I want to install 4 or 5 cameras on the outside of my house. Where should I mount the POE switch? If I leave it inside the house, I will need a separate cable going from each camera to the POE switch. If I put it outside the house, I will need just one cable going into the house and to my router. Where do most people mount the POE switch?
Mount POE Switch Inside or Outside the House?
- Thread starter Steve556
- Start date
bigredfish
Known around here
The ones I've installed are inside the house. Its nice to have access to the individual cables going to each camera.
I also have 2 in outside NEMA boxes at my old HOA I manage. They're protected from weather but not Florida heat and going strong for 7 years now.
Hopefully one of the Pro Networking guys will drop by with better info
I also have 2 in outside NEMA boxes at my old HOA I manage. They're protected from weather but not Florida heat and going strong for 7 years now.
Hopefully one of the Pro Networking guys will drop by with better info
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Thanks. Is there a better way to get the networking cables into the house, other than drilling holes in the wall?
They make a very thin cable that can go thru the bottom of the window but nobody here would recommend it LOL.
You have to get the cable out some way - thru attic and down wall behind a downspout, up from the basement, out thru a wall, under the garage door LOL.
mat200
IPCT Contributor
- Jan 17, 2017
- 16,118
- 27,080
Hi Steve .. for me I put the switches inside the house or attached garage.
Typically an attached garage is a great place to run most of your cameras out from if it faces the front of the house.
A lot depends on the construction of the house. Crawl spaces or attics are a great route to run many cables.
If you have to you can run conduit outside.
Oh and I haved learned to run one extra cable when doing the cabling .. n+1
Thanks everyone. Let me think what the best option is for me. I would still have to run power to the switch from inside the house. I will probably leave the switch inside and find the best way to rout all the cables in, probably from a single opening.
I think a POE switch indoors would be less problematic.
A POE switch outdoors would require that not only the entire switch be protected from direct exposure to the elements but its connections would especially have to be protected from the elements to help prevent the corrosion it can produce and subsequent intermittent connections. Just the cables themselves without an exposed POE switch and its female connections would be easier to protect.
In both cases the connectors at the camera end would require the same amout of adequate protection from mositure and corrosiion.
Bottom line for me: mount the POE switch indoors, run all cables from the switch out from the protected area to the cameras.
A POE switch outdoors would require that not only the entire switch be protected from direct exposure to the elements but its connections would especially have to be protected from the elements to help prevent the corrosion it can produce and subsequent intermittent connections. Just the cables themselves without an exposed POE switch and its female connections would be easier to protect.
In both cases the connectors at the camera end would require the same amout of adequate protection from mositure and corrosiion.
Bottom line for me: mount the POE switch indoors, run all cables from the switch out from the protected area to the cameras.
TheWaterbug
Known around here
There are a few POE-powered POE switches out there, which means you can run just one cable to the POE switch.
I've used all 3 of these, with good success.
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I might add that even a POE-powered switch would face the same issues I mentioned in my post #9 above regarding more Ethernet connections to protect if placing the switch outdoors . 
TL;DR: it's easier to protect an unbroken cable jacket from moisture than it is the union of 2 Ethernet connectors.
TL;DR: it's easier to protect an unbroken cable jacket from moisture than it is the union of 2 Ethernet connectors.