Dahua wifi Camera install where there's no outlets only light sockets.

Safetyfirst

Getting the hang of it
Nov 8, 2019
118
25
USA
Hi,

I know wifi should be the dead last option but we tried fishing ethernet through the walls but it was a mess to get to the 2nd floor and drilling a hole in the floor isn't an option. Has anyone ever used a bulb socket splitter then a bulb to outlet adapter successfully with a Dahua 1 amp power supply? There's no outlets in the hallway of the building so we would need to get power from the existing light sockets (indoor). Anyone have a suggestion for the smallest 1 amp power adapter that isn't a wall wart? I'm looking at the one from Dahua from B&H and housing it in a junction box so people can't touch it.

Anyone know if there's a inline light bulb socket to 1 amp ac adapter cable a vendor may make?

 
Have you tried any other options for getting a network cable there?

Hire someone that fish wires for a living (electrician)?

Or could you run conduit?
 
Have you tried any other options for getting a network cable there?

Hire someone that fish wires for a living (electrician)?

Or could you run conduit?

To clarify it is a apartment building and yes we did have an electrician come and do a few test hole in the walls, we also got the drawings from Building Department. No dice. The buildings almost 100 years old but made of mostly brick and concrete.
 
Personally, I would avoid wifi, especially in an apartment setting. Since you have electric at that location, my preference would be to install an outlet at that location and put up a powerline adapter to run internet over the existing electrical wires. Paint the junction box the color of the building and after a few days you will not notice it. Otherwise, you will be disappointed in what you miss from a poor wifi connection and drops.
 
Using Powerline adapters could be a lifesaver, but if connecting to a network located at an upper/lower level, probably a separate PV panel is involve, which will cause interference or no communication at all. Also, in old buildings, the electrical wirings provoke more noise than signal. Consider it at your last option, and always test first.
 
Using Powerline adapters could be a lifesaver, but if connecting to a network located at an upper/lower level, probably a separate PV panel is involve, which will cause interference or no communication at all. Also, in old buildings, the electrical wirings provoke more noise than signal. Consider it at your last option, and always test first.
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sorry, instead of PV, it should read “ electrical circuit breaker panel”
 
Using Powerline adapters could be a lifesaver, but if connecting to a network located at an upper/lower level, probably a separate PV panel is involve, which will cause interference or no communication at all. Also, in old buildings, the electrical wirings provoke more noise than signal. Consider it at your last option, and always test first.

Yes this was my first idea. The wiring in the hallway is original so almost 100 years old so I'm not sure if it would work. The basement had no outlets the buildings is so old so we added outlets in the basement where bare bulbs were with a replacement base that had one outlet and allowed a bare bulb then a 10ft surge protector to power things.
 
+1 for PLA, maybe even one with PoE... Amazon.com: NexusLink G.hn Powerline Adapter with Power Over Ethernet (PoE) I Single Device (GPL-1200PoE): Computers & Accessories would need to put it in some sort of weather-resistant enclosure, however. (maybe replace existing bulb fixture rather than screwing into it...)

I'm not an electrician but could they use an existing bulb socket and add an additional box for a normal outlet maybe 10ft up so tenants can't reach you think? My idea was a outlet or power into junction box that houses everything painted the same color as the walls to not stick out as someone else mentioned. Then run a camera or two from there. The highest point of the ceiling is almost 20ft where the chandelier is.
 
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Do you have knob and tube? I renovated an 1876 Virginia City Victorian house and had to rip it all out and put in romex.

Luckily it has Romex one of the previous owners must have done it but they did the bare minimum a few outlets wouldn't have been so hard I imagine.