Compared to the network cameras of 10 years ago, modern camera capabilities have improved in ways that have greatly increased their value to customers.
Additionally, camera costs have decreased, making it more advantageous than ever to deploy cameras in many more places.
Fortunately, new standards-based Ethernet networking technologies have emerged to break the decades-old Ethernet cable length limit of 328 feet. Referred to as Long Range Ethernet (LRE) and Long Range Power over Ethernet (LRPoE), the newer technology is not as widely known as it should be due in part to the similar naming of earlier proprietary technologies that are now outdated.
For example, in 2001 Cisco released its proprietary Long-Reach Ethernet technology for providing Ethernet service over CAT1, CAT2 or CAT3 cable, and discontinued it in 2006.
Additionally, a variety of other proprietary “Ethernet extender” technologies have had their own shortcomings, and many security technologists are still gun-shy about products that extend Ethernet cable lengths from their earlier bad experiences with them.
To support various industrial needs, within the past 10 years the IEEE 802.3 standards group has developed several standards that provide Ethernet and Power over Ethernet (PoE) for long distances over various cables, including CAT3, CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6, CAT6A, single twisted pair telephone cabling and coax cable.
IT network architects, generally unfamiliar with the advanced Ethernet standards used in industrial IoT operations, often don’t consider them for security system network design.
IT Closet Reduction, Cable Reuse
Most building owners and managers, corporate real estate and facilities departments, and their IT internal or external resources are not aware that they don’t have to establish IT equipment closets (IDF Rooms) at short intervals for building systems Ethernet networks, including video camera deployments.
LRPoE technology can reduce IT closet counts by a factor of 6 to 1 or more.
What is also not generally known is that cable left over from earlier intercoms, telephone systems and analog video camera deployments can be repurposed using modern LRE/LRPoE technology to achieve significant savings for new security camera deployment.
Read my recent article containing customer stories about amazing savings from video project cable reuse.
Below are two tables that show the network speeds possible at various cable lengths for twisted pair and coax cable types. This data was provided to me by NVT Phybridge based on their product line. These specifications will differ for products from other manufacturers.
Table 1. Long Range PoE UTP Maximum Cable Lengths and Speeds.
|
UTP Cable Type |
Data Rate |
Maximum Reach |
|
Single UTP and individual pairs of CAT3 and CAT5 cable* |
10 Mbps |
1,200 ft. (365m) |
|
CAT5e 4-pairs and CAT6 4-pairs |
100 Mbps |
2,000 ft. (610m) |
|
CAT5e 2-pairs and CAT6 2-pairs |
10 Mbps |
2,000 ft. (610m) |
|
100 Mbps |
1,000 ft. (305m) |
*CAT3 cable may have 2, 3 or 4 copper wire pairs. For CAT3 and CAT5 cable, there are
no 2-pair or 4-pair options. Each pair in a CAT3 or CAT5 cable constitutes its own
single Ethernet connection.
Table 2. Long Range PoE Coax Cable Maximum Lengths and Speeds.
|
Coax Cable Type |
Data Rate |
Maximum Reach |
|
RG59 |
100Mbps |
1,500 ft. (457m) |
|
10Mbps |
4,000 ft. (1,220m) |
|
|
RG6 |
100Mbps |
2,000 ft. (610m) |
|
10Mbps |
6,000 ft. (1,830m) |
|
|
RG11 |
100Mbps |
3,000 ft. (915m) |
|
10Mbps |
6,000 ft. (1,830m) |
The Importance of Vendor
and Product Validation
A dozen or so manufacturers make Ethernet extender products, and the performance between similar manufacturer’s products can vary greatly.
I’m aware of several major projects that failed with one manufacturer’s LRPoE products but performed excellently with those of another company. Some of the factors to consider are:
- Ask for performance test results and comparison documents.
- Enterprise-grade functionality. For example, do the LRPoE switches have the same switch capabilities you would expect from the standard Ethernet switches on IT’s Acceptable Products List?
- Solution breadth. Will the product line support all the deployment requirements, such as managed or unmanaged switches and extender solutions based on infrastructure types such as coax or UTP cable types?
- Validation of interoperability of the brands/products considered for the deployment.
- Willing and Knowledgeable Support. Does the manufacturer have the level of commitment required to helping customers overcome networking challenges and barriers typical for the scale and type of your planned deployment?
- Proven customer success. Ask for detailed case study information for deployments of the size and nature of your planned deployment. Talk to a customer or two about their deployment experience.
Use Proof of Concept Testing
Especially for sizeable projects, perform proof of concept testing that covers the lengthiest cable run planned for each cable type that will be used.
Finally, be sure to update the project stakeholders, especially those who provided project approval or support, by documenting and sharing the performance achieved, the cost savings realized and for sizeable projects, the environmental impact benefits from any cable reuse.
The insights in this article are largely drawn from my forthcoming eBook, "Future-Ready Network Design for Physical Security Systems," set to be released this month.
Ray Bernard is the principal consultant for Ray Bernard Consulting Services (RBCS), a firm that provides security consulting services for public and private facilities (www.go-rbcs.com). In 2018 IFSEC Global listed Ray as #12 in the world’s Top 30 Security Thought Leaders. He is the author of the Elsevier book Security Technology Convergence Insights available on Amazon. Follow Ray on Twitter: @RayBernardRBCS.
