Dropcam over PoE (sort of)

I was looking to replace my Samsung SNV-7080R locate at my front door with something that I could more easily access remotely and record from. The 7080R had a built in SD card for edge recording, but I had no remote access to the camera when away from home without setting up as VPN or public recording server.

Ideally, I wanted to setup a Dropcam in it's place, but I couldn't find a cheap way to power it since it would be located in the ceiling. I had already run CAT5e to the location since the 7080R was a PoE camera. After a few weeks of searching, I came across this product from WiFi-Texas.com. This USB over Ethernet device is great for iPads and other devices that require power from USB. The only issue that I have with it is that it's not 802.1af compliant, so I have to use their 24v power adapter instead of my PoE 48v switch.

Parts:

• Dropcam Pro 
• WS-POE-5v10w w/ power adapter & USB adapter ($25 eBay)
• Ethernet cable CAT5e/CAT6
• USB Cable

Basic setup

Dropcam charger and PoE charger

Dropcam installed

Attic view of cabling

View from camera

I've had this installed for two months now and have to say it's a much better solution than the 7080R it has replaced. I have not had any issues with the camera and it's great to be able to check it from my phone and web browser. Now that I have the ability to power these over Ethernet, I will definitely be adding a few more in the future!