IP Camera Long Distance Ethernet Test
Many often ask about running Ethernet beyond its standard distance of 100 meters for UTP, especially when cameras are 400', 500' or more away.
Will it fail?
How We Tested
We tested lengths of Category 6 and 5e cables starting at 1000' (~300m), down to 300' (~90m). Plugs were directly connected to both ends, with three tests performed:
- Camera test: We first tested whether cameras would power up and maintain link with a switch, whether pings were received reliably, and whether we could access the web interface/live video. Cameras tested included: 720p, 1080p, 4MP, fixed, PTZ, integrated IR, 802.3af and 802.3at.
- Laptop test: Next, we connected two laptops together via the length of cable to see if they maintained link and check connection speed using iPerf.
- PoE test: Finally, we measured voltage and wattage using a PoE tester at the far end of the cable to see if power over Ethernet was being properly delivered over the length of cable.
Cat 6 (yellow, below) and 5e (blue) were both used to check for differences in performance due to category rating or simply larger gauge (23 AWG vs. 24 AWG).
See our results inside.
Key ********
** *** ***** ** ****** **** the ******** ***', ** ***** ******* key ********:
- ******** ***** ********* *** ******** ** 500' ** ******** ******* ** ******* specifications.
- **** ******* *** **** ** **** greater *******, ** *** ******** ********** using * ***' ***** ******.
- ********* ******* *** *********** ********* **** using **** **** ****** *** *********-********* lengths.
- *** *** ******** ********* ** *,***' (the ******* ****** ******), *** *** signal.
- **** *** ** *** * ********* similarly ** *** *****, **** ** practical *********** ******* **** ** *** distance.
What ********* ***
****** *** ** ** ** ****** than **** (~***') ********* ** ******/***-*** ********. **** **** ** ********* ** include *** ********** ***** (********* *****, from ***** ***** ** ******) ** well ** ** ** *** ** patch ******, ****** ** *** **** of ** ******* ** ****** ******* panels, ***** ****** *** ***** *** used, ********* ******** ******** ** *** *****. *** **** ******* ** ***** issues, ******* ****** *** ********** **** ********* ************* *** ** ***** ************ *****.
Note **** ** ******** ********* ********** ****** *** ***/*** ******** *** ******* *** **** ******** **********. This test was performed to see maximum distance possible, but by violating standards you assume risk of potential future performance issues. Distances over 100m are not tested for longevity, interference issues, etc., which have been properly tested in <100m cables.
*** ***** ******* ****** ***** **** than *** ***'/**** *****, *** *** report:**** ** ****** *** *******: *****, PoE ********* *** *** ********.
PoE ** ****'
** *** *****, *** ********** **** over * **** *,***' *** ** cable. ********** * *** **** ***** in **** **** *** ****** ** this ******, ** *** *** **** voltage ******** *** ****** *** ***** (44-57VDC), *** ******* *** *** **** as ******* **** ** *******, *********-********* distances.
**** **** *** ******* *** ******** to ******** ******* ** ****** ***** runs, **** *** ** *** **, in ***** ** ********** *** ******* drop *** ** ********. ***** ******* were ********** ** **** ****, **** voltage ********** **** *** ** ***' to ** ** *,***', ***** ** the ***** *****:
******* *** *******/******* ***** ******** ********, we **** ****** ** ******** * link ** *,***', ****** *** ** attenuation ** **** *******. ******** ***** were *** ********** ***** ***' *** shorter (*** *****).
Video ******** ** ***'
************, ** **** **** ** *** reliable ********* ** ***' ** *** camera ******, ************ *** ******(**-*********-*).
***** ******* ** **** ****** *** shorter, *********-********* ******* *** ****** *********, seen ** *** ********** *****. ** saw ** ***** ****, **********, ** other ****** ** **** ******, *** or *****.
*******, **** **** **** *** ******** on **** *** ******, **** ****** simply *** ********** (**** ** ***'). Additionally, ****** *********** *** ********** *** generally **** ****** ** ********** ******, as ********* ****** *** ** ***** long ******* *** *******.
Reliable ** ****** ***** ** ***'
**** *******, ** **** **** ** connect ******* ******* ******* ***** ** 500' ********. **** ******** ******* *******: 720p, *****, ***, *****, ***, ********** IR, ***.*** *** ***.***. *** ******* worked ** **** ******** **** ** dropped ***** *** ** ****** ** video *******.
PC ** ** ***** ** ***'
** **** **** ** **** *** PCs ** ***' ******* ** **** Cat ** *** *, **** ** dropped ***** *** **** ********* ******* properly ******* *** ***. *******, ****** were **** *******, **** ***** * Mb/s, ****** **** *********** *** **** world *** ** **** *****.
Cat * **. *** **: ** **********
******* *** ****** **** ***** *** higher *********, ** *** ** ********* difference ******* *** * *** ** in *** *****. ** **** *****, Cat * ******* ***** ***** **** Cat ** ** **** ********* (***'+), but ** ** **** *** * camera ** ** ******* ** *** 6 *** *** **.