Greetings all.

I want to add an IP camera to part of my house, but I want it to look good I'd like to install it on the ceiling without any wires showing anywhere.

The location is at the opposite side of my home from my network enclosure, so running cable to it won't be an option. I don't want to do it myself and I don't want the mess and expense of getting someone else to do it. So WiFi is the way to go here.

The spot where the camera will go has an outlet on the wall below it. What's the cleanest way to get power to a poe WiFi camera?

Here's what I was thinking, but I don't know if the main product exists:

-a box attaches to the wall
-a power cord comes out of the box and plugs into the outlet
-inside the box is a poe injector plugged into the other end of that power cord
-ethernet from the injector goes through a hole drilled into the back of the box, through the wall, up to the top plate, into the ceiling joist bay, and out through the ceiling where the camera gets mounted.

Clearly this would take some work at the location, but the hard parts would need to happen if I ran a line anyway, so I might as well limit the work to this spot. I just haven't seen anything like what I'm talking about. Am I looking for a junction box of some kind? I don't know if what I'm trying to do is even up to code. I'm just trying to figure out how to power this low voltage device without having a wire dangling down or using an ugly cable channel.

Thanks for the help.

Rather than complicating matters as described, why not just plug the camera's power brick into the outlet, and extend/fish the power wire back into the wall and up through the top plate and down into the camera?

So what you described, but just using the stock power brick and a longer chunk of power cord.

You could use a feed-through bushing to neatly trim things where the DC power wire enters the wall. Or just install a wall plate with a DC power jack on it, and plug the PSU's output into that.

Agree.

Not sure why you are mentioning POE since there is no Ethernet connection to your home network, correct? This is just simple power to the camera and WiFi to the network.

Tip: Sometimes it is easier to run power down from the floor above, rather than up from the wall in the room where the camera is.

Depending on how the building is constructed, sometimes a hole can be drilled from the outside of the building, directly into the ceiling joist cavity. Then the AC wiring can be done on the outside, using appropriate weather proof enclosure and cable, etc.

With some reengineering, a retro-fit style pot lamp fixture (designed to be installed into an existing finished ceiling) can be converted into a recessed electrical outlet in the ceiling. Mount the camera pod over the opening, and it can look quite tidy.

+1

I did this for an unrelated device that was also wireless except for its wall-wart DC power brick.

- Small hole in wall behind where I intend to mount the device.
- Hole is in the space between studs, directly above the AC power outlet.
- Unscrew the cover of the power outlet.
- Dangle some two-conductor wire down the hole.
- Wire was surprisingly easy to find and fish out from around the gap around the power outlet.
- Clip DC plug off of wall wart.
- Carefully solder the already-fished-through-the-wall wire onto the wall-wart, and shrink tube.
- Carefully solder DC plug for the device at the top end where the wire comes out of the hole. Make sure the polarity is correct of course.
- Replace cover on AC power outlet with the wire and wall wart peeking out from under its bottom edge.
- Plug DC wall wart into the bottom outlet, it's "tail" disappearing under the bottom edge of the outlet.
- Plug in the device and mount the device over the hole.

I guess that could work. I suppose I was focused on poe because while it's not connected to the network the poe can still power a camera like this, and it's easy to wire any length I want.

The camera I'm using doesn't come with a power adapter I don't think, but I'll research the kind I need.

The tough part, of course, is getting through that top plate. I'll need at least one hole underneath it for drilling through the wood, then another hole on the ceiling to grab the cable coming out... Hmm, this could get messy. But like I said, it's still better than fishing from the network enclosure.

Thanks, folks. Hopefully it works out.

Is there any kind of secure box for a power outlet? I'd like to put something around it so that it can't be bumped out accidentally, or someone can't just go "hey this would be a convenient place to plug in the vacuum."

Not pretty, but it is lockable...

A method I have used on occasion is to install a simple ‘air return grill’ over a corresponding cut-out in the drywall.

With the grill not yet mounted, install an electrical outlet inside the wall cavity. Box the cavity as necessary above and below so the new electrical box area is separated from the rest of the wall cavity, save for a small wire hole leading towards the WiFi equipment.

Now the power pack can be plugged into the soon-to-be-hidden electrical outlet. Install the air grill with lovers facing downwards. The electrical area is ventilated and accessible for service, but to casual eyes it is just a simple wall vent.

If the ‘fake’ grill is made of plastic rather than metal, WiFi gear can be mounted behind the grill.

Mounting an air grill up high on the wall is not uncommon in areas with air conditioning. Paint to match the wall and it can be near invisible. Louvers angled upwards for high mounted grills.

If the ceiling is not large, one way to run cables is to strap the ceiling with wood or metal strips and install a second layer of drywall below the original. Run your wires between the two layers. Tape and finish the new ceiling drywall where it meets the walls.

My burglar alarm system has something along these lines. It uses what is essentially a wall-wart with its wires running into the wall much like I described above. The wall wart itself has, molded into it, a screw attachment point which lines up perfectly with the center screw on the AC outlet plug.

Here's a picture of one. Note the screw at the top, which aligns with the center of the AC outlet plug. Problem is I don't know how to find one generically.



https://www.alliedelec.com/speco-technol...4hoCNvkQAvD_BwE