This topic

Swann CCTV

brian22cairns — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 12:32:33 GMT

Hi, I'm not sure if I have the correct forum page so if I'm in the wrong section could you please redirect me.

I have just bought a Swann security CCTV system for my garage, I need to connect the DVR to the internet but it can only be done via an ethernet cable from the router.

Our wireless router is too far away from the DVR to plug it in as the garage is at the bottom of our very long garden, I was thinking along the lines of buying a router that would pick up BT hotspots and connect that way.

Does anyone have any suggestions or advice please

Re: Swann CCTV

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 12:49:35 GMT

@brian22cairns

Which BT Home Hub are you using?

Re: Swann CCTV

brian22cairns — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 13:08:39 GMT

Fibre with BT Halo 2

Re: Swann CCTV

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 13:12:19 GMT

@brian22cairns wrote:

Fibre with BT Halo 2

This should help. It will provide an Ethernet link.

https://shop.bt.com/products/bt-broadband-extender-600-kit-084284-BVFL.html

An even better option would be to run an External Ethernet cable.

Re: Swann CCTV

brian22cairns — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 13:24:11 GMT

I looked into this but I can't see it working as our router will be nearly 1/4 mile away from garage, it also rules out an external ethernet cable.

That's why I was thinking along the lines of a router that we can wirelessly pick up our account via HotSpot so we can then just run a standard 1 metre length ethernet cable from that router to the DVR

Re: Swann CCTV

licquorice — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 13:32:04 GMT

Routers don't pick up a hotspot, they transmit it and only when connected to the internet.

There is no way you are going to connect anything 1/4 mile away in any case, either by Ethernet or wifi.

Re: Swann CCTV

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 14:07:19 GMT

If its that far away, they you would be better to get a separate broadband connection, or perhaps a 4G router with an unlimited data package.

Re: Swann CCTV

brian22cairns — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 15:39:48 GMT

I've been told to use an old laptop with a WiFi adaptor dongle and connect the laptop and DVR using the ethernet cable, thing is it would mean the laptop being on 24/7

Re: Swann CCTV

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 15:51:21 GMT

@brian22cairns wrote:

I've been told to use an old laptop with a WiFi adaptor dongle and connect the laptop and DVR using the ethernet cable, thing is it would mean the laptop being on 24/7

Wifi will not travel a quarter of a mile.

If you could detect a good signal, the a wireless access point operating as a wireless client, would convert the wifi signal to an Ethernet connection.

Like this https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/access-point/tl-wa901n/

Operating in client mode, it receives an incoming wireless signal, and presents it on an Ethernet connection.

Re: Swann CCTV

gg30340 — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 15:50:26 GMT

You need to connect to the Internet. Because of the location to your garage being so far from your house you would need to get a sperate Internet feed into your garage.

This would mean either you pay for phone/broadband line to be installed in the garage so that you can purchase a suitable broadband package or you purchase a mobile broadband router/dongle and package.

Rather than using a laptop you should get a mobile broadband router and your CCTV could connect directly to that. This CCTV system would be an independent system and not part of any CCTV system that you may have for your house.

Re: Swann CCTV

brian22cairns — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 17:04:43 GMT

I can get a good 4G signal in my garage, it is near quite a few businesses and homes that's why I was thinking maybe going down the route of BT Hotspot

Re: Swann CCTV

gg30340 — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 17:11:50 GMT

I may be wrong but you seem to be confusing a 4g signal and a BTWifi hotspot and how they work. They are two different things.

4g is provided by a mobile phone company and has to be paid for. BTWifi is a wireless signal that you can use to connect to BT broadband.

If there is a BTWifi hotspot in range you could connect to it but you are relying on another person's hotspot being active 24/7 and you could fall foul of the BTWifi fair use policy.

Get wireless Internet | Find wi-fi hotspots | BT Wi-Fi

Re: Swann CCTV

brian22cairns — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 17:29:46 GMT

I was under the assumption that if you have BT Broadband you become part of Openzone and all BT Broadband customers are also transmitting the BT Openzone signal, in effect all domestic customers are providing wifi access by using part of their bandwidth providing they have opted into Openzone.

Am I correct?
I could always not connect the system to the internet but then I wouldn't be notified through my phone App if anyone was trying to break-in, it would still record any break-in's on the hard drive but I wouldn't find out until I went down to the garage

Re: Swann CCTV

licquorice — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 17:33:46 GMT

First of all you would need a device that can log in to BT Wifi such as laptop that would need to be on 24/7. Also, as far as I'm aware, the connection to the BT Wifi signal is cut off after a period of time for fair usage policies hence the device would need to log in again periodically.

Re: Swann CCTV

brian22cairns — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 17:38:22 GMT

That was one of my concerns, no point in connecting if it loses connection after a while

Re: Swann CCTV

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 17:45:39 GMT

If you have line of sight between the house and garage, then a point to point wireless link may be an option.

Search for KuWFi 2-Pack 300Mbps Wireless outdoor CPE about £54.

Read the reviews on Amazon, as there are people using it for similar purposes.

Says 1KM range.

【What CPE70R is】KuWFi CPE70R is an 300Mbps Outdoor Wireless WiFi Bridge support 1KM Long Range WiFi Extender with LED display to configure the PT/PTMP connection, AP + Bridge operation mode, more stable Support AP and bridge operation mode, simple to built the PTP/PTMP connections, meet with multiple Wi-Fi transmission scheme demands. Outdoor Wireless CPE Bridge Waterproof, dust proof, lighting protection. Operating Temperature: -30℃-55℃ Storage Temp: -40℃-70℃
【Multiple operation mode,suit for different network & environment】 Point to Point/Multi-Point Connection (1-4) for Elevator Monitor/surveillance networks: Connect an IP Surveillance Camera to CPE70R’s secondary port and utilize its long-range connectivity to send surveillance video back through the wireless network for extended surveillance coverage. Tethering a series of IP Camera to the CPE70R give you 'eyes on' places you might not otherwise see. Easy to set CPE with IP cameras & networks DVR

Re: Swann CCTV

gg30340 — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 17:46:40 GMT

Yes you are correct about how BTWifi connects and that you as a BT Broadband customer can use it for free. There is however no guarantee that the BTWifi signal will always be present and you will be subject to the Fair Use Policy.

I don't know if it is still the case but previously BTWifi "kicked you off" after two hours so if that is still the case the BTWifi would not work for you in this case.

I would not be relying on BTWifi for the security of my garage. It is not a robust enough system to rely on. You have absolutely no control over it. It can be turned off by the person transmitting the signal. It can stop transmitting because the owner of the hotspot is using all the bandwidth. It can stop transmitting because the owner has opted out of the system.

I would suggest that your best option is a mobile broadband package with unlimited data. They start at about £11 per month.

Re: Swann CCTV

brian22cairns — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 17:48:12 GMT

That could do the job, there's a couple of trees in the way but as long as I can find a place where it has line of sight then it should do the trick.