Rec for home use in Blue Iris?

Mar 6, 2019
13
8
Monterey, CA
I currently have Foscam and Amcrest wifi IP cams and I'm looking to replace them one at a time, starting with the Foscam FI9804P that is currently monitoring my driveway. I've been browsing the forum and reading the cliff notes and it seems that Dahua 2mp starlight would be a good bet. Are these cameras only POE or do they have wifi as well? I understand POE has a more stable connection since it's going directly to my router or a hub/switch but I've got no experience with them and not sure what's required.

The camera will be located on the outside wall of my garage, and my router is inside my house, so I guess I would be concerned about cabling if POE is the best route to go with. Would I need to move my router to the garage or do I have other options? Or is there a Dahua Starlight model that supports wifi?

Any advisc would be appreciated.
 
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If you are going to be adding cameras, do not use wifi. You are no the correct track picking Dahua 2MP starlight cameras.
1)Get a POE switch 802.3 AF/AT
2) get Ethernet cables that are solid copper core.
3) do not have the cameras directly connected to you router.
4) mount cameras at the correct height, You want to capture the faces not just what happened.
5) Mount 2 cameras at 7 feet on both sides of the garage, if you park your cars in the driveway at night.

What are you using to record your cameras.
 
If you are going to be adding cameras, do not use wifi. You are no the correct track picking Dahua 2MP starlight cameras.
1)Get a POE switch 802.3 AF/AT
2) get Ethernet cables that are solid copper core.
3) do not have the cameras directly connected to you router.
4) mount cameras at the correct height, You want to capture the faces not just what happened.
5) Mount 2 cameras at 7 feet on both sides of the garage, if you park your cars in the driveway at night.

What are you using to record your cameras.

Thanks for the response. I am using Blue Iris to record my current wifi cameras. I am very unfamiliar with POE cameras so it sounds like I will have to do some more research on how to properly set up that kind of system.
Right now I have four wifi cameras; two in the house and two outside (one for driveway and one pointed at front door from side of garage).
 
I currently have Foscam and Amcrest wifi IP cams and I'm looking to replace them one at a time, starting with the Foscam FI9804P that is currently monitoring my driveway. I've been browsing the forum and reading the cliff notes and it seems that Dahua 2mp starlight would be a good bet. Are these cameras only POE or do they have wifi as well? I understand POE has a more stable connection since it's going directly to my router or a hub/switch but I've got no experience with them and not sure what's required.

The camera will be located on the outside wall of my garage, and my router is inside my house, so I guess I would be concerned about cabling if POE is the best route to go with. Would I need to move my router to the garage or do I have other options? Or is there a Dahua Starlight model that supports wifi?

Any advise would be appreciated.

Avoid Wifi.
Avoid Foscam like the plague.
From a real computer, study this: cliff notes in the wiki at the top of the page.
Resource Guide on IP Technology for all Noobs
 
Avoid Wifi.
Avoid Foscam like the plague.
From a real computer, study this: cliff notes in the wiki at the top of the page.
Resource Guide on IP Technology for all Noobs

Thanks for that. I have been studying the cliff notes and think I know how to proceed. I just don't feel comfortable running cables through walls, so I have an appointment with a guy that installs security cameras this afternoon. I'll show him where I want cameras, where I want to put the POE switch, where my router is, etc. and see what he says.
 
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Thanks for that. I have been studying the cliff notes and think I know how to proceed. I just don't feel comfortable running cables through walls, so I have an appointment with a guy that installs security cameras this afternoon. I'll show him where I want cameras, where I want to put the POE switch, where my router is, etc. and see what he says.
Get references, and actually go SEE his previous work.
 
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The installer came out for an estimate and the quote seemed high to install cable, install POE switch, and connect to router in office. All cabling on outside of house, following track of previously existing coax, which would be removed. It would go into garage to connect to POE switch, hook up 3 new cameras, remove two old cameras, and go into office wall via coax entrance and connect POE switch to wifi router. Quote was $150 for 300 ft. weatherproof CAT5e 100 pcs. cable staples, 100 pcs. zip tie, CAT5e connectors as needed. $900 for labor.

I decided that I could do this myself if all cabling is running along outside of house. I can start with just one camera, the POE switch in the garage, and connect POE switch to router. Go from there.
 
On the outside of the house?!?
Wow. If people readily accept this I need to start my own biz doing installs.
I guess it somewhat depends on the construction of the building, but that seems ridiculous to me.
 
The installer came out for an estimate and the quote seemed high to install cable, install POE switch, and connect to router in office. All cabling on outside of house, following track of previously existing coax, which would be removed. It would go into garage to connect to POE switch, hook up 3 new cameras, remove two old cameras, and go into office wall via coax entrance and connect POE switch to wifi router. Quote was $150 for 300 ft. weatherproof CAT5e 100 pcs. cable staples, 100 pcs. zip tie, CAT5e connectors as needed. $900 for labor.

I decided that I could do this myself if all cabling is running along outside of house. I can start with just one camera, the POE switch in the garage, and connect POE switch to router. Go from there.
Glad to hear you're going to tackle it yourself, you are better off.
 
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On the outside of the house?!?
Wow. If people readily accept this I need to start my own biz doing installs.
I guess it somewhat depends on the construction of the building, but that seems ridiculous to me.

Yeah, I can't imagine how much more it would cost to have the cabling go through the walls, but he said it would take a lot more labor since he'd have to drill holes through joists and fish the cable through, then patch drywall. I know this is a less secure route to take, but really...who goes around cutting camera cables before breaking into a house in a busy residential area? I don't think the low risk warrants the extra expense.
 
Yeah, I can't imagine how much more it would cost to have the cabling go through the walls, but he said it would take a lot more labor since he'd have to drill holes through joists and fish the cable through, then patch drywall. I know this is a less secure route to take, but really...who goes around cutting camera cables before breaking into a house in a busy residential area? I don't think the low risk warrants the extra expense.
Its not about cutting the cable. Its just looks like crap. Generally the cost to drop a line in wall is 100-200.
 
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Its not about cutting the cable. Its just looks like crap. Generally the cost to drop a line in wall is 100-200.

Gotcha...makes sense. Thanks for the ballpark figure; that will help if I decide to look for more quotes on doing that kind of installation. I think for now I will run the cable myself. The current coax is hidden pretty well and not really visible unless you're looking for it, since it goes around the back of the house and under eaves.