Mount Tripwire Home on a wall or eave
Fix the included wall/eave kit to solid wood or masonry, as high as you can safely reach, with the antenna vertical and open sky around the unit. The right anchor depends on what your wall is made of.
What you need
In the box
- Tripwire Home
- Wall/eave mounting kit
- PoE injector
- 25 ft outdoor-rated Ethernet cable
You provide
- A drill and bits (including a masonry bit for brick or stucco)
- Anchors that suit your surface, if the kit screws are not right for it
- A stud finder and a level
- Exterior-grade sealant
- A stable ladder
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 drill, hold the unit (or set it on a ladder shelf) at your chosen spot with the cable temporarily run through a door or window, power it up and check the signal in the Spyder app. For Wi-Fi setups this tells you whether the spot works before you commit to any holes.
Step by step
-
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. An eave, fascia or gable peak works well. Stay well clear of power lines and service drops, and never use a ladder or tool that could reach them.
-
Find solid backing
Use a stud finder to locate framing, fascia boards or other solid wood. Check for wiring and plumbing behind the spot, including outdoor outlets, lights and a gas or electric meter. Avoid drilling near any of them. If you cannot be sure what is behind the wall, choose another spot or the pole mount.
-
Choose anchors for your surface
Wood or fascia: use the screws from the kit, driven into solid wood. Vinyl or aluminum siding: mount through the siding into the framing behind it, or onto a mounting block, so the siding does not crack or flex. Brick or concrete: use a masonry bit and masonry anchors, and drill into the brick face or mortar joint as you prefer, not near an edge. Stucco: use a masonry bit and anchors rated for stucco, and make sure they reach the solid backing behind it. If the kit screws are not right for your wall, buy anchors that are.
-
Mark and drill pilot holes
Hold the mount against the wall, check it is level, and mark the holes with a pencil. Drill pilot holes slightly smaller than the screws (or the size on the anchor packaging). Wear safety glasses, and tape a small dust catcher under the bit if you are drilling above windows or a door.
-
Fasten the mount and seal the screws
Fit the anchors if you use them, then screw the mount firmly into place. Put a dab of exterior-grade sealant on each screw hole before the final turn so water cannot follow the screw in. Wipe off the excess.
-
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.
-
Route the cable
Plug the outdoor-rated Ethernet cable into the unit and run it to where it will go inside. Secure it with UV-resistant clips every 1 to 2 feet, with gentle curves and no sharp bends.
-
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.
-
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. Keep the total outdoor-rated cable length under 300 ft.
-
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
- Seal every screw hole and every place the cable passes through with exterior-grade sealant, or fit a weatherproof grommet.
- Use only outdoor-rated, pure copper Ethernet cable outside.
- Keep a drip loop below the entry point.
- Do not seal over vents or weep holes that a wall needs to dry out.
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.
-
Exterior silicone or polyurethane sealant
A tube of caulk for sealing screw holes and any gap around where the cable enters the building.
What to look for
- Labeled for exterior use and for your surface (siding, brick, stucco, wood)
- Paintable or color-matched, if that matters to you
- Check the label for the cure time and the temperature range for application
-
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
-
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
- A screw spins and will not tighten
- The hole has stripped. Move to solid wood, use a larger screw or a proper anchor for your surface, or choose a different spot.
- The siding flexes or cracks around the mount
- Mount into the framing behind the siding, or use a mounting block under the bracket, so the load does not sit on the siding itself.
- The unit does not power on or the signal is weak
- Check the long cable is in the lightning bolt port of the injector and both plugs are clicked in. For a weak signal, move higher, clear the sky view, or use Ethernet to the router.
Still stuck? Email support@thalrix.com and tell us which guide you are following.