How to Extend WiFi for the Outdoor Wireless Security Camera?

Deploying outdoor WiFi is always necessary for deploying outdoor wireless security cameras. There are many options for extending WiFi. The optimal choice depends on the places and environments in that outdoor wireless cameras are installed.

There are two advisable solutions to extend the WiFi just around your house’s outdoor perimeter within 100 meters (300 feet). A network extension to the remote location farther than 300 feet will need a point-to-point wireless bridge.

1. Near Site WiFi Extension to the Outdoor Wireless Security Cameras (up to 100 meters or 300 feet)

It’s hard for WiFi signals to penetrate wire-filled stucco walls or stone walls. To provide strong WiFi outside for the outdoor cameras, one WiFi extender installed outdoors would avoid the stifling impact of walls on WiFi signals. There are two kinds of products—Powerline WiFi extenders and outdoor WiFi access points—to provide WiFi outside the home.

1.1 Near Site Outdoor WiFi for Cameras: Powerline WiFi Extenders

If you install your outdoor wireless camera under your eaves or in the backyard, plugging in a powerline WiFi extender around is an excellent way to solve the outdoor WiFi issues. As the powerline adapters are rated as indoor devices, a covered patio or waterproof electric box is needed to stand the harsh outdoor environments.

TP-Link TL-WPAxx series powerline wireless adapter kit is the easiest solution, providing two powerline adapters. One adapter installed indoors relays the data from the network cable to the power line. The second adapter broadcasts the WiFi signal to your cameras. Refer to the Outdoor Solution Guide for the installation tutorial and examples. The complete introduction of Powerline adapters will help you understand whether this solution is suitable for you.

1.2 Near Site Outdoor WiFi for Cameras: Outdoor WiFi Access Points

If your patio is not enclosed or the outdoor wireless cameras are installed further from your home, you may need an outdoor access point. TP-Link offers Omada EAP series omnidirectional outdoor access points for outdoor WiFi. They come with IP67 or IP65 waterproof and dustproof housing and a -30–70°C (-22–158°F) operating temperature range. They are designed to protect the outdoor access points against harsh outdoor conditions.

According to the areas of deploying outdoor cameras, there are two deployment methods. The basics are listed below. Refer to Get Outdoor WiFi with Outdoor WiFi Access Points for more details. Go to the Outdoor Solution Guide for the installation tutorial and examples.

1.2.1 WiFi Outside for Relatively Small Areas

One or two outdoor WiFi access points are deployed to connect the outdoor wireless cameras in relatively small areas. With the included passive PoE adapter, connect the Omada outdoor access points with your existing router to simultaneously provide data and power using a single Ethernet cable.

1.2.2 WiFi Outside for Relatively Large Areas

Several outdoor WiFi access points are deployed to connect outdoor wireless cameras across relatively large areas. The PoE switches or passive PoE adapters connect the Omada access points with a single Ethernet cable. Omada Mesh technology can wirelessly connect to the outdoor access points without additional cable if some access points cannot link to LAN ports. With Mesh technology, the maximum distance of extending outdoor WiFi can be multiple hundreds of meters.

2. Remote Site Network Expansion (More than 100 m and up to 30 km)

You can use the Pharos CPE series directional outdoor wireless antennas to build a wireless bridge to expand the network for miles. It is perfect for remote surveillance systems covering vast areas. You can also broadcast the wireless signals with an additional wireless access point on the remote site when necessary.

Refer to Pharos Solution to discover what Pharos products can bring. Go to the Outdoor Solution Guide for the installation tutorial and examples of Pharos wireless products. Refer to How to Connect Your Cameras from a Long Distance for using fibers to connect remote cameras.

3. Summary of Extending WiFi to Outdoor Wireless Security Cameras

So, ready to install your outdoor wireless cameras and choose the best outdoor WiFi solution. Let us know your idea about the outdoor WiFi on social media with #tplinkoutdoor!

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