How to wire cameras? Wrap cable around house? In/Out through venting?

jelf4352

Getting the hang of it
Aug 11, 2023
137
45
los angeles
I've seen a few soffit posts, but i don't believe i actually have soffit? See pictures below.

It just seems like the roof extends over the house. How do i enter my attic? I've seen other wires on my house exit the attic on the side of the house through venting and just wrap around - it makes me think its not possible to enter the house from the points where I actually will install the cameras.

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Whats the easiest way to wire my cameras? Do i just wrap cable around my house from the side venting like the other cable shown below and have cat5 extenders to daisy chain multiple cameras? See picture below. But do it in a way where the cable is not visible - I was thinking attaching it to the back side of the overhang. I bought outdoor rated cat5 for this. Is there an issue with having outdoor rated cat5 in the attic?

I also want to have alot of cameras attached to the outside of my garage. Theres venting on the top of my roof where i can run cables out of the attic roof and into the garage through another venting. I would buy outdoor rated cables for this. Is that the Easiest option? Just attach outdoor rated cat5 to the roof and go in/out venting?


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there is a space to enter the attic. Most of my camera installs are where the roof meet the wall, so the space is very small there like a tight triangle. The only way to tell is to just drill and hope i enter the attic? And then i somehow push the cable through enough that i can grab it on the other side?

For the garage, theres actually no way in hell i can get to it from the attic....so thats why i think i need to go through the vents on the roof and lay the cable on the roof.

I was looking for a gut check on my installation approach and you calling out a wire that goes around the house helps...now i need to consider a proper install and how to achieve it.

The attic is just a mess and i was hoping to avoid it.
So you do not have an attic access door in the house ceiling where you can look into the attic?
Those other cables that are as you call it wrapped around the house is not considered a proper install for those cables.
 
You can drill holes in the facia under your roof, then use a fiberglass electricians rod to push into the attic, connect your cable to the end of the pole sticking outside, then back in the attic you pull the rod and draw the cable into the attic. Best if you use an assistant outdoors to guide that cable and keep it from kinking while pulling.
 
So the areas I have marked in red if you were to drill in the face you should end up in the attic. Most that do this work have fish sticks that you would push toward the center of the roof limiting your crawling work.
I wouldn't run any cables through a roof vent and lay on my roof.
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Great thanks, very helpful. So I did find some cat5 cables that went out to home run box close the garage. It’s the brown box under the electrical box. This gets me much closer to the garage and then all I would do is wire from that area to the white door in the second picture. Thoughts? I would bring it up behind the gutter and place a camera at the corner…daisy chain to other sides of the garage.
 

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