Bandwidth for security cameras?

Looking at adding a few Blink outdoor cameras to my cabin. We do not have wired internet and was wondering if a hot spot with Verizon 4g would have enough bandwidth for the cameras?

It should, you just would want to run the camera at SD level and not HD.

mojogunter wrote:

It should, you just would want to run the camera at SD level and not HD.

Agreeed. You’ll also see during high volume times some throttling back on speed

My wife just picked up a 5g Verizon home internet thing, I did a speed test at our current house last night and averaged 160mbps.

Not sure how a 4g compares, but a quick search showed that 1080p security cameras only use 2-3mbps per camera.

Nick Matti wrote:

Looking at adding a few Blink outdoor cameras to my cabin. We do not have wired internet and was wondering if a hot spot with Verizon 4g would have enough bandwidth for the cameras?

have you looked into starlink at all? not sure where your cabin is located but I’m guessing it is in what starlink considers an excess capacity area, so you’d be looking at $90/month (plus initial equipment purchase). Depending what you’re paying for the hotspot (for what might have a data cap), it might not be that much more for starlink and then you’d have great internet up at the cabin and no data cap.

Verizon 5G is the real deal. Streaming, Outlook Teams conference calls, garage door, ring security camera all run without issue.

If you are a Verizon customer and auto-bill … $25/month.

Has two ports in the back if you want to ethernet something.

Flipp’n comcast calls daily … should have been competitive before I left.

Brittman wrote:

Verizon 5G is the real deal.

depends where the cabin is. verizon essentially doesn’t have 5G outside of the metro area so I’m guessing theres no 5G where the OPs cabin is located. AT&T tends to have better service than Verizon in my neck of the woods, especially the further off the beaten path you get.

I can’t answer the bandwidth question, but we tried the blink thing and were unimpressed.

We then switched to Simplisafe and have been pleased. We had one issue where an outdoor camera didn’t want to stay connected. With a 5 minute phone call another $200 camera was on its way for free and they did a hard reset that allowed the old one to work again. The guy said not to worry about returning either. We now have x3 HD outdoor cameras, an indoor HD camera in the garage, and 4 exterior door sensors plus a keypad. Any tech issues and they’ve shown they’re capable and then some with a quick call. I don’t know that I’m $300 into the whole thing.

I agree, the Verizon 5G network will take time to migrate out into rural and cabin country. Verizon has a 5G availability selector online – unsure how well it predicts. Type in your address.

If the 5G box doesn’t work you can return it. No contract, no additional fees. I ran the Verizon 5G home internet a few days before truly cutting the Comcast cord.

I have found Verizon cell service works pretty well all over MN. Not sure about the full 5G – but my phone works too well on my deer stand up north. 10 years ago – I had to stand on the deck of the old cabin, hold my arms high in the air to even send a text. There are definitely a few dead zones out there though.