We have a detached shop and purchased a wireless camera system. Only the camera by the window gets a signal to the NVR in the House. We purchased a new NETGEAR Nighthawk to try and boost the signal. Still only the one camera works. Would a power line adapter actually boost the signal in the garage? The cameras are all wireless and I think the metal siding and door are causing the interference. I can run a cat6 to the garage but I don’t think this will help since the cameras are trying to connect to the NVR in the house. I would move the NVR to the shop but then I don’t think the outdoor cameras will connect. Any suggestions? Thank you.

A powerline adapter extends ethernet over your house wiring. It's basically equivalent to running a cat6 cable to the garage, though the speed wouldn't be as fast. Some powerline adapter kits include a wifi module - that would create a new wifi signal in the shop that the cameras could potentially connect to. Similarly, you could connect up an extender or router to the cat6 cable and create a wifi signal that way. Can you tell us the manufacturer/model number of the NVR? It'd be helpful to sort out whether cameras are connecting to your main wifi network, or if the NVR is includes it's own wifi network. Also, what is the distance from the house to the shop? Does the shop have it's own power main, or does the power come from the house?

The NVR is a Wisenet SNR-73201W. The shop is approximately 35 ft from where the NVR is in our home. The power runs from the house to the breaker box in the shop. I have tried just a Wi-Fi extender and have the same problem that it won’t connect with the router in the house. We tried to run an Ethernet to the extender to see if that would work but the extender only has an out port so no luck. I’m not really that knowledgeable with this stuff and live in a small town where we have a computer store but they are not very knowledgeable with security systems.

Hi Shannon, I guess it isn't possible to move the NVR to a window adjacent to the garage? When you look for an access point on your mobile phone, do you see the NVR network in the list? How do you pair a camera with it - do you need to specify a network name and password? If you see the NVR network and have control over the name/password used then you may be able to use an extender to assist here, otherwise the camera will be connecting using a proprietary method which you unlikely to duplicate using an extender. Last resort for me would be to unscrew one of the aeriels on the back of the NVR (if they can be unscrewed easily) and take it down to an electronics shop - ask whether they have a high/very high gain aeriel with the same screw connector - or alternatively ask if they have an extension lead that you could run from the aeriel connector on your NVR into your garage, and connect the aeriel to it there. This link shows the type of thing I'm talking about, however it would need to have the correct connectors to match your NVR aeriel socket. https://www.reichelt.com/gb/en/wifi-aerial-cable-n-plug-n-coupler-10-m-lan-wl-ak-nsnk10-p47244.html Cheers Nick

Shannon1653 wrote: The NVR is a Wisenet SNR-73201W. I found a manual but I didn't see what I needed to know. With some of these systems, the cameras connect to your normal wifi network, and reach the NVR via your router. Others (like Arlo) use a dedicated radio network. If your cameras are using your normal wifi, than we can find a way to extend the network so that all the cameras can reach it. But if they use a closed radio system, we can't. Shannon1653 wrote: We tried to run an Ethernet to the extender to see if that would work but the extender only has an out port Netgear extenders all have an AP mode. In that mode the extender port is an input port (connecting the extender to the router). What extender model are you talking about? Shannon1653 wrote: The NVR is a Wisenet SNR-73201W. The shop is approximately 35 ft from where the NVR is in our home. The power runs from the house to the breaker box in the shop. Powerline looks possible then, but if it's easy to run cat6 that would perform better.

I actually can’t move the NVR, unfortunately the only widow adjacent to the garage is off the stairway to the basement. When I set up the NVR, we put up the cameras, plugged in the NVR and connected it to the Wi-Fi, the cameras then automatically pair with NVR. Both cameras will connect if both garage doors are open. When you close either door we lose the one camera. There is a network that comes up on my phone that could be the NVR, but I’m not sure. I could check on the aerial but probably not here in town. We only have one computer town in store and I doubt they carry them but it would be worth checking. I was hoping a power line adapter would be my answer.

Power line adapter for detached garage

13 Replies

StephenB
Guru - Experienced User
Oct 10, 2018
A powerline adapter extends ethernet over your house wiring. It's basically equivalent to running a cat6 cable to the garage, though the speed wouldn't be as fast.

Some powerline adapter kits include a wifi module - that would create a new wifi signal in the shop that the cameras could potentially connect to. Similarly, you could connect up an extender or router to the cat6 cable and create a wifi signal that way.

Can you tell us the manufacturer/model number of the NVR? It'd be helpful to sort out whether cameras are connecting to your main wifi network, or if the NVR is includes it's own wifi network.

Also, what is the distance from the house to the shop? Does the shop have it's own power main, or does the power come from the house?
- Shannon1653
  Aspirant
  Oct 10, 2018
  The NVR is a Wisenet SNR-73201W. The shop is approximately 35 ft from where the NVR is in our home. The power runs from the house to the breaker box in the shop. I have tried just a Wi-Fi extender and have the same problem that it won’t connect with the router in the house. We tried to run an Ethernet to the extender to see if that would work but the extender only has an out port so no luck. I’m not really that knowledgeable with this stuff and live in a small town where we have a computer store but they are not very knowledgeable with security systems.
  - NickAskew
    Tutor
    Oct 10, 2018
    Hi Shannon,
    
    I guess it isn't possible to move the NVR to a window adjacent to the garage?
    
    When you look for an access point on your mobile phone, do you see the NVR network in the list? How do you pair a camera with it - do you need to specify a network name and password? If you see the NVR network and have control over the name/password used then you may be able to use an extender to assist here, otherwise the camera will be connecting using a proprietary method which you unlikely to duplicate using an extender.
    
    Last resort for me would be to unscrew one of the aeriels on the back of the NVR (if they can be unscrewed easily) and take it down to an electronics shop - ask whether they have a high/very high gain aeriel with the same screw connector - or alternatively ask if they have an extension lead that you could run from the aeriel connector on your NVR into your garage, and connect the aeriel to it there. This link shows the type of thing I'm talking about, however it would need to have the correct connectors to match your NVR aeriel socket. https://www.reichelt.com/gb/en/wifi-aerial-cable-n-plug-n-coupler-10-m-lan-wl-ak-nsnk10-p47244.html
    
    Cheers
    
    Nick

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Power line adapter for detached garage