Which is better - powerline adaptor or wifi?

CaptainCrunch

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I will have the opportunity to improve my surveillance system as I expand it but for now, I really have three options. I currently have 2 cameras that are wired into the home mesh network. I have not noticed any issues so far so either there are no issues or I don't yet have the experience to recognize them. Either way, I know that setup will not be sustainable as I continue to add cameras. It is not feasible at this time to set up an outlet in the room where the BI computer is located so I can only think of 2 potentially acceptable options, powerline adaptor and wifi.

I have a third camera coming in tomorrow and I plan to run some wires through the attic. My plan is to put my poe switch (TP-Link TL-SG1005P) in the attic and fan out the wires from there. From there I need to get the signal down through the ceiling to the computer. I have a pair of unused 1200Mbps powerline adaptors. They were how I got internet into the "office" before setting up the mesh network. The other option is plug the switch into a spare wireless router and connect to that router with the computer. The router can be place directly above the office so there should be little or no structural interference. I would think an 867Mbps ac connection would be robust enough for a few cameras, especially if the only connection to and from the router was from the computer. Good encryption and a hidden ssid would dramaticly decrease the chance of intrusion on that wireless connection.

My wife has been considering switching her craft room and my office. If (when) she decides to do that, installing an outlet would be a breeze. The current craft room is the only room on the second floor and the walls are easily accessed from the attic. Until then, are there any compelling reasons, from a performance perspective, for or against either one of the available options?
 

TonyR

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I'd go with the PLA vs. the wireless. I've used one in the past, a TP-LINK gigabit unit and it was great for 2-3 years until a nearby lightning strike induced some ESD on the poweline and sent it to PLA heaven.

I currently have 3 non-critical, indoor Amcrest (Dahua-rebrand) IP2M-841's on their own dedicated AP and it works OK but that's the limit.

FWIW, I gave up using the 65 ft. of CAT-5e in my attic when over a 3 year span I've lost 2 AP's, a switch and a m/b via the onboard NIC....it acted like an antenna for static/ESD from lightning. I replaced it with a media converter (fiber / SFP to Ethernet) and haven't looked back. The lightning here in AL (and the SE and S.central U.S.) can be beyond fierce. I highly recommend it as well to TX occupants.
 
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CaptainCrunch

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I'd go with the PLA vs. the wireless. I've used one in the past, a TP-LINK gigabit unit and it was great for 2-3 years until a nearby lightning strike induced some ESD on the poweline and sent it to PLA heaven.

I currently have 3 non-critical, indoor Amcrest (Dahua-rebrand) IP2M-841's on their own dedicated AP and it works OK but that's the limit.

FWIW, I gave up using the 65 ft. of CAT-5e in my attic when over a 3 year span I've lost 2 AP's, a switch and a m/b via the onboard NIC....it acted like an antenna for static/ESD from lightning. I replaced it with a media converter (fiber / SFP to Ethernet) and haven't looked back. The lightning here in AL (and the SE and S.central U.S.) can be beyond fierce. I highly recommend it as well to TX occupants.
So the switch plugs into box, module plugs into box, and optical cable plugs into module on one end? And on the other end it's optical cable to module to box and box to camera? The media converter shows it's 9v. Aren't the cameras 12v? Do you just run a couple of low voltage power lines out to each camera and box?
 
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TonyR

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So the switch plugs into box, module plugs into box, and optical cable plugs into module on one end? And on the other end it's optical cable to module to box and box to camera? The media converter shows it's 9v. Aren't the cameras 12v? Do you just run a couple of low voltage power lines out to each camera and box?
DATA: Your LAN <=> Ethernet <=> Media Converter <=> Fiber <=> Media Converter <=> Ethernet <=> IP camera

Camera to be powered at its location by POE injector, POE switch or external 12VDC adapter
Media converters powered by its respective external adapters, one at your LAN location and another one at the camera location (one at each end of the fiber)
 
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