343879890.jpg 192.168.50.97_04_343888656.jpg 192.168.50.97_04_343893562.jpg 192.168.50.97_04_343917468.jpg 192.168.50.97_04_343922750.jpg 192.168.50.97_04_343927890.jpg 192.168.50.97_04_343932546.jpg 192.168.50.97_04_343937437.jpg 192.168.50.97_04_343948937.jpg 192.168.50.97_04_343955765.jpg 192.168.50.97_04_343962953.jpg 192.168.50.97_04_343968343.jpg
 
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Much better, more pixels on target, better angle = better chance to ID
 
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That's a lot better. I've been thinking about putting something up by my camera like a flashing light or something that would force people to look right at it. :D

Another thing to think about (that I learned the hardway) is which direction do people naturally turn around when they leave the door? Here's my current front door cam. The way my property is designed people ALWAYS turn around counter-clockwise because of where the sidewalk is (well, whats left of my sidewalk anyways). So my cam is on the wrong side of the porch and gets their backs a lot.
I am going to have two cameras one on one side of the porch and the second on the other side, this will catch both sides just like this first camera.
 
OK here is a walk through of the pics.

top is the high camera, and bottom are from the window molding camera. I do see your point on the angle of the camera, there is a little difference in the pics...


High Rooftop Camera
HighRoofTop.jpg


Lower Window Molding Camera

Window Molding1.jpg Window Molding2.jpg
 
That's a lot better. I've been thinking about putting something up by my camera like a flashing light or something that would force people to look right at it. :D

Another thing to think about (that I learned the hardway) is which direction do people naturally turn around when they leave the door? Here's my current front door cam. The way my property is designed people ALWAYS turn around counter-clockwise because of where the sidewalk is (well, whats left of my sidewalk anyways). So my cam is on the wrong side of the porch and gets their backs a lot.
With my pouch, they will probably be looking in both directions, to see if anyone is around. Thats why I will be using two camers on the fornt porch, and two on the back porch... also a few out by my garage drive parking.

I could move the camera back further, but I do not want them back to far away from the door?
 
OK last set of pics.
Installed another camera, on a window that is back further...

is there any difference in the pics, is the camera back to far?
or it better that far away.

The first window is only 8 feet from the beginning of the 3ft door,
and this window is at 11 feet from the door.

any thoughts on distance?

192.168.50.97_01_347874031.jpg

window two 1.jpg window two 2.jpg