North Central Texas Setup Just about to turn a year old!

Insulation Installation:  Completed except for attic access, door panels and trim.

Multi-Camera Security Equipment & Configuration;

I have been asked by another forum member to post information about the equipment I am using for multi-camera security.  I will start this off by posting a list of items (mostly from amazon).  This is not sponsored by anyone or anything.  This is just one geeks opinion and experience on my little plot of heaven.  I suggest you do your own research and decide what works best in your situation. However, it is my hope that this will at least get you started.

This is for the three external HiRes 36x zoom:  To make sure I have the best chance of having enough power at my destinations, I kick things off by starting each run starting from the Netgear POE switch with 180w available (although i only use non-poe connections to connect the network to each of the (3) 90w injectors). 

I am using a LINOVISION PoE 90w Power Injector to power each pair of cameras and wifi extenders. 

At the terminal end I am using the LINOVISION 90w input 30w/60w output splitter  The 60w to the camera and 30w to Wifi extender.

I have 3 wifi extenders to cover the 4 acres (I will probably install a 4th when i bury the propane tank on the other side of the property).

I have 3 long range POE+ 8mp PTZ cameras 

For my longest run of 800 feet I the LINOVISION extender in the long-range configuration.

All of the cable was run through Pex tubing and stapled to the ground so the grass could grow over it.  The folks cutting the lawn every two week only cut to a height of 4 in in spring and 6 in in summer so I should be safe even from the helper and the weed eater (yes, i had to cut the connector off and I needed help with the push pull, to feed it through). 

I obviously had to connect several lengths of cat-6 cable (don't try the length with cat-5 signal loss at 1000 feet will kill you).  I used these.  they cannot be buried or submerged for very long (more than a couple of seconds, like pouring a bucket of water, from a hose,  etc), but they do just fine during rain, sleet & snow. 

Another alternative to the Netgear switch is the LINOVISION POE++ 

Nature ALWAYS wins!  We just THINK we have game! (The proof is in! and it ain't pretty.)

The short version: Don't believe the IP ratings of ANY product, especially if that product is related in any way to electricity!

The truth is is out there ...  and it's costly! lesson RE-learned.

Lets just get the ugly part over with (see damage photos).

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These little cuties are the WiFi extender and the PoE converter for one of the PTZ cameras (which survived).

This is the PoE range extender

We had a storm blow through parker county last week and dump a couple of inches of rain in a VERY short time.  As you have probably guessed by now; I lost, Nature won.   I forgot the basic principals of electricity I learned at Millington NAS 50 years ago.  DON'T MIX WATER AND ELECTRICITY.  period end of story.  

After taking advantage of all of my amazon insurance; I decided to do, what i should have done in the first place. At each junction mount the box below to the fence post with u-brackets and call it a day.

The OEM seals, etc might work, but after a lot of research and buying several different types of "waterproof" connectors, I found that the problem seems to be improper fitting of the back seal.  The quality of the seal depends on whether or not water can "wick" up the back side into the connecter.  This seems to be what is happening to me. 

The primary seal appears to hold; the rear seals do not.  The other issue with the back seals has to do with the coating on the wire.  If the wire "twist" or "strands" can be seen, you are probably using indoor instead of outdoor wiring and won't get a good seal.  I have found for the best seal to use "ground burial" quality cable. It has a very thick outer covering, but it cost more.

btw, the same problem occurs if there is an excessive "pattern" to the surface of whatever cable you use. I even found some buried cable online, but it had ridges in the coating for some reason.

Cameras are all good and I only lost one WiFi extender, one PoE booster and a handful of junctions (most covered by insurance).

For those who are thinking of just "waterproofing" the connector ....  great idea, bad outcome!  its waterproof, forever! AND ugly as sin.  Obviously there is no repairing this.   

Not sustainable,  I cut it out, reinstalled RJ-45 ends with a regular junction and installed a box as indicated above.