Wireless Camera Information

High power wireless security cameras or any wireless equipment for that matter have difficulty penetrating certain types of walls or forested areas.

For example, metal buildings are notoriously difficult to get any wireless signals to penetrate walls. Also, some masonry walls such as brick or cement block, are also problematic. Walls of any kind will present problems of one kind or another, usually resulting in greatly shortened range or ghosting images that tend to improve some days, and degrade at other times.

The frequency you choose also will have advantages and disadvantages.

For example the 2.4Ghz frequency band is highly popular because it has an easier time penetrating some walls and also can travel farther than high frequencies. However, the 2.4 Ghz frequency band may already be filled to capacity at your house or business because of wireless network hubs or routers, or even by your wireless phones. This could lead to possible signal collisions in some environments.

The 5.8 Ghz wireless frequencies is a much less crowded space and is much less likely to interfere with any signals or interference that may be present. However, the higher frequency result in shorter range, and also may have a harder time penetrating some types of walls or obstructions.

When employing wireless cameras outdoors, buildings or trees will be your biggest problems.

Some types of trees are easier to penetrate than others. For example, hardwood trees, mesquite trees and pine trees are virtually impossible to penetrate with any frequency. Even if you get a signal it will have interference at times, even from tree limbs waving in the wind. The key is to get the transmitter and receiver antennas up high enough to clear any obstacles. If this is not possible or easily accomplished, you may have to resort to repeaters to help boost the signal around obstructions. Depending on your property, wireless may be too difficult or costly to achieve and you may have to resort to burying wire out to the camera. Wired cameras always produce the best and most reliable video stream, but it may prove to be the most costly as well.

The most important thing to remember about wireless is that the approximate range figures are always quoted as “open air” with no obstructions. In other words, your best chance of a successful installation and most stable signal, is that no matter the distance, the distance between the transmitter and receiver antennas must be LINE OF SIGHT. So if you cannot see the transmitting antenna from the receiving antenna (or vice versa), it will probably not work.