I was thinking of putting solar panels above the streetlights and connecting cameras to them. Would this be possible and if so, is there a better way to connect them to wifi than building a bunch of wifi routers across the neighborhood?
I was thinking of putting solar panels above the streetlights and connecting cameras to them. Would this be possible and if so, is there a better way to connect them to wifi than building a bunch of wifi routers across the neighborhood?
Attaching to light poles you dont own or have permission to do is a crime in most places.
If you do have authority to do this somehow, I would use a power tap on the street light photovoltaic sensor. They are a twist lock style connector. They sell pass through options to keep the original sensor. That’s for the power.
As for the connectivity… If you have permission to do this, you likely have permission to install a omnidirectional WiFi ptmp station and wireless clients (directional) at each camera. Otherwise, just use LTE or fiber. Most municipalities run conduits between each lamp and there may be existing access for fiber. You could also microtrech fiber (since you presumably have permission).
I’ve done this for municipalities. It’s pretty easy since everything is already in place- which is why I question your intentions here. Anyone who has permission to do this would probably not need to ask how to do it.