IP Camera Cabling Testing Statistics

Author: John Honovich, Published on Aug 22, 2017

Test and certify, or crimp and pray?

Some integrators certify every cable they run, while others only inspect cables that have video issues.

130 integrators shared the level of testing they do for common cable installs, and their justifications behind their choices.

Testing Choices

As we teach in our Network Cable Testing Guide, the fundamental options are:

  • Basic tests (such as wiremap and continuity testing), most commonly done with a cable verifier (~$200-$500)
  • More extensive full certification, which requires an advanced tester, often ranging $5,000-$10,000+, and more technician training
  • No tests, plug in the camera, see that it works and move on

Statistics On Testing

The vast majority of integrators test every cable they run. However, most of them just do basic verification with only a quarter of them doing full certification on cable runs, as the chart below shows:

One out of seven did no specific proactive testing of cables.

**** *** *******, ** ***** *** ****?

**** *********** ******* ***** ***** **** ***, ***** ****** **** inspect ****** **** **** ***** ******.

*** *********** ****** *** ***** ** ******* **** ** *** common ***** ********, *** ***** ************** ****** ***** *******.

Testing *******

** ** ***** ** ********** ***** ******* *****, *** *********** ******* ***:

  • ***** ***** (**** ** ******* *** ********** *******), **** ******** done **** * ***** ******** (~$***-$***)
  • **** ********* **** *************, ***** ******** ** ******** ******, ***** ranging $*,***-$**,***+, *** **** ********** ********
  • ** *****, **** ** *** ******, *** **** ** ***** and **** **

Statistics ** *******

*** **** ******** ** *********** **** ***** ***** **** ***. However, **** ** **** **** ** ***** ************ **** **** a ******* ** **** ***** **** ************* ** ***** ****, as *** ***** ***** *****:

*** *** ** ***** *** ** ******** ********* ******* ** cables.

[***************]

Reasons *** ***** *******

*********** **** ***** ***** ******* ** *******/****** **** ***** * full *************, *** ***** ********** ******* ** * *** ************ or *********** ******* ********. ***** *** ********* ****/**** *****, *** will ***** ******* ****** **** ******** *** ********, ** ********* issues.

**** *********** **** **** ******* ******* ** ********** *** *** failure ***** ** *** ******* **** ********* *******:

  • "** ******* * ***** **** ***/********** **** **** ***** ** and *** ******** * ******** ** *** ********* *** ***** about *** ************ ** *** ***** *** ******'* ** *** all ** *** **** ****."
  • "** ****** ***** *** ** * ***** ****/********** ****. ** are ***** **** ***** * ***** ********* ** ***** *** additional ******. *** ** ****** ** * **** ******* ** every *****. ** ********* *** **** *****, **** **** ** least * *** ****** **** *** ***** ******. ** ** long ** ** *** *** **** ** ***** ** ***'* have ****** **** **** *** ** **** **** ******'* ** detected **** * ********** ******."
  • "**** ********** ******* ** **** *** *********"
  • "********** ***** *** **** ** *** * *****. *** ******* installation ** **** * *** ******* ****-****** ** **'** *** shipping **** ******* ** ********* ** *** *** *****."
  • "***** **** ***/********** ****. ********* ******** *** **** ***** ****. Larger **** ******* **** *************."
  • "******** ***** ************* *** ********* ****** **** *** ***** *** II *** *** **********/*******. **** ****** ** ** ******* ****** wire *********** *** ******** ** ****/***** ** ***** ** * problem. ** **** ** ** *** *********** **** **** **** and ******* **** ***, ** ***** **% ** ********* ****** due ** ****** *** *** ********."
  • "***** **** *** **********, *'** **** ***** *** ************* *** i **** **** **** ****'* **** *** ****** *****. ** tester *** £*** **** ** *********** **** *** *** ***** for ****** * ******** *****."
  • "** ** ********** ***** ****** *** *** **** ******** **** certification. * ********** **** ** ********** *** ** ****** ******** to ****** ***** *** ** ************ ******* ** *** *****."
  • "***** *******/**********. ** ***'* **** ** ** * ************* ** the *****... ** *** ******* **** **** ** *** ****."
  • "***** *******/********** ****. * **** ***'* **** *** **** ** do **** ************** ** ***** ****. * **** **** **** 1% ******* ** *** ********* ** ***** **** *'** ***. Most, ** *** *** **** ****** **-*********** ** *** ***."
  • "***** ******* **** ********** ****. ** *** ** ******* ** the ****** *** *** **** ******** ** ******* * ***** certified ******* *** ****** *************. *** ******** *** ********* *** cameras- ******* ****."
  • "** ****** ** ***** ******* ** *** ******* *****. ** also *** ***** ****** ******* ** ****** ***** **** *** no ****** **** **** ** ** *** *** ** *** installs."
  • "***** **********. ******* ****** ***** *********** *** *** (****** ****) defect, ** ** ******* ** ***** *************"
  • "***** **** *** *** ******* ** ***** ** ****** ********** expected ******** ** **** ******** **** ********."

