Ubiquiti G6 Instant - PoE vs USB-C

[OttoMattik]

I'm going to be installing a combination of G4 and G6 instant cameras in a new build house (which will also have several Ubiquiti Access Points and excellent wifi coverage). The house is being built at this stage - so it's a blank canvas as to what wiring I want to go in. Current plan is to have an extensive network of Cat6A cabling running throughout the house and in the locations where these cameras will be mounted (mainly to monitor the entrance points).

The cameras are powered by USB-C but you can buy PoE adapters. I see a couple of issues with this:
1. The adapters are quite pricey - about £50 each.
2. My goal is to have the adapters embedded in the walls so that the camera is the only thing visible and I'm worried about heat dissipation in the long term.

How have others overcome this issue? One idea I had was to have something like a USB-C wallplate https://www.euronetwork.co.uk/USB-C-Wall-Plate and then connect the cameras via WiFi. Not the most elegant solution but cheaper and works better for heat dissipation I guess?

Any other suggestions as to how people are using them? I'm pretty tied into the Ubiquiti ecosystem at this point so don't want to look at other cameras.

[MikeGTi]

This doesn't answer your main question, but I'd not want to have my security cameras connected via wifi given that most thieves worth their salt seem to carry wifi jammers these days.

Hard wired with the wiring either in armoured conduit or hidden within the fabric of the wall would be my way to go.

[worsy]

Won't an Ubiquiti POE Switch do the job?

[OttoMattik]

To clarify - these cameras are for internal use and are going to be in hallways looking at entrance points inside the house. Externally, going for G6 Turret cameras on all 4 corners of the house - that are hardwired and powered by PoE anyway.

[OttoMattik]

worsy said:

Won't an Ubiquiti POE Switch do the job?

These specific cameras don't have a PoE input - which is the main issue.

I do already have the Ubiquiti PoE switch which will power the cable that goes up to where the cameras are physically going to be present, it's the final conversion to USB-C that I need to understand the best way of doing.

[geeks]

worsy said:

Won't an Ubiquiti POE Switch do the job?

This. If cameras can be powered by PoE then you should saves having to have to run power cables and ethernet to them.

PoE injectors can be bought for less than £50 a throw though - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FW81DHSR?ref_=ppx_hz... - I have 3 of these all £19 each

Something like a Ubiquit 16 Lite has 8 PoE ports and 8 none PoE ports is about £180 and would give you enough for a fair few PoE devices - https://eu.store.ui.com/eu/en/products/usw-lite-16...

[geeks]

OttoMattik said:

These specific cameras don't have a PoE input - which is the main issue.

I do already have the Ubiquiti PoE switch which will power the cable that goes up to where the cameras are physically going to be present, it's the final conversion to USB-C that I need to understand the best way of doing.

Ah ok in that case ignore what I just posted.

Though if runs are being done anyway would it not be simpler to swap the cameras to PoE ones, the instants aren't exactly cheaper when compared to the equivalent PoE cams

[OttoMattik]

geeks said:

This. If cameras can be powered by PoE then you should saves having to have to run power cables and ethernet to them.

PoE injectors can be bought for less than £50 a throw though - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FW81DHSR?ref_=ppx_hz... - I have 3 of these all £19 each

Something like a Ubiquit 16 Lite has 8 PoE ports and 8 none PoE ports is about £180 and would give you enough for a fair few PoE devices - https://eu.store.ui.com/eu/en/products/usw-lite-16...

The camera isn't powered by PoE...

[LooneyTunes]

OttoMattik said:

To clarify - these cameras are for internal use and are going to be in hallways looking at entrance points inside the house. Externally, going for G6 Turret cameras on all 4 corners of the house - that are hardwired and powered by PoE anyway.

It's not really answering your question, but I've just installed some of the G6s and (aside from some problems with a Pro) they're really impressive. Do watch your PoE demand though.

Only drawback is that I've yet to work out how to make the notifications more user friendly. Doesn't seem to be any scheduling of these so that they are suppressed at certain times of day/night.

[OttoMattik]

I have the Pro Max 24 PoE already lined up - which has a power output of 400W. Will be powering

4 x External G6 Turret
4 x Internal G6/G4 instants (potentially)
4 x U7 Pro APs
2 x U7 Outdoor APs
1 x Doorbell Lite

[untakenname]

Wouldn't the G5 bullet camera's be a better bet?

https://uk.store.ui.com/uk/en/category/cameras-bul...

Cheaper and can be powered by POE.

[OttoMattik]

I don't like the form factor for internal use and really want the G6 AI capabilities.

A more likely replacement is the G5 Flex which is natively PoE. I guess what I'm after really (which doesn't exist) is a G6 Flex.

