Question about PoE switches

pschmehl

pschmehl

Young grasshopper
Sep 3, 2016
48
3
Richardson, TX
I'm starting to get an idea about what I'd like to have. After extensive research I've rejected wifi as an alternative. Too many problems with camera capabilities and networking capabilities. I found a slick little wifi setup from Lorex, but it would cost more than buying one camera and a PoE and all the associated cables, parts and tools I need. So, I'm thinking of the following setup:

1 PoE switch with 4 PoE ports and 1 uplink port. A CMIP1142W-6 camera from LTS. And software to manage it all. (I'm looking at Active Webcam. If anyone knows anything about it, good or bad, please chime in.) The reason I'm thinking of a PoE switch rather than an injector is for expandability. I don't think I'll ever need another camera, but you never know.

I would love to drop one cable in the wall and have one port, but that would mean putting the PoE switch either in the attic or in the garage. I can't seem to find anything useful regarding operating temperatures for PoE switches. I would imagine the attic would be too hot in Texas, but what about the garage? I have a water heater enclosure in the garage that has an outlet already wired and not in use.

If I have to, I'll put in a four port swtich plate and just have one hot port, but I hate to do that, because the room I'd be using is a bedroom that we use as a computer room. When we sell the house someday, it might not make much sense to have four ethernet ports located there. I guess I could put it in the closet, but it would take me a while just to clean that closet out, and there's no power in there.

Comments?
 
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Texas summer heat, might be better to put in a Network Storage box with some fans as opposed to the attic. Do you have a closet or any other place you could mount/store them where it would have lower temperatures? I know some like to use the garage but I've also heard people suggest that's a bad location since the fans can suck up dirt and grime and shorten the lifespan of these kinds of products.
 
I recommend that you use the POE switches sold by LTS (Milkisbad). I started out with Netgear POE switches and have had to replace three of them for one reason or another (bad ports and internal power failure).
The benefit of Netgear is the warantee. The problem is that it is difficult to jump through the multiple hoops even after you have to endore a 40 minute wait on the phone. They do respond but it is a challenge. T
The benefit of LTS is that I have not had one go bad (other than a lightning strike which took out 7 cameras in addition to two netgear and one LTS POE switches.
 
Ouch! That was an expensive lightening strike. Thanks for the advice on the switch. I had pretty much decided to go that way since I like to couple parts from the same manufacturer whenever possible. It makes dealing with warranty issues easier and it's more likely that the parts will work together.

Now I just have to decide if I really want to do this (spend the money and do the work).
 
I've had a BV-Tech POE switch for a while now in a metal storage building with no problems. I am in central Louisiana so high heat and high humidity with no problems.
 
Geordon said:
Q, I am looking at this switch, as well. What are your initial impressions?...
Click to expand...

I'm running that same TRENDnet TPE-TG44g 8-Port Gigabit GREENnet PoE+ Switch (4 x Gigabit PoE/PoE+ Ports and 4 x Gigabit Ports). Initial impressions? It's running fine: A+ IMO so far.

I also have purchased this D-Link Systems 10-Port Gigabit Web Smart PoE Switch including 2 Gigabit SFP Ports (DGS-1210-10P) at a cost of $135.98 and it is built like a tank. I have not yet plugged it in but I'm very excited about this switch. Thanks to @nayr for mentioning this line of switches.
 
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The Bv-Tech is a 4 port POE and you just plug in cables and power up and it works. Not had a single problem. If I remember they are only around $40.
 
Something to maybe think about is future expansion. Don't ask me how... but my system now has 8 active cameras. So just last month I bought a 24 port Netgear FP728 POE switch and I'm busily running dedicated cables to the switch from all my cameras now. One advantage I think I have is I can put my "camera" computer (running BI) and all connected cameras on a different subnet than my household computer and my access points. That switch is several years old, but then so am I!!! It is cool to be able to see how much power each camera takes and control the network yourself instead of letting DHCP decide for you.
 
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