Reasons *** **** *************

***** * **** ************* **** ** **** **** ********* (*** therefore ******), *** **** **** ********* ****** **** ***** ***** problems **** ******* ********** **** ********* ** ********* **** **** a **** *******, *** **********, *********** ** *** ***.

*********** ******** ** *** ********* ** *** ************, ** **** wasted ***************, *** * ****** ****** *** *********** ***** * full ***** *************:

  • "**** *************. ** **** *** ***** *** ***** *** ********* properly *** ** ***** *** ****** ** *** ***** ** the ******* ** ********."
  • "**** *************. ******* ****** ** * ***-**** ********* ************** *** once ********* ******** ****** ****** ****** ********. ************* ** * vital **** ** ****. * ******** ** ** ****** ** the **********, ******* ******* **** * *** **** *** *** guarantees ********* ***** ** ********** *********** ***************"
  • ** ******* * **** ************* *** **** **** ***** **** a ***** ******.
  • ** ** ** ** *********, ** ** ***** ********** *******. When ** **** **** ** ********** ********** ** ***** *********, we ******* **** **** ** * **** *************, *** ** build **** ** ** * ******* ** *** *************.
  • **** *************, ******** ** ****
  • "**** ************* **** ***** ******. ** *** ******** *** *** blame *** *******."
  • "**** ************* ** ****** ** ****** *****"
  • "**** **** ***** ***-**** ** ***** **** ******* ** *** the ******* ** ***** ***** ***** ******* *** ** ******* issue"
  • "**** ************* ** **** ** ********. ** ******** *** ******* level ** ********* **** *** ***** ***** ***'* ***** * problem."
  • "**** ****. ** ** ****** *** **** ** $*.** *** cable. ****** ** ** ** ***** *** ***** (*** *******)"
  • "** ** **** ************* **** *** ***** ******. ** **** and ******* ******* ** *** ******** ** **** **** *** cables **** ******* ** *** **** ** ************ *** ** cover ********* ****** ********* ****** ***** ** ***** * *******."

********-******* ******* **** **** ****** **** *********** ******* **** **************:

  • "** * ******** ** ****** *** * **** **-**** ********, we **** ** ** * **** ************* ****. ********* ***** testing ** ****."
  • "******* ** ** **** ************* ** ***** ** ******* ****-**** warranty ** *******."
  • "** ***** ******* *** ********. ** ** ********* *** ************ assurance **********."
  • "******** ******, ** **** **** **** ******* **'** ******* *** drops. ********* ************* ** ******** *** ********."
  • "**** ************* ** *** ******* *** ***** ******. **** ***** the ******** * ******** *** **** **** **** **** ***."

** ***** *****, **** ************** *** **** ***** ** ******** requirements:

  • "**** ************* - **** ********* **** **** *** *** *** this - *** ** ***, **** ** **** ** * continuity ****."
  • "**** *************, ** *** * **** * ******* ********** ** our ******. ****'* *** *********** *** **** *****, *** *********** for *** ********** ***** ******** ** **."
  • "**** *************. ******** ********* ******, *******, *********, ************."

Reasons *** ** *******

* ****** ** *********** **** **** ****** **** ******* ******** when ********* ** *********. **** ******** *** **** ****/*****, ************ on ******* **** ***** ******* ***** ** *******.

  • "**** ** *** ***** *********. ********** ******* ***** ** ***** are ********."
  • "****. *** ****** *** ************ *** ****** **** **** *** used *** ******** *** ******** ****."
  • "**** ****** ****** ******."
  • "*** ******* ********** ********...****"
  • "******* ** *** **** ** *** *******. ** ** ** small, ** ********* ***'* ** *** *******. ** **** **** if *** ******* ** ****** *** ** ** ** *** customer ***** *** **."
  • "** ******* ** ** ********** ******* ** ** **** * cabling *****. ** **** **** ******* ****** *** **** ******* by ********* **** ********* ** *****."
  • "** **** ********** - ****. ** ********* ***'* *** **** where ****** ********* ** ******* *** ********."
  • "* ****** **-******, ***** ****** ** ****** ** **** ***. After ********* ** ** *** ** **** ******* *** *** issues ***** *** ****."
  • "****- **** *** *** ** **, *** ***** *** ***** your **** ** ******** *** *****. ** ****** ** **** ample ** **********. ****** *** *** ***** ** **** **, then ** ******* *** *****. **** **** ***** ** ********."

