I recently installed 4 PoE security cameras at my church. Since part of the cable run was outdoors, I searched for outdoor cat5e cable. I found some at my Home Center, made by Southwire. Reading the reviews on the cable, I saw one reviewer state that the cable does not provide power over 100 ft. I questioned this review as cat5e cable can provide power for more than 300 ft. The cable is 24 AWG, solid copper, cat5e certified.
I installed the cameras and found that 2 of the cameras with cable runs of 35 and 70 ft. worked fine but 2 cameras with cable runs of 110 ft. would not power up. I tested the cables with a high end Klein cable tester and everything was connected properly. The cable tester had a PoE test function which simulates a PoE load and measures the PoE voltage at the end of the cable. This also tested ok. Not knowing what else to do, I obtained some cat5e cable from the camera supplier and stretched out 110 ft. and tested the cameras. They worked fine. I replaced the Southwire cable with the new cable and everything is working good.
Has anyone seen something like this before or has anyone got an idea why the cable would not work over 100 ft.
I installed the cameras and found that 2 of the cameras with cable runs of 35 and 70 ft. worked fine but 2 cameras with cable runs of 110 ft. would not power up. I tested the cables with a high end Klein cable tester and everything was connected properly. The cable tester had a PoE test function which simulates a PoE load and measures the PoE voltage at the end of the cable. This also tested ok. Not knowing what else to do, I obtained some cat5e cable from the camera supplier and stretched out 110 ft. and tested the cameras. They worked fine. I replaced the Southwire cable with the new cable and everything is working good.
Has anyone seen something like this before or has anyone got an idea why the cable would not work over 100 ft.