Cellular Construction Cameras: No Wi-Fi? No Problem

When it comes to construction cameras, you have a lot to choose from.

Fixed cameras, pan-tilt-zoom cameras, live-streaming cameras, time-lapse cameras, battery backups, solar power alternatives...the list goes on and on.

In today's article, we're going to assume you've already pared down your list of potential camera models and are now thinking about details of how to get the camera deployed at your jobsite. (If you need help getting to this point, contact our team of camera specialists today at 800.403.0688 and they'll be able to help out.).

At this point, a very important question you need to ask yourself is, "Should I select a cellular construction camera or an Ethernet-connected camera?" For most projects, cellular is our standard recommendation — here's why, along with when Ethernet makes sense instead.

Cellular Construction Cameras: The Easy Choice

A cellular construction camera has a built-in cellular modem that connects to the same cell towers as your smartphone in order to transmit data — no jobsite internet connection required.

For most projects, this is what we recommend, for a few key reasons:

• Easy setup.
  Plug it in and it just works. There's no network to configure and nothing to wait on before your camera is live.
• No wifi needed.
  Since it connects directly over the cellular network, it works on remote sites, freshly broken ground, or anywhere else with zero on-site internet infrastructure.
• No IT professional required.
  You won't need a network administrator to configure anything or grant the camera access to your jobsite's network.

iBEAM Construction Cameras utilize the most secure and reliable 4G LTE carriers for consistent connectivity.

Ethernet-Connected Construction Cameras

An Ethernet-connected construction camera plugs directly into your jobsite's network via Cat 6 cable in order to communicate and transmit data. A static IP address is required for Ethernet-connected construction cameras.

This means you'll need internet service at your jobsite and your network administrator will have to configure your network to talk to the camera. The iBEAM Support Team will work with your administrator to make this happen, and we will configure the camera so that it's ready to plug and play when you receive it.

Which Connection Method is Best?

Cellular is our standard recommendation for most projects — it's the fastest and easiest way to get a camera up and running with zero jobsite infrastructure required.

There are specific circumstances where using an Ethernet connection for your construction camera may make sense:

1. Location — Your project is located in an area where cellular service is not available from any carrier.
2. Availability — A high-speed internet connection is already at your jobsite and you have the ability to configure your network to support the camera.
3. Duration — Your project is long enough that avoiding monthly cellular service charges adds up to meaningful savings that offset the hassle of changing your network settings.

Outside of these special circumstances, a cellular construction camera is the easiest and fastest solution to deploy.

Find the Best Fit For Your Next Project with iBEAM

If you still feel overwhelmed when it comes to selecting the right construction camera for your next project and whether it should be Ethernet-connected or cellular-connected, contact our team of camera specialists at 800.403.0688. They'll help you find the best construction camera solution for your next project.

Until next time, keep what's really important in focus.