Outdoor wired security camera

A wired outdoor camera hangs on one network cable. That cable supplies power and data simultaneously: that's called PoE, Power over Ethernet. So you don't need a power outlet near the camera and no battery that you have to periodically remove from the wall to charge. The recorder or PoE switch inside powers all the cameras, so you control the power supply once per system instead of per camera. The second difference is in the connection. Wi‑Fi must pass outside through a wall cavity, along metal frames and sometimes under a roof overhang. That often works well until the moment it matters: a router that restarts, many devices on the same channel, or a camera that is just on the edge of range. With a cable, the chance of failure is smaller, even when multiple cameras record in high resolution at the same time. As a result, you will see fewer gaps in the timeline in the images you later review. The downside of wired installation is the setup. Cables need to be run and holes must be drilled into the facade. That is exactly why many people have this done by a technician: it is a one-time job that must be done correctly in one go. You receive the price in advance, our own technicians carry out the installation, and our installations come with a 24-month warranty with support after installation.

The cable runs from the camera to the recorder or PoE switch. In practice, that route determines how much work an installation is. A camera on the front facade above the door often goes through the chimney or along an existing conduit into the interior. A camera on the back of a shed or at a carport requires an outdoor route, with the cable in a conduit or pipe and a conduit entry at a location where water does not flow into it. You drill a conduit so that the hole runs outward: the outdoor opening is lower than the point where the cable exits on the interior side, so that rainwater flows away from the cable outward instead of inward. Then you finish the hole with a grommet or sealant. The connector of the network cable is the vulnerable point. It should be housed inside or in a waterproof conduit box, not dangling loose under the camera. Leave a small loop in the cable near the camera itself so that water drips off before it reaches the connection point. The length also matters. Ethernet with PoE typically achieves hundred meters per run. Above that, you will need an additional switch or another solution. For most residential homes and small commercial buildings, you will be well below that, but for a long driveway or a separate building, you will calculate that beforehand instead of later.

Outdoor cameras carry an IP code, for example IP66 or IP67. The first digit refers to dust, the second to water. IP66 means dustproof and resistant to strong water streams, and that is sufficient for a facade or a overhang in our climate. Additionally, look at the specified temperature range if the camera is completely hanging free without protection. Placement often does more for the usability of the image than the specifications. Hang the camera high enough to remain out of reach, but low enough to keep faces and license plates recognizable. Do not point directly at a lamp or at the low-lying sun, and pay attention to what the infrared lighting reflects back at night: a white wall or a gutter right in front of the lens will produce an overexposed image. A neat installation can be recognized by the details. The cable is neatly routed or invisible, the camera is mounted level, the bracket is screwed onto solid material and not only in the frame, and the recorder is placed in a location that is also secured. With a good delivery you can view the image of each camera and the motion detection is set, so you do not receive a notification for every passing car.