Just a bit of experience now

[Jim]

I received this weekend my first CCTV system. I was just starting so thought I would get a small wireless system. It runs in the 2.4Ghz range and was assured it wouldn't interfere with my BT wireless broadband hub. Well it did...

The setup is a 4 channel receiver and two cameras. The cameras were on channels 1 and 3 for the receiver. Whenever I powered up camera 1 the internet and wireless connection failed on both wireless PCs and my laptop. Only the wired main PC remained on the net. Even when the cameras were on another floor the signal still interfered.

The obvious solution was to try and change the hub channels. I had to go above channel 9 before camera 1 stopped interfering. Then whenever I switched on camera 3 guess what? the wireless connection died again. I had to bump all the way to channel 13 before both cameras would work. Great eh? Nope! The laptop and kids PC dongle will only go to channel 11 and Channel 11 was kicked out by camera 3.

The company I bought them from on Ebay has been helpful and promised to exchange the camera 1 for a channel 4 camera so now my hub is on network channel 3 and when I receive a camera 4 I should be able to run two cameras since it's frequency is even further off than camera 3, but I won't be able to use the 4 cameras that the system can utilize. I'm unsure if a camera 2 wouldn't interfere but my guess is that if I purchased one that it would.

So if a camera seller tells you that your 2.4Ghz cameras won't interfere with your wireless network don't believe it. They sure as heck will.

[brian]

Ouch - talking about learning the hard way - must have been bloody frustrating for you!!

I'm surprised, actually, that there was such a problem - I figured most wireless systems expect to deal with other interfaces and account for that - heck, positively try to allow for connection - so it sounds like you got pretty unlucky on this instance.

I presume - and hope - that everything is running fine now?

[iStorm]

Can i ask a question..... Why choose wireless?

[Jim]

Got two cameras working now but have yet to actually set them up. Cameras 3 and 4 don't interfere with the wireless hub.

As to why choose wireless iStorm well that's a good question. The reason I went that way us that I live in a housing association house. They frown upon most modifications such as drilling for cables etc. I had hoped the wireless system would avoid any clashes with the association. So basically it was my least disruptive option but not the route I would have taken if I owned the house myself. I'm still not sure I won't end up with a combination system using a couple of wireless and a couple of wired. The wired ones I would put inside and if they are infra-red (without built-in LEDs) I can place an external light source. Does that sound do-able to you?

Wireless creates another obvious problem if using motion detection. Any interference or static will trigger a recording. Sigh... Oh well, live and learn.