Wireless camera via a WIFI bridge

jamesdean1986 · 2 Mar 2015

I want to install a camera in my business premises about 1/3 mile from where I live.

This property has an active phone line for us to call customers but I do not pay for broadband (and are trying to avoid that) so have been thinking about options of how I can view the live camera feed from home.

I came across wireless bridging and this seems to make sense.

Does anyone know if this will work? or have better suggestions?

sparkymarka · 2 Mar 2015

Depends on what's between ? Is there a clean line of sight between work and home ?

ahuman1 · 2 Mar 2015

A wireless bridge sounds like the best idea to me.
Something like this should work. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ubiquiti-...430?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item339e58810e

There's instructions on how to set them up on youtube.
Your ip camera will become part of your home network.

You might want to look into using the 5Ghz frequency, as opposed to the 2.4Ghz, there’s normally less interference on that frequency (at the moment..)
You could even plug a laptop in and use your home internet at the office.

edit: as above, I'm assuming you have line of sight..

jamesdean1986 · 2 Mar 2015

That is the item on my watch list. Had already spotted them

However I do not have direct line of sight which is what's worrying me.
I've been reading about transmitters covering 15km (out of my price range) but though there must be a way around line of sight

SimonH2 · 2 Mar 2015

What's in the way ?
Normally I'd say "+1 to the Ubiquiti stuff - but all 2.4G and 5.8G WiFi does need LOS or something fairly close.

If it's trees and stuff, then it'll work but might be a bit variable. If it's buildings then it'll still work - but depends on the materials.

Also, 5.8G is apparently less affected by moisture (eg fog and rain). 2.4G is the frequency used in microwave ovens precisely because it's the resonant frequency of the O-H bonds in water molecules.

jamesdean1986 · 2 Mar 2015

Roof tops and houses.

SimonH2 · 2 Mar 2015

Then there's a fair chance it'll work - but there's only one way to find out !

Houses I would expect to be "not too much of a problem". But if there's foil-lines insulation then that really bug**rs things up. It may be that diffraction from roof ridges might also help.

What sort of heights are involved ? If the roofs aren't too high relative to your own buildings, then sticking the bridge units on poles might get you over them.

bernardgreen · 3 Mar 2015

Interference is the biggest problem. I trialled a line of sight wireless link of about 15 metres ( a public road had to be crossed ) and off the shelf low to medium cost equipment did not work reliably ( clear at times and fuzzy at others ). Home made modulated infra-red link was the final solution.

Read more: //www.diynot.com/diy/threads/wireless-camera-alarm.428278/#ixzz3TJ8ys9Oo

SimonH2 · 3 Mar 2015

Another option would be to try one of the analogue wireless systems and see how that goes. It might suffer from interference, but those of us used to analogue TV will recall how it goes "a bit fuzzy" but is still usable with a weak signal - while digital just stops.

sparkymarka · 3 Mar 2015

Probably cheaper to get broadband !

bernardgreen · 3 Mar 2015

In an urban environment you are not going to get a clear signal across 1/3 mile using a licence exempt frequency. Far too many other users on the frequency.

Even line of sight in open country would require directional aerials which would not be permitted ( at the transmitter ) as that would breach the terms of use for the licence exempt equipment.

A licenced micro-wave link might work depending on the density of intervening buildings but the licence application would probably fail on the grounds of excessive micro-wave energy being aimed at houses. Also expensive to obtain and keep the licence.

jamesdean1986 · 3 Mar 2015

Well I was thinking I could set this up for about £100, but I'm also starting to think broadband maybe cheaper.... But where is the fun in paying someone else

Just to add cheapest broadband alone for 1 year is £174 with installation costs so you could essentially say thats the tipping point for budget

SimonH2 · 3 Mar 2015

bernardgreen said:
Even line of sight in open country would require directional aerials which would not be permitted ( at the transmitter ) as that would breach the terms of use for the licence exempt equipment.

Directional aerials are permitted, there is absolutely no restriction whatsoever on using them.
There is a limit on EIRP which means you must turn down the transmitter power once you go above a certain gain value. While it may seem that you gain nothing if you have to turn down the tx power when increasing the antenna gain, you do still get the extra gain in terms of rx signal - plus you pick up less signal from other sources.

And something else has just popped into my head since you mentioned licensed bands ...
In the 5.8G band there are in fact 3 sub-bands. Only one of them is allowed for fixed links, and that is not licence free. Licensing them isn't a hassle - simple form where you tell Ofcon where you have the units, and it's only £1/year/point. Trouble is they have a £50 minimum

We have some kit at work with such a licence.

jamesdean1986 · 3 Mar 2015

This is where I'm out of my depth now.

I'm starting to get the feeling that buying POE cameras and paying for broadband maybe the easiest option if I have to start looking at licenses.

Slightly depressing as I was looking forward to experimenting, but don't want to buy the equipment if there is very little chance of it working.

I'm going to guess that even if I did get it working and the signal was weak, the chance of it being able to live stream one 3MP camera at around 10f/s would be slim?

SimonH2 · 3 Mar 2015

There's still the question of heights. Depending on the layout etc, what may look like "obstructed" can turn out to be clear when you get high enough - that's partly why TV aerials work better on the chimney, they can "see" over the neighbouring house roofs.

Example, we have a working link from our office to another one (customer) round the corner. At first sight it's not line of sight clear - but from our roof to their roof it is. Last time I was up there, I took my camera and have stitched together a panorama - there's a lot of clear LOS even though we're surrounded by industrial units.

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Wireless camera via a WIFI bridge

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