Testing ******** ***** ************* **. ********** ***** *************

********* **** ********** ** ********** ********** ******* ********* ***** **** doing * **** ************* ** *** ********, ** ** *** very *****, ***** ****** *** ***** *******/********** ************. *** ***** installation ** *** ******* **** *** ******* ***, *** **** of ***** ****** **** ** ****** **** *** ************ ** completed, **** ** ** ***** ******** ** *******. *** ********, and *** *********, **** ********* **** *** ***** *** ****** any *** ************, *** * ************* **** ****** *** ***** will ** **** ** **** *** ****** *** ****** *** specification.

******** ********* **** ** ******* ****** **** ****/***** ******, *** the ******* ** ***** ** **** ** *******, **** ** for * *** ** ******. ** *** ****** ****** ** and ******* ***** ******* *****, **** *** ***** ** **********, even ** ** *** *** ** ********* ** ****. *** this ******, ******* *******, ** ******** ****** ******* ** **** common *** ************* ** ******** ***** ********* ** ******** *** vs. ******* ******* ***.

Comments (8)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

08/22/17 07:28pm

** *********** ****** *** ***** *************? *** ** **** ** what ** *** ******?

Undisclosed Integrator #2

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 08/23/17 05:52pm

** ******** ******. ** **** ****** ** ********* **** ** it ** ********* ** **** ** *** *****/***. *** **** depends ** *** ****** ** *****.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #2 | 08/23/17 05:58pm

*** *** ******** **? *** *** ******** $* *** ****? 10? **? ***?

Thumbnail scanlanprofile

John Scanlan

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 08/23/17 06:04pm

*** - *** ** *** *********** ********* ***** *****:

"**** ****. ** ** ****** *** **** ** $*.** *** cable. ****** ** ** ** ***** *** ***** (*** *******)"

*** ** **** ** **** *****.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to John Scanlan | 08/23/17 06:06pm

****** ****!

****'* * **** ********** *****.

Undisclosed Integrator #2

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 08/23/17 06:58pm

** ***'* ********* **** ***** ** ***** ** ** ***'* have * **** *** ** **** *** **. ***** *-* times * ****. *** ***** **** *** ****** ** ***** normally ****** ** ** ***** ** *** *** ****. *** that ***** ***** **** ** * ******* *** **** ********* on *** ***.

***** ***** **** ****** ** ** *** **** ** ****** certifier ****** ** ***. ****** ** **** **** *** *** purchase ** ****** ** ***.

Undisclosed #3

08/24/17 10:56am

***** ************* ****** ** ** ******** ** *** ******* *** critical *******. ***** ** * ****** ********* *********** *** ******** POE **** ** *** **** ***** ******* *** ****** ***********.

Undisclosed Integrator #4

In reply to Undisclosed #3 | 08/29/17 10:08pm

**

* ** *** ** *** * ****** ***** ** **/* on *.***... **** ** *** **** **** ******* *******, **** for *****-** ******* ** ** *** ***** *** ******* ****** 5 ** ** **/* ... ** *** ********* *********** **** Offices ** ****** **** *** **** ********** ******* **** ** to * ** *******, ** **** ****** **** ** **/* .. ** *** ***** ***** *** *** *** ***** ** a **** ********* ***********. ** *** *** ****** ** *** using **** *** ** *** *** ** *** ** ***** on * ****** .. ** **** ***** be *** **** ...

*** ***** *** ****** *** ***** ** ***** ... ** fact *** ***** ****** ***** ** * *** * *****!! 802.3 ** **** ******* *** * *** ....**** *** *** go ** ** ** ***** *** ** ** *** **/* on *** *...

* ** *** ****** ** ****** *** ****** ******* *** practices ... ****** **** * ******** ********* *** ** ***** plant ** ********** *** **** ********. **** ****** *** ******** such ** >** ** *** ** *** ** ****** ******* by *** *.. *** ***** *** *...

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