Subscriber Discussion

Can You Have A Wireless Network And Add Cameras With A Cable?

KV
Ken Volk
May 29, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Can you have a wireless Network and add cameras using cat5. Would you take a LAN and add a VLAN? Don't know if it can be done.

Avatar
Jon Dillabaugh
May 31, 2015
Pro Focus LLC

Ken, I would love to help you out, but those questions are really hard to answer. I'm just not sure what it is you are asking.

If you need to add a wired camera to a system using a wireless link, yes that is easy. You just need a wireless bridge device at the camera end that is in range of your wireless access point.

As for the VLAN question, you have to make sure that your router and switches support VLANS.

MI
Matt Ion
Jun 01, 2015

If you're just wanting to do as Jon says, and connect a wired camera via a wireless link, yes, that's easy (well, relatively speaking). I did it in my previous townhome using a $30 router flashed with DD-WRT firmware - just set the router up as a wireless Client, disabled its DHCP server, and then connected it to my WiFi network. Any devices plugged into its LAN ports are then connected to the network over that wireless client link.

U
Undisclosed #1
Jun 01, 2015
IPVMU Certified

I did it in my previous townhome using a $30 router flashed with DD-WRT firmware - just set the router up as a wireless Client, disabled its DHCP server, and then connected it to my WiFi network.

Why not just get a 8-port switch (4-port POE) for $15 more and just plug it in your router instead?

And not have to worry disabling DHCP and configuring the router to be an access point? And then still need to power the cameras?

MI
Matt Ion
Jun 01, 2015

I think you're missing the point of the excercise, which as far as we can tell is to connect wired cameras to the network via wireless link.

U
Undisclosed #1
Jun 01, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Ok, you may be right, Matt I'm confused about the question now:

Can you have a wireless Network and add cameras using cat5.

I was thinking that if you have a wireless router already, and wanted to add wired cameras, you could plug the them in to the router directly. Then you have a 'wireless network that you just added cameras to using cat 5'.

I didn't post that because the though was that's not too practical, becasue you still have no power for any POE cameras, and the router's limited number of LAN ports may not be enough for the number of devices he wants to attach. So, instead I was thinking the best thing to do would be just to add a dumb POE switch directly to the router, for power and capacity.

But maybe he means

...to connect wired cameras to the network via wireless link.

BTW, how did you allocate your channels between your radios, e.g. double width channels, wireless survey, or auto-assign?

MI
Matt Ion
Jun 01, 2015

I'll usually check for the "clearest" available channel and then assign that to my main router (usually seems to be 10 or 11 around home). DD-WRT has a survey function that then finds my network so I can join it, the same as I would with any other WiFi device.

I have an app called WiFi Analyzer on my phone that will show me a chart of local channels and their widths.

U
Undisclosed #1
Jun 02, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Nice.

So is it possible to make the bridge connection on a different channel than the endpoint channel? Or even 5Ghz for the bridge only?

MI
Matt Ion
Jun 02, 2015

Don't see why you couldn't do a 5GHz-only bridge, if both routers support it - just give the 5GHz radio on the base unit a separate SSID and WPA key and then link the client router to that.

I dunno about stock firmwares, but I know DD-WRT will allow the client router to also operate as a wireless repeater/extender, so you could set the client unit's 2.4GHz radio to use a different channel or even a different SSID. It's a Linux-based system so it's extremely configurable if you know what you're doing.

U
Undisclosed #1
Jun 02, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Have you used any of the Ubiquiti stuff Jon is talking about? It's DD-WRT also, busy-box shell, brctl, some persistent storage, custom firmware etc...

BD
Bob Damrau
Jun 01, 2015

Many wireless platforms (AvaLan's a favorite) have built in switches allowing 2-3 IP (802.3af) devices to be powered and part of the network. Our stand alone rapid deployment solar wireless security platform (WSRDSES12012110) promotes a 15 minute pickup truck emergency, special event, construction site solution.

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Avatar
Jon Dillabaugh
Jun 02, 2015
Pro Focus LLC

If it were me, I would be looking into a couple of the UBNT Nanostation Loco M5 radios. Much less interference on 5ghz bands than 2.4ghz (usually). They are purpose built for this exact purpose and are very cost effective. We have many units operating in the field for many years (3-4) with zero failures and one single reboot ever.

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