Extending Wired Camera Cables

Questions

How do I extend my wired camera cable?

Answer

X10 does not currently sell an extension cable for wired cameras, but you have two options to get one:

Making One Yourself

You can use unshielded twisted pair cabling with at least three pairs, like category 3 (CAT3) cable, terminated with RJ12 connectors (modular phone plugs) to extend the length. Recent cameras like the SC18A and SC23A only need two pairs of wire, so you can run two cameras over a single four-pair CAT5 cable. We have successfully tested 1000 feet of such cable with no noticeable signal loss. You should be able to order CAT3 cable from a local computer, electronics, or large hardware store. Also, any telephone or computer network installer will be able to install this for you.

You need four things to make extension cables:

• Some twisted-pair cable, like CAT3
• A pile of RJ12 6P6C ends... get 50% more than you think you will need.
• An RJ12 crimping tool.
• Wire cutters
• Six-pin straight-through inline phone cord couplers.

The following items are nice to have:

• Wire stripper
• Cable continuity testing tool [[1]]

Buying One Premade

You can also buy six-conductor telephone couplers and six-conductor telephone extension cables if you do not want to make your own. Before purchasing, visually confirm that you can see six conductors in the cable or coupler.

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