Normal Wiring Procedures?

Gerald,

120 feet isn't long at all. If you are running one then running three more isn't that big of a deal more.

Installing multiple small switches all around will make managing your system a nightmare.

Do it right the first time.

Good luck.

I wouldn't consider 120 feet to be particularly long, but I think it also depends on how you're running the cables.

From your question, it sounds like you have ~4 cameras in a couple of locations ~120' from the head-end.

In that scenario, I usually see installers bring 4 boxes of cable, and do all 4 pulls at the same time. So, the labor for the pull is about the same either way, but you have additional labor for terminations, and cost of cable.

Let's assume:

Cable is $200 for 1000' or 20 cents a foot.

Terminations at either end cost about $5 total (parts and labor)

A 120' run has a cost of about $29 in parts and labor.

Collapsing 4 runs into 1 run and PoE switch is probably a rough break-even point. However, you lose potential future flexibility, and if that 1 run is damaged you lose all the cameras on it.

I would say it probably varies when it is best to use a remote switch in place of multiple runs, but I'd probably put it at 8+ runs before there is a compelling reason.

Yes is never wired a bldg before using this method however it did come to mind .I can see some pros but cons seem to out weight.

I have used this method on 1 job where 2 buildings were about 100 feet apart and i had to go overhead with cat5 messenger inside the 2nd bldg i used a poe switch with 5 cameras on it .It has been running flawless for 6 months now.It was a hard area to run multiple cables so i opted for this solution.I will update in a year or so,or if i have to eat crow.

There are so many factors to consider. In the scenario where you had the aerial run, I would agree that an IDF switch may make sense. Especially if adding future cameras is a possibility on the far side of that link.

In general though, 120ft is a short run. If these 120ft runs are not within a few feet of each other on the camera end, then having another switch to power and manage is more work that pulling cable.

There are many gotchya scenarios where running uplinks vs home runs make sense. If you have a full conduit, and can only fit one run, it would make sense to add a switch. If you have a firewall penetration and can just fit one cable, it makes sense. If you have multiple buildings, it makes sense. There are plenty of good reasons.

Not wanting to pull a few more cables across an office with a drop ceiling isn't one of them IMO.

Forget any aerial runs use Ubiquiti Ethernet antennas you will never have to worry about degraded cable time due to sunlight and best of all ELIMINATE lightning issues burning up your server.

Forget any aerial runs use Ubiquiti Ethernet antennas you will never have to worry about degraded cable time due to sunlight and best of all ELIMINATE lightning issues burning up your server.

Fiber > Wireless > Copper

Using wireless over copper is not going to "eliminate" lightning issues. Using Fiber will.