Subscriber Discussion

Will Cat5 Cabling Work For Video Surveillance?

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Tony Darland
Jun 30, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Cat5e is preferred, but will IP cameras work with just Cat5? Will they work well?

My church has analog cameras with Cat5 and baluns, and I'm trying to convince them to upgrade to IP cameras. I'd prefer Cat5e cableing, but if I can only convince them to upgrade if we keep the existing Cat5, I want to know if it's worth pursuing. Or if I'd be crazy to use the Cat5 for IP cameras.

U
Undisclosed #1
Jun 30, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Assuming the cable is in good condition it should be fine.

(1)
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Tony Darland
Jul 01, 2016
IPVMU Certified

That's what I thought. I just wanted to make sure.

Thanks, U1.

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Jon Dillabaugh
Jul 02, 2016
Pro Focus LLC

Unless your cameras require more than 100mbps, CAT5 is perfectly fine.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Jul 03, 2016

Don't forget it is not just the cable but the terminations are equally as important. Greater than 0.5inch untested will result in poor transmission. The right colours in the right positions also. Not that the actual colours make a difference but the pairing relative to pins definitely does.

(1)
U
Undisclosed #1
Jul 03, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Not that the actual colours make a difference but the pairing relative to pins definitely does.

Right, don't split pairs. Except Aces and 8's. ;)

(2)
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Sergey Bystrov
Jul 04, 2016
NetworkOptix

Cat5 works from cameras to switch.

Switch to switch or switch to server( in case if there is more than 100 mbps of data) should be cat6.

FM
Frantz Mathias
Jan 15, 2017

mmmmhhh. Cat 5 can work past 100 Mb/s... Installed to specs with proper hardware. it will do 1000BaseT. Those are in the specs.

The market calls for Cat 6 and people have followed suits. Cat 6A i particular has better noise rejection and larger bandwidth. Cat 5 is good enough for any IP camera an integrator is bound to install... 

Even Cat 3 would support most cameras .

(2)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
Jan 15, 2017

CAT 5 is more than suitable for camera cabling. Most cameras wont even use 10Mbps. CAT 5 is rated for 100Mbps -- and CAT5E is rated for 1000Mbps. 

We have our installers using CAT6 just to future proof installations, but in terms of needs, CAT5(e) should be plenty.

JR
John Richardson
Jan 16, 2017

"Most cameras wont even use 10Mbps."

 

A small point - if the camera links at 100Mbps then signalling will be at 100Mbps rates - the cabling needs to fully support this. But properly installed Cat5 should be fine regardless.

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