PoE camera over 4 conductor cable

rfj

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I would like to replace our doorbell with a Reolink PoE doorbell. I understand they have a wireless version but I just prefer a wired solution if possible. There is a 4 conductor cable going to where the doorbell is located (the current doorbell uses just two of the 4 conductors). Is it possible to run one (doorbell) camera over just 4 conductors? If so, which of the 8 conductors of the CAT cable to I need to wire up?
Btw, I am asking this because I am using a splitter to connect two video cameras via just one CAT cable. Hence, maybe it is possible to use just half the conductors for one camera?! I suspect some of the 8 conductors are shared among the two cameras so that probably doesn't work. But I figured I ask...
 

fenderman

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I would like to replace our doorbell with a Reolink PoE doorbell. I understand they have a wireless version but I just prefer a wired solution if possible. There is a 4 conductor cable going to where the doorbell is located (the current doorbell uses just two of the 4 conductors). Is it possible to run one (doorbell) camera over just 4 conductors? If so, which of the 8 conductors of the CAT cable to I need to wire up?
Btw, I am asking this because I am using a splitter to connect two video cameras via just one CAT cable. Hence, maybe it is possible to use just half the conductors for one camera?! I suspect some of the 8 conductors are shared among the two cameras so that probably doesn't work. But I figured I ask...
Cat cable is not simply an 8 conductor cable, its pairs are twisted in a way to minimize crosstalk. Certainly 4 conductor cable is sufficient for the doorbell which is 10/100 and not gigabit (your splitter is working this way). Certainly you can try. What type of cable is currently installed? how will you splice it to cat cable?
depending in whether the cable is stapled in the wall and how its run you might be able to use the current cable as a pull line to pull new cat cable.
Finally they do sell devices that can send poe or data over two wire - never used them myself - probably cheaper to pay someone to run it properly.
 

Phil Indeblanc

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I agree with fenderman,
It maybe a great way to pull new cable. I have used ballun or whatever they are called, and they are OK IF you have a special nice camera and lens that is not POE.
 

tedrpi

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You can get adapters that convert regular wire conductors to Ethernet POE, speeds are 100 mbps but for just one camera they work great. The 2wire to POE adapters can be expensive, I found one used on eBay.

See my post here: New Reolink Wired POE Doorbell Cam ?
 
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