Property Gate Control/Video

[KiotiKowboy]

I'm running power to my new home site via a 2400' trench. The trench will run from my entry gate to the house. Now is the time to pull additional wire.

I would like to mount some type of gate open/close control and possibly voice & video that could be utilized from inside my home.

What would be my best approach for this type of distance? Has anyone found a wireless solution for that kind of distance?

 

[Fawken]

I'm running power to my new home site via a 2400' trench. The trench will run from my entry gate to the house. Now is the time to pull additional wire.

I would like to mount some type of gate open/close control and possibly voice & video that could be utilized from inside my home.

What would be my best approach for this type of distance? Has anyone found a wireless solution for that kind of distance?

There is and I have installed Ubiquity and Ingenious wireless links that are available with both built in or external antennas on frequencies 900mhz, 2.4Ghz, 3.65Ghz, 5Ghz,and 10Ghz. This is the one I use most often: Microcom: Ubiquiti Networks NBE-M5-16 US$67.95
Over that distance, wireless is the best and most flexible option. You install a small 4 port, ethernet switch at the gate, an IP camera (or 2) a gate controller with an ethernet interface, and beam it all back to the house. This also allows for easy set-up of remote viewing via smart phone and gate operation when you're not at home. If you tried wired, 330' is the max distance for ethernet and 2000' is the max distance for coax fed cameras. Much cheaper and better to do the wireless for less than $150.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

Over that distance, wireless is the best and most flexible option. You install a small 4 port, ethernet switch at the gate, an IP camera (or 2) a gate controller with an ethernet interface, and beam it all back to the house. This also allows for easy set-up of remote viewing via smart phone and gate operation when you're not at home. If you tried wired, 330' is the max distance for ethernet and 2000' is the max distance for coax fed cameras. Much cheaper and better to do the wireless for less than $150.

Thanks for the info. I was thinking I would need fiber if I was to pull a line - but that isn't exactly cheap

 

[aczlan]

Thanks for the info. I was thinking I would need fiber if I was to pull a line - but that isn't exactly cheap

Fiber would start at $1000 and go up from there...
Do you have a clear line of sight to the house? If not, you would want to try for a 900mhz wireless unit as it will punch through the trees better than a 2.4ghz one, or a 5ghz one.

Aaron Z

 

[Fawken]

I do fiber as well, but the Ubiquities are easy to set up, have a practical range of 3-5 miles and security features that allow me to use them for both law enforcement and medical (HIPA/ MIPSA) facilities.

 

[STx]

You could run 10Base-36, which is a type of coax, and would give you a 10 Mbit Ethernet connection to the gate. I don't know how expensive it would be but probably less than fiber. I'm not a huge fan of wireless technology but a lot of that is because I live in a suburban area where everybody has it so the signal is pretty congested and unreliable. In a rural setting, it probably works just fine but for me, I would find a way to hard wire it if at all possible.

 

[aczlan]

If you wanted to go wired, you might look into Long Range Ethernet, its good for up to 5000 feet and up to about 18mbps.
For equipment to use it, look at the Cisco 575lre
You will need to find someone to help set it up as its probbaly not going to be very user friendly.

Aaron Z

 

[truckdiagnostics]

There is and I have installed Ubiquity and Ingenious wireless links that are available with both built in or external antennas on frequencies 900mhz, 2.4Ghz, 3.65Ghz, 5Ghz,and 10Ghz. This is the one I use most often: Microcom: Ubiquiti Networks NBE-M5-16 US$67.95
Over that distance, wireless is the best and most flexible option. You install a small 4 port, ethernet switch at the gate, an IP camera (or 2) a gate controller with an ethernet interface, and beam it all back to the house. This also allows for easy set-up of remote viewing via smart phone and gate operation when you're not at home. If you tried wired, 330' is the max distance for ethernet and 2000' is the max distance for coax fed cameras. Much cheaper and better to do the wireless for less than $150.

Agree use there stuff also. Not hard to configure/set up and if an old diesel mechanic can get it anybody can. To long of a run on cat5 causes all kinds of issues.

 

[MNBobcat]

Use the Ubiquiti NanoBeam M One on each end.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

Good information:

This project may take a few months to complete, so having your input is greatly appreciated.

Soooooo ... let's say I go with something like the Ubiquiti gear. It looks like I'll need a pair of the wireless links, an ethernet switch in a weather-proof housing at the gate, an outdoor webcam at the gate. I assume the links can take power over ethernet from the switch, as will the webcam. I'll also need a solar-powered gate opener. Sound about right?

