How hard is it to install a PoE camera AND make it tamper proof?

[Adsibob]

As you may have picked up from a couple of other posts, I'm dealing with some scumbag burglars. Have decided to max out the credit card on a properly fitted burglar alarm that will hopefully get us a discount on next year's insurance (given the large claim I'm about to make on this year's) and some extra physical security measures, but that is proving expensive, so I need to scrimp on installation costs of the extra 3 or so cameras I want to install and see if I could do that myself.

 

I realise there are two ways of doing this: I could drill larger holes and use pre-crimped Ethernet cables (with connectors attached) or drill smaller holes and use bare Ethernet cable that I'll then need to crimp after threading. According to chatGPT, this turns out to be quite a big difference in hole diameter:

 

 

I will be drilling mostly through solid brick that then has EWI and render applied on the outside. I don't own a crimping tool or have any wire strippers, so I would need to buy that if I went down that route. The alternative of drilling larger holes is looking appealing, particularly since the ready made outdoor rated cables don't appear to be that much more expensive for the small amount I'll be using, see this one here: which for cables in the 7.5m to 10m range, work out at just over a £1 a metre: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mygatti-Ethernet-Outdoor-Gigabit-Waterproof/dp/B0CYZRH36D?th=1, so about twice as much as buying bare cable, an additional cost which would be offset by the saving of not having to buy a crimping tool. So a few questions:

 

1. Are there significant downsides of larger holes? Presumably it creates more of a space to plug, but if it's plugged properly, is there any other issue?
2. To protect the cable from being cut by the scumbags, what sort of trunking do people use? I have to run a cable along a fence for a couple of metres, and then turn 90 degrees a couple of times, so whatever trunking I use needs to either be flexible or have 90 degree elbows that I can utilise. Is using a Hep 20 pipe a good idea? Alternative would be to use armoured CAT6 cable, but presumably this renders it too inflexible to achieve a 90 degree bend?
3. How much for a decent crimping tool and is it really as easy as suggested below to do this: 

 

 

 

[MikeSharp01]

4 hours ago, Adsibob said:

Alternative would be to use armoured CAT6 cable, but presumably this renders it too inflexible to achieve a 90 degree bend?

Most cat6 cables don't take kindly to very tight bends although there is a big difference between the indoor, external and armoured cables. 

[Andehh]

Well timed, I was doing my cameras yesterday!

 

Buy Cat6a cable and use below on both ends. As long as you are consistent with the wiring at both ends, once you've figure out the process once.... They're very straight forwards. 

 

  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CF21HT7F?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

The only issue I had was fitting the cable... Which is sealed in the wall... And the connections in a junction box below the CCTV. I didn't want to cut the cable too short in case the joint needed redoing, but the long cable was difficult to bend and fit in the junction box. Made it work though.

[Andehh]

1 minute ago, MikeSharp01 said:

Most cat6 cables don't take kindly to very tight bends although there is a big difference between the indoor, external and armoured cables. 

 

Correct, albeit it for CCTV the headline max speed isn't required, so I compromised with a few nasty bends in the junction box below camera...... And the system still works!

[Alan Ambrose]

Preciva do ok crimp tools cheap (can’t remember whether they have a cat5 tool) and a cat5 tool doesn’t have to very precise … unlike some kinds of crimp tools. You might well buy a simple cat5 cable tester as well, otherwise you’ll be unsure whether your cables are good. I find that as I only crimp a few of these every coupla years that I often need 2 or 3 attempts to get the hang of it again. Either ready crimped or bare cable can be used with some kind of mastic to make the through hole air and water tight. Bare cable has the advantage that it can be cut to length. I think I might put the cameras up high where they can’t be reached and/or used armoured or metal conduit. Also I think pir driven lights have the surprise factor and therefore a deterrent effect - dodgy people know that if they wear a hoodie they won’t be recognised at night on camera.

[markc]

As above, cat5/6 RJ45 crimper for around £13 on Amazon, use pass through ends as these are significantly easier to fit. Bit fiddly for first few but you soon get the hang of it. Cheapie tester is worth its weight in gold at around £11 as this proves connection and correct wire orientation 

[Sparrowhawk]

2 hours ago, Andehh said:

Buy Cat6a cable and use below on both ends. As long as you are consistent with the wiring at both ends, once you've figure out the process once.... They're very straight forwards. 

 

  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CF21HT7F?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

+1. Toolless connectors are so much easier to use.

 

At the other end (your patch panel, where you connect everything up) I use these ones: https://www.cablemonkey.co.uk/cat6-modules-outlets/9503-cat6-utp-tool-less-keystone-module.html. I got my cable and other bits from Cable Monkey too.