I know the cardinal rule is hard wire. I've been without my system in our new home for a year because the attic is really a tight mess. I know my Dahua Starlights are better than most wireless cams and the cost is long paid off. Is there any reason other than the obvious that I can't use range extenders to get my system back up? Theoretically it should work?
Extenders (without a dedicated backhaul) should be barred from sale.
If it has a dedicated backhaul radio, then yes it can work depending on several physical factors surrounding your extender/AP/camera placement. But wireless is terrible for so many reason you should really always work out a way around it. Unless the wireless network was purposily built specifically for camera clients and nothing else. You still have the security issue of easily having the signal disrupted and jammed by a malicious party which renders even the most expensive camera nothing more than a fancy looking paper weight hanging in the air.
That's impossible to answer. All I can say is "Yes, it can work". However, will it work? No way to know without trying it. There are too many factors to take into account. What kind of extenders are they? How far is the camera to the extender? How far is the extender to the AP? What is the current air time load on the AP? How many clients does the AP currently serve?
All these factor into the question of "Will it work?".
Again, there is no one who can tell you with certainty it will or will not work. I suspect it will work to some degree. You will have to determine if it works well enough to trust using a security camera on it.
It's not the option I want. I have a ptz camera that has to go to a location that has no way of getting wire to it. I have power there so we are going to try one camera first.
Years ago I was bitching and moaning to an electrician how I couldn't run a cable to a tight spot in an attic. He basically shrugged me off laughing and said there is always a way to run a wire. Truth be told he is right. There is always a way. But I get that it's a pain in the ass. I've rented many a bucket lift doing it.
You could try power line adapters since you said you have power where the camera will be installed. They are hit and miss however.
Years ago I was bitching and moaning to an electrician how I couldn't run a cable to a tight spot in an attic. He basically shrugged me off laughing and said there is always a way to run a wire. Truth be told he is right. There is always a way. But I get that it's a pain in the ass. I've rented many a bucket lift doing it.
You could try power line adapters since you said you have power where the camera will be installed. They are hit and miss however.
I know there's a way. I'm really hating drilling into anything and my attic is tight. I'm 6'4"and close to 300 lbs. I physically can't do it and can only imagine what it would cost for a professional to run it.
You're already spending about $100 on something you don't know will work, potentially a fail if you can return it and a loss if you can't. Hiring a "pro" to install would eliminate the guess work and get a wire in where you need it. Alternately, you could use what @biggen called a backhaul solution. A dedicated, encrypted, wireless adapter like the Ubiquity Nano series would work and would probably work well plus it would easily support multiple cameras.
You'd need a pair, one at each end, for a link. I'd suggest looking for a 2.GHz version from what you are saying. 2.4GHz has better "penetration" through sheetrock walls, insulation and regular construction (non masonry or steel).
I’m really happy with the Ubiquity Loco Nano pair. They create a wireless Bridge sending the Amcrest DVR cam data ( 1-4MP and 1 -2MP) almost 400 feet across a parking lot into my Poe Switch at the Rack.
Think the cooler option is the model that has 2 RJ-45 jacks, so you can directly plug
a POE cam into it.
Take a look at the netgear orbi, it's a tri band mesh network with dedicated 5ghz backhaul with plenty of bandwidth for cameras.
Look for the RBK50, they can be found second hand on ebay if you want to save some money.
I have 4 in my house and will be using it for a camera in the garage at the rear of my property once my cameras arrive next week.
I have done the same thing before using a google wifi mesh network, you just need a poe injector and you are good to go.
Years ago I was bitching and moaning to an electrician how I couldn't run a cable to a tight spot in an attic. He basically shrugged me off laughing and said there is always a way to run a wire. Truth be told he is right. There is always a way. But I get that it's a pain in the ass. I've rented many a bucket lift doing it.
I tried to use four 5mp and four 2mp cameras on two access points and it overwhelmed my network. High latency, camera drops out, low FPS, footage skips, other 2.4Ghz wifi devices doesn't work, and etc.
Then I ran the wires for the four 5mp cameras and left the four 2mp camera on the two access points and my network is usable again.