Question ... Who makes a gate opener that is designed for network communication?

It looks like the links mentioned so far are running on 5Ghz. About halfway between the gate and the house is a stand of trees, approximately 100' thick. Am I going to need to set an additional link to get through this?

 

[Fawken]

The radios come with POE injectors. Trees could be a problem and you should test it out. That's a pretty short distance for these radios, but without seeing the site I cannot advise. I have installed the units on a 15' mast at the gate, which also had a solar light and PTZ camera attached and the base unit on a high point of the house to shoot over trees. I've also just aimed one from a stable a half mile to the receive unit sitting on a desk in the house and it worked fine with some trees in the path. Most auto-gate companies have IP boards for the controller if you ask. They used to use a dedicated phone line installed at the gate, but who wants to pay for that?

 

[MikeInEburg]

If you have the trench passing thru, I'd HIGHLY recommend installing at least an empty pipe for future use. One inch well pipe would be fine - just be sure to use external connectors. And, while I'm a fan wireless, generally once fiber is installed, it just works, regardless of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
Regarding gate controller, you really just need the ability to close a contact for remote operation. Common to use a garage - door style wireless for your own vehicles, and either have a keypad for visitors, or let visitors call you in order to gain entry. There are several 'contact over ip' products out there, some with matching mart phone apps.
Go to doorking.com - they show a wide variety of gate products.

 

[Fawken]

If you have the trench passing thru, I'd HIGHLY recommend installing at least an empty pipe for future use. One inch well pipe would be fine - just be sure to use external connectors. And, while I'm a fan wireless, generally once fiber is installed, it just works, regardless of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
Regarding gate controller, you really just need the ability to close a contact for remote operation. Common to use a garage - door style wireless for your own vehicles, and either have a keypad for visitors, or let visitors call you in order to gain entry. There are several 'contact over ip' products out there, some with matching mart phone apps.
Go to doorking.com - they show a wide variety of gate products.

Yes I would put in a 1" spare pipe as well. Over that length I would also have at least 4 pull boxes and install a 600 lb Mule Tape. That said, I would charge approximately $4,500 (plus or minus $500) to pull a 2500' 4-strand OSP fiber into an existing conduit bank here in the Dallas area. This is what I do for a living. The price includes the fiber, termination, testing with hard and soft copy certification, and media converters for both ends. Also included in the price is OTDR reel testing prior to product placement. This insures that you don't pull a half mile of worthless glass just to pull it all out and start over. In other words, figure on at least $5000 additional cost using fiber.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

This insures that you don't pull a half mile of worthless glass just to pull it all out and start over. In other words, figure on at least $5000 additional cost using fiber.

I was having about 1000' of fiber installed during a construction project. The installers ran over the spool with a skidsteer and installed it anyway. Needless to say - they had to pull new fiber.

 

[newbury]

The radios come with POE injectors. Trees could be a problem and you should test it out. <snip>

What is presently the best solution, short of a chainsaw, for getting through trees?

 

[Fawken]

What is presently the best solution, short of a chainsaw, for getting through trees?

Shoot over them is best. Or you can go 900Mhz if there are no Walmarts within 1/2 mile of you. 900Mhz will go through some foliage. If you are not sure about a link there are guys like me who will do a site survey which includes interference testing and setting up an actual test transmitter to measure the throughput at various frequencies. I charge hourly for that, but waive the charge if they buy the link solution.

 

[newbury]

Shoot over them is best. Or you can go 900Mhz if there are no Walmarts within 1/2 mile of you. 900Mhz will go through some foliage. If you are not sure about a link there are guys like me who will do a site survey which includes interference testing and setting up an actual test transmitter to measure the throughput at various frequencies. I charge hourly for that, but waive the charge if they buy the link solution.

Thanks, reading the Amazon reviews of the Ubiquiti Nano Station M900 sounds like I'll by two of them for a fall project.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

Is the M900 a weather resistant outdoor unit?

 

[Fawken]

Is the M900 a weather resistant outdoor unit?

Yes it is. I put one up inside a 3 story office in Tampa last year and beamed it to a clinic about 3/4 mile away through some pine trees just to see if it would work. Worked fine and I think the base unit is still just sitting on the window sill.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

OK ... sounds like a great product. I'll have to pick out a good POE switch and figure out the right solar setup to get everything going.

Another question I will have one unit at my gate and another at my house. That leaves the barn which is about the same distance away from the house but on the far side of my property. Can I aim the 2 remote sites at the same house receiver?