I recently upgraded my home security system with a couple of new IP cameras, but the problem was running power to them. They needed to be mounted far from my house, and while I could have strung extension cords everywhere, that wasn't exactly the sleekest look.
That's where these LINOVISION PoE extenders came in. These little boxes are pretty simple - you plug your ethernet cable from your router or switch into one end, and then another cable that runs out to your camera (up to 800m according to the description, which is way more than I needed). The extender uses the same cable to transmit both power and data (PoE stands for Power over Ethernet), so you only need one cable for everything. Installation was a breeze - though make sure you get weatherproof ethernet cables if you're mounting these outdoors like I did.
Here's the good stuff: These extenders work exactly as advertised. My cameras are now pulling in power and data perfectly, and the video quality is just as good as if they were plugged straight into my router. No worries about signal degradation or anything like that. Plus, the weatherproof casing seems well-built, and they've withstood a couple of heavy rain showers here without any issues.
Now, the slightly quirky thing: The instructions that come with these are pretty basic. For instance, they don't mention that you need to use a PoE compatible power source (like a PoE switch) on the router side. I had to do some digging online to figure that out, but once I did, everything worked smoothly. So, just a heads up that you might need to do a little bit of troubleshooting if you're not familiar with PoE setups.
Overall, I'm really happy with these LINOVISION extenders. They've been a lifesaver for getting power and data to my remote security cameras, and the price was right. Just be prepared to do some light Googling if you're not a PoE expert like myself. For the average person who wants an easy way to extend their network devices, though, these are a great option.
