Friday, December 30, 2016

Nest Cam Outdoor PoE Setup

If you're looking to setup a Nest Cam, but don't have a power outlet nearby, a Power over Ethernet (PoE) install maybe another option. While not officially supported by Nest, many third parties sell PoE to USB adapters for powering all sorts of USB devices such as iPad/Android kiosks, cameras, etc. For this setup, I'm installing a Nest Cam Outdoor to replace my Nest Cam Indoor which I had previously setup to work over PoE in my entryway.

Parts:
  • Nest Cam Outdoor
  • Linksys LGS116P 16 Port PoE+ Switch 
  • Wifi-Texas WT-AF-5V10W USB/PoE Adapter
  • Ethernet Cable CAT5e/CAT6

Below is the basic PoE test setup I used before installing the camera in the entryway.



Back of PoE adapter. Adapter has a male power connector for different types on dongles along with a RJ45 passthrough.



After confirming that this setup would work, I replaced my indoor cam with the outdoor cam in the entryway.




Overall I'm impressed with the build quality and ease of use of the new Nest Cam Outdoor. My only gripe is the large size of the USB connector which requires a large hole to be drilled if you're running your cabling through a wall or ceiling.





4 comments:

  1. Hey Steven,

    About to do a similar PoE setup, but instead of your setup, which I'm assuming is:

    Nest Outdoor Cam -> USB PoE adapter -> Cat5 cable -> Linksys Switch (again assuming since it's listed but not pictured) -> Cat5 cable -> Modem/Router

    I have:

    Nest Outdoor Cam -> USB to Cat5 adapter (https://www.amazon.com/SIENOC-150Ft-Extension-Extender-Adapter/dp/B00ENH9CSC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1496853250&sr=8-2&keywords=usb+to+cat5) -> Cat5 cable -> PoE Injector Kit (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AH5XCLC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) -> Internet provider modem/router

    Do you think my setup would work in the same manner as yours?

    Thanks!
    Michael

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  2. I believe so, but you don't need to connect the PoE injector to the modem/router as all it's providing is power, not data. You'll still need wireless internet for the camera to connect to in order for it to have internet access.

    WiFi <> Nest Cam <> USB to Cat5 adapter <> Cat5 cable <> PoE Injector Kit

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    Replies
    1. I see what you're saying, I can just plug the injector kit straight into an outlet. I kept thinking that the outlet would supplement the power draw from the router itself, but it makes sense for all the power to come from the outlet. I'll try it out! Thanks, Steven!

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  3. Finally installed it!

    Ultimately we didn't even use the USB to Cat5 adapter and just used all the components of the PoE Injector Kit. Works like a dream! Thanks for posting the blog entry, really helped me out with planning and installation.

    ReplyDelete