I need to monitor a fenced piece of land located about 120 meters from my house. There is no Wi‑Fi connection at the camera location, and running internet service there would be expensive. A neighboring household shares the overall property, and people have been throwing garbage over my fence, so local authorities suggested recording the incidents as evidence.
I'm considering a cellular camera with a SIM card, a Wi‑Fi extender or additional access point, or some kind of wired setup, but I'm unsure what would work reliably at that distance. I'd prefer an affordable solution that can be installed quickly. What type of camera or connection would make the most sense?
4 Answers
The simplest option is a battery-powered trail camera that records to an SD card. It doesn’t need Wi‑Fi or a monthly cellular plan, and many models have motion detection and infrared night vision. You would need to visit the camera periodically to retrieve the footage or replace the batteries, but it’s a good fit if you mainly need evidence after the fact.
You don’t necessarily need live access. A motion-activated camera that stores recordings locally may be enough to document the dumping and show the footage to the authorities. Aim it only at your own land and avoid recording areas where neighbors have a reasonable expectation of privacy; local camera and recording laws may also apply.
A regular Wi‑Fi extender probably won’t reliably cover 120 meters, especially through multiple walls and buildings. If you want a permanent network connection, use an outdoor-rated point-to-point wireless bridge with one unit at each end, or run cable using proper outdoor equipment. Standard Ethernet is generally limited to about 100 meters per cable segment, so a longer run would need an intermediate switch or another suitable solution.
A cellular camera could upload footage remotely, but it normally requires a separate data plan and may have ongoing costs. Before buying one, check whether the location has a strong mobile signal and whether the camera supports local SD-card recording in case the connection drops.

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