Mount Tripwire Home on a pole or railing
Clamp the included pole/railing mount to a post, mast or deck railing, fit the unit with the antenna pointing straight up, and run the cable down and away. It is the simplest mount because nothing is drilled into your house.
What you need
In the box
- Tripwire Home
- Pole/railing mount
- PoE injector
- 25 ft outdoor-rated Ethernet cable
You provide
- A sturdy pole, post or railing
- A screwdriver or wrench that fits the mount hardware
- UV-resistant cable ties or clips
- A stable ladder, if the spot is above head height
If you need a longer run, use outdoor-rated, pure copper Cat5e or Cat6 cable, up to 300 ft in total.
Test it first
Before you tighten anything, lay the cable on the ground or through a window, plug in the injector, power the unit and check the signal in the Spyder app from the spot you chose. This is most useful for Wi-Fi setups, where the distance to your router matters. If the signal is weak, you have only moved a clamp, not drilled a hole.
Step by step
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Pick the spot
Choose a spot as high as you safely can, with an open view of the sky and the area you want to watch. Trees, walls and metal roofs in the way make the signal weaker. Look up before you set up: stay well clear of power lines and service drops, and never use a pole, ladder or tool that could reach them.
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Check the support is solid
The post, mast or railing should be firmly fixed and not wobble when you push it. A loose fence post or a thin railing will let the unit swing in the wind. Check that the mount fits around it before you climb up. If it does not, contact support@thalrix.com.
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Attach the mount
Fit the pole/railing mount around the support following the instructions in the box. Tighten the hardware evenly until the mount does not slide or rotate by hand. Do not over-tighten on a thin or hollow railing.
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Fit the unit with the antenna vertical
Attach Tripwire Home to the mount so the white antenna points straight up. Check with a level or by eye from a few feet away. A tilted antenna works less well.
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Route the cable
Plug the outdoor-rated Ethernet cable into the unit, then run it down the support to where it will go inside. Secure it every 1 to 2 feet with UV-resistant clips or cable ties, leaving gentle curves and no sharp bends. Do not pull it tight.
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Leave a drip loop
Just before the cable goes into the building (or into a connector), let it hang in a short U-shaped loop below the entry point, then rise up to it. Rain that runs down the cable then drips off the bottom of the loop and does not follow the cable inside.
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Bring the cable inside
Pick a guide for how the cable gets in: through a vent, under a window or door, through the eave or soffit, or through a drilled hole. The index page compares them. Keep the total outdoor-rated cable length under 300 ft.
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Connect the PoE injector inside
Plug the end of the long cable into the injector port with the lightning bolt. If you use Ethernet, connect the short patch cable from the port with the arrows (the ‹···› port) to your router. For a Wi-Fi-only setup, leave the arrows port empty. Plug the injector into an outlet. Then open the Thalrix Spyder app to finish setup.
Weatherproofing
- Use only the outdoor-rated cable in the box (or an outdoor-rated, pure copper Cat5e/Cat6 cable of your own). Indoor cable is not made for sun and rain.
- Keep the drip loop below the point where the cable enters the unit and the building.
- Secure the cable so wind cannot whip it against the pole.
- If you drilled or screwed anything on your house, seal the holes with exterior-grade sealant.
Some people use
Some customers use these third-party items. They are optional, and the links go to a general search on Amazon, not to a particular product. Thalrix doesn’t make, sell or warranty third-party products, and doesn’t endorse any one brand.
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Cable clips for round Cat6
Clips that hold the cable against a wall, fascia or post so it does not flap or sag. They are sized to the cable, so the jacket is held and not crushed.
What to look for
- UV-resistant plastic, sized for the diameter of your cable
- A rounded inside edge. Avoid tight metal staples that can pinch the jacket.
- Nail, screw or adhesive style that suits your surface
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Drip-loop or strain-relief clip
A clip or tie that holds a small downward loop in the cable just before the entry point, and keeps the weight of the cable off the plug.
What to look for
- UV-resistant, outdoor rated
- Fits the diameter of your cable
- Screw-mount for wood or masonry, or a heavy-duty UV-rated cable tie
Troubleshooting
- The mount slides or rotates
- Tighten the hardware evenly. On a smooth or painted pole, a thin rubber pad between the mount and the pole adds grip.
- The unit does not power on
- Check that the long cable is in the injector port with the lightning bolt, and that both plugs are fully clicked in. Check the injector is plugged into a working outlet.
- The signal in the app is weak
- Move the unit higher or closer to the router, or clear anything between the unit and the sky. Use Ethernet to the router if Wi-Fi is weak there.
Still stuck? Email support@thalrix.com and tell us which guide you are following.