Wireless security cams?

[The Heretic]

I live on 20 forested acres.

About 4 acres are right around the house and about half of those - ~2 acres - are mostly cleared for the house, the shop, landscaping and the driveway. I am about 100 yards from the private road. My shop is almost 100 yards from the house.

I spent about $15+K to have the driveway paved and I kind of screwed up by not burying any ethernet/conduit/etc. before I had it paved so I am not willing to dig it up now.

I want to put some security cams out towards that part of the property to give me a view of what is going on out there (landscaping and terrain makes it hard to see that area from the house).

I want some decent quality vid from there. The shop has power, so I can run power (POE probably) from the shop to cams on at least two or three vary tall (100'+) trees, and put a cam on the shop itself to cover that area. Then I would put several around the house too.

WiFi is probably the best option because then I only have to provide power and POE (Power Over Ethernet) would maybe be enough? I do want the cams to be IR/NV.

I can setup the system with battery backup. Solar panels would be okay for the cams if the battery in the cam was large enough to last during cloudy days (here on the mountain I am literally in the clouds about half the time).

Suggestions?

I looked at Arlo which sends video to a server with no way to keep it off the internet and store local if I so wish, plus those are battery operated.

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[Larrytpdx]

Whatever brand you decide make sure your cams are 1080p if you want to read a license plate or identify a face.

 

[transittech]

I am by no means an expert, but we super love our cheapie system. Its POE and still has connection issues every once in a while.

If I was in your shoes, I think I would bury the cable next to the driveway. Between changing out batteries, having connection problems in poor weather, and the risk (probably very slim) of someone hacking your connection, I would stick to a wired system.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Joe13]

Trench next to the paved road not possible?

I'm a wire fan over wireless - wires don't generally go bad for no reason at all.

If your recording and want too use it in court you need to make sure there is a time and date stamp or it is inadmissible.

Buy the highest quality cameras you can afford - footage from sub par stuff is mostly worthless unless it's to warn you of people headed into your property.

 

[Larrytpdx]

I believe @Stomper got a pretty nice system earlier this year.

 

[The Heretic]

I am by no means an expert, but we super love our cheapie system. Its POE and still has connection issues every once in a while.

If I was in your shoes, I think I would bury the cable next to the driveway. Between changing out batteries, having connection problems in poor weather, and the risk (probably very slim) of someone hacking your connection, I would stick to a wired system.

Just my 2 cents.

There are power, water and sewer lines on that side of the house. I don't want to dig into any of them.

As I said, the shop has power so I can run power out to the cams from there pretty easy as there is much less chance of interfering with the power/water/septic as the septic ends before the shop, the water and power ends at the shop and all of those are on one side of the shop and won't be something I have to worry about. Running from the house is a lot trickier because I have to deal with multiple lines and other obstacles no matter which way I go.

Not really worried about someone hacking the WiFi - I can probably use good encryption, and if they are that close they can see what the cams are showing anyway - as for jamming they can do that without hacking, and I just am not worried about it that much - I want to know if there is a person, deer, bear, cougar, raccoon, skunk or whatever out there before I step out the door, or whether I should step out the door or not.

I am going to put WiFi in the shop anyway - sometimes it is the only way I have to get a signal for my phone. On the mountain here they would have to come down the private road half a mile to find my house anyway. Go up a back country road up a mountain, turn down a smaller road that goes nowhere along the mountain ridge, turn down a gravel road that goes back the way they came for several miles, then know to take a small hard to see private road for half a mile. I am not that easy to find - that is why I chose this place; privacy and solitude.

 

[Stomper]

I believe @Stomper got a pretty nice system earlier this year.

I picked up a Uniden 2TB, 8-channel, IR/NV 1080p, POE at Fry's for a great price. Just saw it on sale again a few days ago. As mentioned, go 1080p if you want video actually good enough to use other than watch a grainy video of someone perpetrating mischief against you.

 

[The Heretic]

Trench next to the paved road not possible?

Not really - the driveway comes in, splits off to the shop, then splits off in another direction as a roundabout to the house.



that is a view from the house roof to the shop.

Power comes in from the right and then goes back out to the shop on the right and then goes back out on the right alongside and under the driveway out to the shop, along with several water lines. Septic and water also goes out the left side and to the shop and in between. Lines all over the place. But from the shop there is some areas that are safe to two tall trees, one on the corner there where the driveway splits to go to the shop, and one on the other side of the shop to a tree that is beyond the water and septic system. Both trees have a good view of that side of the property and the shop and the driveway towards the house.

The back side of the shop would be un-monitored though - but you would have to cut through the wall to get in that way, and most people would come in via the driveway and try to get in through the doors.

 

[Stomper]

If you run low-voltage wiring (i.e. POE) below grade in PVC conduit you don't have to bury it very deep, certainly not deep enough to hit water/gas/electricity lines.

 

[Joe13]

Not really - the driveway comes in, splits off to the shop, then splits off in another direction as a roundabout to the house.

View attachment 316285

that is a view from the house roof to the shop.

Power comes in from the right and then goes back out to the shop on the right and then goes back out on the right alongside and under the driveway out to the shop, along with several water lines. Septic and water also goes out the left side and to the shop and in between. Lines all over the place. But from the shop there is some areas that are safe to two tall trees, one on the corner there where the driveway splits to go to the shop, and one on the other side of the shop to a tree that is beyond the water and septic system. Both trees have a good view of that side of the property and the shop and the driveway towards the house.

