POE Ethernet Cabling ?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - POE Ethernet Cabling ?

Posted: 1/14/2019 11:37:30 AM EDT

I'm still on the fence about which DVR and cameras I will end up with. However, I do know that I want to use POE cameras and ethernet cables. I also know where I want the cameras located. I am getting ready to add insulation ot the attic and know that it would be a hell of a lot easier to access a lot of the camera locations prior to installing the insulation in the attic.

I'm looking at 1,000 ft spools of Cat5 ethernet cabling on Amazon right now. Cat5 Riser, Cat5 Plenum, Cat 5 Outdoor- which type do I need for a future installation of PoE cameras?

Cat5 Riser- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JAVJNIO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2NFTNJT88MXC2&psc=1

Cat 5 Plenum- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J8SZPOA/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B01J8SZPOA&pd_rd_w=nWU6Q&pf_rd_p=f0dedbe2-13c8-4136-a746-4398ed93cf0f&pd_rd_wg=pRp3e&pf_rd_r=483X8A8HBSTPP7BCA18S&pd_rd_r=b30281a6-1810-11e9-9b78-f979129cfbae

Cat5 Outdoor- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JAVOB2W/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B01JAVOB2W&pd_rd_w=nWU6Q&pf_rd_p=f0dedbe2-13c8-4136-a746-4398ed93cf0f&pd_rd_wg=pRp3e&pf_rd_r=483X8A8HBSTPP7BCA18S&pd_rd_r=b30281a6-1810-11e9-9b78-f979129cfbae

Posted: 1/14/2019 12:08:27 PM EDT

[#1]

The most common mistake people make is buying cheaper cca cable which should never be used for poe but the cable you linked to is 100% copper so you're good there. I would recommend stepping up to cat6 (or cat6a if you have any 100ft+ runs) for future proofing, for the average home the cost difference is minimal.

ETA: if you are just running it through the walls in your home you don't need the plenum or outdoor rated cables, standard pvc jackets are fine. If you are running it along side electrical lines in your house you may want to consider shielded cable, but for most people it isn't necessary.

Posted: 1/14/2019 1:15:23 PM EDT

[#2]

If you can, run two cables. The material cost is more, but most of the cost is labor.

Posted: 1/14/2019 1:33:17 PM EDT

[#3]

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Quoted:
If you can, run two cables. The material cost is more, but most of the cost is labor.

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Two cat5 or two Cat6 cables?

Posted: 1/14/2019 1:33:26 PM EDT

[#4]

Riser cable is just PVC jacketed cable.

Plenum cable is made to run in spaces that may handle air flow such as drop ceilings - it gives off less toxic gasses if it catches fire

Outdoor cable is rated for weather, UV, or burial depending on its type.

Get whatever cable is cheap and solid copper. Leave some slack at the ends in case it needs re-terminated. I can tell you non-outdoor rated cable doesn't hold up well in sunlight.

Posted: 1/16/2019 12:20:52 AM EDT

[#5]

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Quoted:
Two cat5 or two Cat6 cables?

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Quoted:

Quoted:
If you can, run two cables. The material cost is more, but most of the cost is labor.

Two cat5 or two Cat6 cables?

Anything but solid copper Cat5E is a waste of money for camera runs. No camera will ever use more than a 100Mbps stream.

Run Cat6 for things like your NVR if you want but don't bother with the cameras.

Cat6 is also more annoying to terminate than Cat5E and Cat6A is a royal PITA.

Posted: 1/16/2019 10:50:44 AM EDT

[#6]

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Quoted:
If you can, run two cables. The material cost is more, but most of the cost is labor.

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Why run two cables? And you mean run two lines to each camera location, correct?

So, as long as it is Cat5E solid copper and going to be indoors, the Cat5E riser cabling is good to go, right?

Posted: 1/21/2019 4:42:01 AM EDT

[#7]

Plenum is double the price. You don't need that unless you're running it through a plenum (air duct or air return space).
The direct burial wire sucks to work with - it has grease inside so you can bury it or run it through an underground conduit.

Regular riser is all you need for attic, basement, or snaking down your walls.

Buy the CAT6 (or CAT6+ if you can find it) - you want the one with the center spline because it has more support when running it between rafters.

If you don't already have the tools, buy the CAT6-EZ-RJ45 connectors & crimper from Platinum - much easier & faster, especially if you haven't done a lot of them the old way.
(Make sure you get the CAT6 connectors, the inside is bigger - you can make CAT6 wire fit in a CAT5e connector but it's harder to do.)

Posted: 1/21/2019 4:44:07 AM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:

Why run two cables? And you mean run two lines to each camera location, correct?

So, as long as it is Cat5E solid copper and going to be indoors, the Cat5E riser cabling is good to go, right?

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You might want to run a spare if a camera is difficult to access.

CAT5e will work fine, but CAT6 is better/thicker wire that can theoretically give you better speeds.
We don't even use CAT5e for cameras/data anymore.

Posted: 1/21/2019 4:48:39 AM EDT

[#9]

If you have a local electrical supply house (not Home Depot or Lowes) you can probably get it for around the same price;

https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Cat6-Ethernet-Bulk-Cable/dp/B008I8AIXK/

Posted: 1/21/2019 5:37:58 AM EDT

[#10]

Some Cat6 is a pain in the dick to install because of that plastic divider in the middle. Underground rated wire is filled with a jelly and it sucks to work with too. I would probably plain use Cat5e or plenum. If you are buying used cable then make sure it isn’t plain Cat5, which used to be common for running phone lines, it must be Cat5e or better if you have a gigabit switch.

Posted: 1/21/2019 5:53:19 AM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
Plenum is double the price. You don't need that unless you're running it through a plenum (air duct or air return space).
The direct burial wire sucks to work with - it has grease inside so you can bury it or run it through an underground conduit.

Regular riser is all you need for attic, basement, or snaking down your walls.

Buy the CAT6 (or CAT6+ if you can find it) - you want the one with the center spline because it has more support when running it between rafters.

If you don't already have the tools, buy the CAT6-EZ-RJ45 connectors & crimper from Platinum - much easier & faster, especially if you haven't done a lot of them the old way.
(Make sure you get the CAT6 connectors, the inside is bigger - you can make CAT6 wire fit in a CAT5e connector but it's harder to do.)

https://d3d71ba2asa5oz.cloudfront.net/43000373/images/202010j.jpg

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Their plug is wired wrong

Posted: 1/21/2019 5:56:16 AM EDT

[#12]

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Quoted:

Their plug is wired wrong

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Yeah, I noticed that - it's backwards & the brown pair is wrong too - in every one of their pictures.

Posted: 1/31/2019 2:14:27 PM EDT

[#13]

I used this when I ran my 10 cameras in the eaves of my house.

Cat 5e outdoor

Posted: 2/1/2019 8:38:00 AM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
If you don't already have the tools, buy the CAT6-EZ-RJ45 connectors & crimper from Platinum - much easier & faster, especially if you haven't done a lot of them the old way.
(Make sure you get the CAT6 connectors, the inside is bigger - you can make CAT6 wire fit in a CAT5e connector but it's harder to do.)

https://d3d71ba2asa5oz.cloudfront.net/43000373/images/202010j.jpg

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I wasn't aware of those connectors - thanks!!

Posted: 2/2/2019 11:37:09 AM EDT

[#15]

CAT5E is plenty for cameras. I run 4K 15fps camera’s on it without the slightest issue. It’s what comes with the cameras. If the camera could do 30fps, it would handle that too. I usually buy higher rated cables for patch cables linking the nvr to the router and to the wired computers.