Article #4: Wired vs. Wireless Barn Cameras: What Is the Difference?

Riverwind sells wireless barn camera systems, but every Riverwind camera is wired at the camera location. The wireless portion is normally the long-distance connection between buildings.

Wire the cameras. Wirelessly bridge the buildings.

A Wireless System Is Not the Same as Wi-Fi Cameras

Individual consumer Wi-Fi cameras depend on ordinary Wi-Fi at each camera. Riverwind instead uses commercial wireless data bridges to carry the network from the house to the barn or from one building to another. Once the connection reaches the barn, the cameras use physical cabling.

If individual Wi-Fi cameras were the most dependable answer for livestock barns, we would sell them. They would be easier. We do not use them because long-term reliability in barns has not met the standard we are comfortable sending to customers.

Why Wire the Cameras?

A physical camera connection removes one major variable. High-definition analog cameras use a heavy-duty coaxial-style cable with a positive push-and-turn connection. Our IP cameras use Ethernet/network cable. Both avoid making each camera depend on its own Wi-Fi link.

The high-definition analog cable is substantial - we joke that you could probably pull a tractor out of the mud with it. We are not recommending anyone try that, but it makes the point. Ethernet is not quite as bombproof, but it is necessary for IP equipment and is very dependable when installed correctly.

You still need power somewhere in the system, but you are not relying on ordinary Wi-Fi through metal walls and across long farm distances for every camera.

Commercial Wireless Between Buildings

Riverwind's commercial antenna systems are designed for long-distance building-to-building links. Our standard equipment is capable of distances up to approximately three miles with proper line of sight.

Farm layouts are rarely perfect, so we also build point-to-multipoint, bridge and repeater arrangements. A common example is House to Barn 1, then Barn 1 to a farther Barn 2 that the house cannot see directly. Some form of multipoint or repeater design is involved in roughly one-third of our system builds.

Do Not Confuse the Bridge With Ordinary Wi-Fi Range

A commercial bridge connecting buildings does not mean the Wi-Fi signal from the house router will suddenly appear strongly on your phone at the barn. The bridge is purpose-built to carry data between specific locations. If you want ordinary Wi-Fi in the barn, a router can be added there separately.

Troubleshooting Is More Straightforward

When a wired camera system has a problem, there is a logical path to follow. A cable may have failed, a connector may be loose, a rodent may have damaged a line, or something may have been unplugged. Those physical problems are generally easier to identify than an inexpensive Wi-Fi camera that has simply disappeared from its network or app.

When appropriate, a Windows computer at the farm can also give Riverwind a way to remotely troubleshoot the system and work through the network path. That often makes it possible to determine whether the issue is a camera, antenna, cable, router or something outside the Riverwind equipment.

Sometimes Wireless Is Not the Right Answer

If the farm layout is questionable, call us before buying. We can look at an aerial map while talking with you and discuss buildings, trees, hills and likely antenna paths. Sometimes we recommend a repeater. Sometimes we tell a customer the proposed link is not likely to work and that bringing internet service directly to the barn would be the better choice.

Money-Back Guarantee

Riverwind backs its systems with a money-back guarantee.

Every farm is different, which is why we would rather study a questionable application first and tell you when we do not believe it will work. We would rather lose a sale than sell you a system we do not believe will do the job.

The goal is not to eliminate every wire. The goal is to have the cameras working when you need them.