Troubleshooting Camera Connection

CaseyJones

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Solved: Had the RJ45 connectors on the camera end of the Cat 6 run upside down, and bad RJ45 connector on the network side of the run on one cam.

So I'm a little stumped. I get my cameras, I plug each one at a time into my PoE switch to make sure they worked and to adjust all the settings, IP addresses and add them to Blue Iris. Everything was fine and everything worked great.

After I did this I ran my Cat 6 cable pulls and installed the waterproof mounts and cameras in the their locations. Plugged all 4 cameras into my 183w PoE switch and only two cameras showed up in BI. I opened chrome and checked the IP addresses of the missing cameras, nothing. I checked the IP cameras that I could see in BI, and they worked. I tried the default IP addresses incase the cameras had reverted back, and nothing. Then another one of the cameras dropped, and I was down to only one functioning camera.

I began to worry it was a power issue, I had read a negative review on Amazon that stated only the 1st port was getting the max 30w per port power supply. So I began to isolate the Cat 6 cables and test them one by one in the first port (after the connection to my BI machine). I was able to connect to the first two cameras that originally popped up in BI when I connected all 4. The other two that were originally missing still didn't show up and I wasn't able to access them using the IP I assigned or the default IP. So I plugged both cameras that did work into the first two (after the BI machine) PoE ports and they both worked, I switched them and they still both worked. So 2 of 4 cameras are getting power and data.

So I tried the two Cat 6 cables for the cameras that I wasn't getting a connection to again one at a time. This time I paid attention to the lights on the PoE switch and noticed that the Power light was solid green but the Data Light did not light up and never did. So it's injecting power, but no data.

Any troubleshooting suggestions? I thought it might be my RJ45 connections, but before I snip the connections and start again thought I would see if anyone had any other suggestions. Visual inspection of the RJ45 connections doesn't reveal anything.

How can I check how much power is coming out of each port and how can verify how much is making it to the camera?
 
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fenderman

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Did you wire your cables using the 568B standard?
 

Mike A.

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Sounds like you've already done most of the troubleshooting.

If they worked with patch cables plugged into the same switch when setting up. And other cams/cables work when plugged into the same ports. But your cables to the non-working cams don't work in the same ports. Most likely it's your termination of those cables or, less likely, maybe an issue with the cables.
 

juliand

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I just had probably the same problem you have, posted elsewhere here.
Cam went dead, ended up a new factory cable 3 mos. old went bad, I made my own new one with cat6 and its back online. It's the only one with a factory cable out of 6 cams, go figure..
 
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It is real easy to 'think' you got the pinning correct. It can be very hard to tell just by looking at the RJ45.

I have done over 50 terminations for my cams and always use a tester to make sure I pinned them right. So far, I always have pinned them correctly. However, one of the last cams I installed was an LPR, it was late in the day, and I was really tired. So I did not test it, just plugged it in. Of course, no signal. Realize that it is getting past dinner, and my cam is in the garden while the POE switch is in the IT closet on the SECOND floor. So I break out the tester and sure enough, I had swapped green/white and blue/white. Even with a magnifying glass, I could not tell which end it was.

Try a simple tester.
 

CaseyJones

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I just had probably the same problem you have, posted elsewhere here.
Cam went dead, ended up a new factory cable 3 mos. old went bad, I made my own new one with cat6 and its back online. It's the only one with a factory cable out of 6 cams, go figure..
Do you mean the pigtail? Or a patch cable that came with the camera?
 

CaseyJones

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I used pass through RJ45 connectors, and the blade on the crimping tool broke, so the ends might not be the cleanest. I tried to clean them up as best as I could with a wire cutter. But the connection isn't formed from the ends right (the bit of exposed copper you can see at the end of the pass through connector)? The RJ45 connector slices into the wires to make the connections correct?
 

TonyR

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The RJ45 connector slices into the wires to make the connections correct?
Yes, sharp tines inside the connector pierce the insulation. The only caveat there is insuring you use the correct RJ45's for solid or stranded conductors. IIRC, there's also one that is made for both, solid or stranded. Of course, you would also use the correct RJ45 for the cable (CAT-5e, CAT-6, etc.)

It's best to use solid (not stranded), pure copper (not CCA / Copper Clad Aluminum) with the proper outer cable jacket for the application.
 

CaseyJones

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TL,DR: it was the connectors

Well, turned out to be a couple of issues. Turns out I was in such a hurry to finish installing the cameras before the rain that I had in fact down the connectors upside (backwards) one the camera ends. I guess I was focused on whether the wire strands were in the right order I over looked which way was up. Corrected them and that fixed one camera. Studied the PoE switch end of the run for the final non working camera. Everything looked good to the eye, but figured I might as well replace it and see if that does the trick. Low and behold it did. Still not sure what was wrong with the original RJ45 connector I crimped on there. But everything is up and running now.
 

Lucian

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are there any recommendations for a good, relatively cheap POE tester?

I have one cable that is problematic. The camera worked initially for over a year. To be sure, I swapped it out with another one. I confirmed that both worked by using a known good connection .

I used one of these cheap devices and shows power and I get a flashing green light. But no luck with the camera. I think I might just put on a new connector but was curious if there are any devices that help troubleshoot?



Thank you in advance.
 
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Lucian

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Thank you. These work great. Passthroughs are much easier.
 

Qualitech

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So im reading this post and buying every tool as soon as the link goes up lol.. but i have a question what do you guys recommend if such a thing exists that if yout working alone and trying to align cameras around the perimeter of a home without having to sign into customers network to view it on the phone. Sounds stupid but curious is there something i can plug into the dvr wit a monitor i can take outside With me? Sometimes internet access isnt always available
 

TonyR

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So im reading this post and buying every tool as soon as the link goes up lol.. but i have a question what do you guys recommend if such a thing exists that if yout working alone and trying to align cameras around the perimeter of a home without having to sign into customers network to view it on the phone. Sounds stupid but curious is there something i can plug into the dvr wit a monitor i can take outside With me? Sometimes internet access isnt always available
From October 2020 ==>> What's the latest on these IP Cam Testers? Any advice or suggestions on what to buy?

This one sounds pretty good and has decent ratings but I have no personal experience ==>> EVERSECU 5 in 1 CCTV Tester Support Upt to 4K IP Camera & 720P/1080P/3mp/4mp/5 Megapixel AHD, TVI, CVI & CVBS Analog Camera, Security Video Monitor with 4" Touch Screen, POE Out, WiFi Test, Onvif, PTZ
 
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