The back side of the shop would be un-monitored though - but you would have to cut through the wall to get in that way, and most people would come in via the driveway and try to get in through the doors.

Looks like you have a very nice location you live in

 

[The Heretic]

Looks like you have a very nice location you live in

It is okay, but not permanent - when I retire I will move further out to a better location. If I have to retire early though I could easily continue to live here. The property theoretically has appreciate 10% per year.

 

[decklin]

I don't have any recommendations for cameras but as stated you can shallow bury conduit. Would the cameras potentially run on 12v?
I ask because if conduit is not possible then maybe look into solar panels hooked up to a deep cycle battery. Marine battery?
Just build a box to insulate the battery.

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

I have been researching a "wired" home security camera system for myself and it has been exhausting. I have settled on a system with 3 megapixel cameras with special CAT5e cables that carry the power to the camera and signal back to the DVR. While most hardware get good reviews, everyone complains about the software of all companies. You would think after several years of this they would have their act together.

 

[HenryJ]

I like Amcrest and Foscam of the many I have tried. Lorex is not bad either , but I have had the IR emitters die on one of 12 cameras.
At work I have over two dozen wired cams. It takes a while to run wires , but they are reliable.
At home I can fuss with wireless if I have to, but have not really "had to". All my cams at home are wireless. All I have to find is power. I do like the ease of access from my phone anywhere. The newer cams are much easier to network and manage.
I did "cheap out" on a Motorola PTZ camera...bad move. It was junk and would not focus. Took forever to get my money back after the return. Lesson learned. Buy somewhere you have confidence in.
My latest is a Foscam outdoor wireless IP camera. I have been very pleased with it. I needed an outdoor cam with zoom and move
I am considering one more outside and have been watching this one for a price drop: Wireless IP Camera
I did add an cheap IR flood lamp to illuminate the outside for one of my indoor cams that looks out. Works really well. Keep those in mind to light up the darker areas.

Walk your place and test the wireless connectivity. It takes a pretty good connection to work with the cameras. My wireless gets weak on the other side of the garage. Ideally my modem would not be in the center of the house for better reach that way. A range extender may help , but then you have to mess with another hop in the network.

GL , once they are in you will wonder what you ever did without them

 

[The Heretic]

Oh I need to do something about connectivity first for sure; even with a much better WAP I don't have connectivity very far outside the house. With my old WAP I couldn't step outside a door and see any signal. Now I can get 30 to 40 feet and then lose it. I need some external antennas for sure, and something in my shop to extend it out to that area, otherwise this just simply will not work at all.

I have a couple of external outdoor lights setup. The latest one is a nice flood lamp with a solar panel - we'll see how that does through the winter. I have another one of those to install, then one for the house or shop that is A/C powered and similar amount of illumination. None of them are very sensitive though - much more than 30 feet away and they won't turn on.

The one flood I have on a tree near the shop turns on several times at night and in the morning (like 2 AM). That is what got me to thinking about the cams. I am pretty sure it is either a neighbor dog (known to roam the neighborhood on a "patrol" at all hours and I think that is a good thing) and a few times it has been verified, but I would like to know what is out there before I step out the door.

There are bears who have come on my property, and there is a cougar who has been seen on a neighbor's property, and there are coyotes out there too. I generally don't fear them, but I don't want to walk out there in the dark with them out there either without knowing what is out there. If it is wildlife, then I would just leave them alone; I have no livestock for them to mess with and they are welcome to my apples and plumbs.

I just want to know if it is a human looking to mess around with my shop stuff. The risk is very low due to where I live - I am fairly secluded, neighbor dogs bark at strangers, I have forgotten to close the shop a few times, even left the lights on, and had no problems. But people have dumped their trash on a neighbors property so we know that sometimes there have been people who trespass and we have maybe just been lucky that it has only been trash dumping that has happened.

Either way - I want to know what is happening out there. I also think it would be good to have recorded video/images of the people who come and go; FedEx, mail person, etc.

 

[HenryJ]

The cameras go into night mode (black and white). Normal flood lights mess with them sometime switching back to day (color) mode. The IR floods don't mess with that. Placed right other cameras can provide lighting for each other too. Careful about placement for glare.
IR illumination has advantages. No loss of night vision when you go outside. They don't give away your position. With night vision you can see really well and the rest are in the dark

 

[The Heretic]

Some of the cams I am looking at have claimed NV out to 100 feet.

I don't have personal NV gear - yet, so I need the regular illumination.

Like I said, if it is wildlife I have no reason to go out, if it is people messing with my shop then I am calling the sheriff and maybe going out with a shotgun with a light on it. I really doubt they will be having their own NV and they will be working with lights themselves.

I kind of doubt I will have any human visitors - this is just a peace of mind thing and maybe a bit of security, or at least something to provide some evidence after the fact.

 

[bolus]

I have 2 sharx cameras set up. They have been running continuously for the past 2 years. the nightvision is infrared and ok. but overall very happy with them

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TNTHP5C/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is a photo from some guy trying to sell me dirty water (never answered the door).


Here is a nightvision video

 

[HenryJ]

Normal floods are needed too. I have some of the motion activated solar powered LED floods. Those are awesome. Just need to plan for camera placement.
Sounds like you need to figure out the best way to move some wires. If you are wanting recorded video, look into one of Amcrest DVR packages. A small four camera package to get you started.

 

[The Heretic]

Here is a nightvision video

Youtube can't find the vid