Still doesn't answer my original question though!

[geeks]

OttoMattik said:

Still doesn't answer my original question though!

Unfortunately you do have the answer its just not a cheap solution. USB-C Cable runs can be quite long if you need them to be, you might be better off with a central power supply and doing long USB-C runs and skipping PoE all together

[Haltamer]

The most seamless, least aggro and future-proof option to me would be running normal CAT6 to the mounting points, and just opting for a different camera model from the Ubiquiti lineup?

If you've already got the hardware, perhaps just redeploy to somewhere else 'useful' where they would be more serviceable by USB-C Power..

[LooneyTunes]

OttoMattik said:

I have the Pro Max 24 PoE already lined up - which has a power output of 400W. Will be powering

4 x External G6 Turret
4 x Internal G6/G4 instants (potentially)
4 x U7 Pro APs
2 x U7 Outdoor APs
1 x Doorbell Lite

You know that some of the U7s have fans in them (I think the Pros do) and also have quite a hefty power draw?

I’m not averse to spending on tech but don’t see much point going past U6, especially if they might be noisy.

[RizzoTheRat]

LooneyTunes said:

OttoMattik said:

I have the Pro Max 24 PoE already lined up - which has a power output of 400W. Will be powering

4 x External G6 Turret
4 x Internal G6/G4 instants (potentially)
4 x U7 Pro APs
2 x U7 Outdoor APs
1 x Doorbell Lite

You know that some of the U7s have fans in them (I think the Pros do) and also have quite a hefty power draw?

I m not averse to spending on tech but don t see much point going past U6, especially if they might be noisy.

Agreed, do you need the maximum speed everywhere? I just added a U6+ for my top floor as it's not an area that gets heavy use so don't really need to cope with multiple devices downloading at high speed, and the U6+ is only 9W compared to my U6 Pro and U6 Mesh that draw 13W. Not a big difference but it means I'm keeping a few watts below my switch's rated output. The U7 pro is 21W, given how hot my U6 Mesh gets I'd be surprised if all the U7 pro doesn't have fan.

[Harpoon]

I might be due a woosh-parrot here for getting this wrong but this POE to USB-C splitter is under £10, so way cheaper than the Unifi one.

https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/usb-c-poe-split...

Might not be the easiest thing to hide in the wall though. If you are feeling brave, how about an AliExpress special for £2.90?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005009041903875.h...

Or what about this USB-C terminal? Can't see a datasheet but POE/POE+ is four pairs, so you could terminate CATx into it and hopefully get power out the USB-C connector.

https://cpc.farnell.com/clever-little-box/clb-jl-1...

[OttoMattik]

RizzoTheRat said:

LooneyTunes said:

OttoMattik said:

I have the Pro Max 24 PoE already lined up - which has a power output of 400W. Will be powering

4 x External G6 Turret
4 x Internal G6/G4 instants (potentially)
4 x U7 Pro APs
2 x U7 Outdoor APs
1 x Doorbell Lite

You know that some of the U7s have fans in them (I think the Pros do) and also have quite a hefty power draw?

I m not averse to spending on tech but don t see much point going past U6, especially if they might be noisy.

Agreed, do you need the maximum speed everywhere? I just added a U6+ for my top floor as it's not an area that gets heavy use so don't really need to cope with multiple devices downloading at high speed, and the U6+ is only 9W compared to my U6 Pro and U6 Mesh that draw 13W. Not a big difference but it means I'm keeping a few watts below my switch's rated output. The U7 pro is 21W, given how hot my U6 Mesh gets I'd be surprised if all the U7 pro doesn't have fan.

I'm not disagreeing that it's overkill but (a) I have them already, and (b) I did so when I was particularly exasperated with the poor Wifi performance I get in my current 1930s house and the TP Link Wifi Extenders. Wanted something for the new place that was bullet proof and would last several years / fit and forget.

[OttoMattik]

Haltamer said:

The most seamless, least aggro and future-proof option to me would be running normal CAT6 to the mounting points, and just opting for a different camera model from the Ubiquiti lineup?

If you've already got the hardware, perhaps just redeploy to somewhere else 'useful' where they would be more serviceable by USB-C Power..

This is probably where I'm heading. Current plan would be a G5 flex with an in ceiling flush mount to make it a little more discreet.

Will hold out for a little bit to see whether anything like the G6 flex materialises before biting the bullet.

[RizzoTheRat]

OttoMattik said:

(a) I have them already,

Yeah that's a good reason to use them

How soon do you need them, given how rapidly they seem to be producing new stuff at the moment what's the betting they start with a G6 flex the moment you install some new cameras?