The possibilities of IP over Coax

Using the somewhat old-fashioned coaxial cable to transmit digital signals from network cameras may sound illogical.
However, this can be an excellent solution in practice. Until 1990, data traffic between computers was carried out via coaxial cables.
The signals from analog security cameras also ran through this cable network by default.
In the meantime, many analogue cameras have been and are being replaced by digital versions, network cameras.
By default, these send their digital signal over network cables; directly to a recorder or to a switch in the network.
Therefore, when you replace an analog camera system with a digital system, you not only need to replace the cameras, but also the cabling.
At least, that seems the most obvious.
However, this is not always necessary.
There are two reasons why it is sometimes better to reuse the existing coaxial cabling for transmitting the digital camera signals.
We call this ‘IP over coax’.

Achieving cost savings

The first reason is the cost of the replacement work.
Because if the cables are located in complex cable ducts, are concealed in walls or floors or are outside underground, the total replacement costs can be quite high.
This is despite the fact that network cables are cheaper than coaxial cables.
IP over coax does require converters on both sides of the coaxial cable.
These convert the network signal into a signal that can be transmitted via the 2-core coaxial cable.
This technique is not new.
Internet service providers have been using it for years to transmit television and internet signals to homes.
Admittedly, this involves only one connection, whereas a camera system often involves several connections.
This means that multiple converters or multi-converters are needed.
This will incur additional costs and you will naturally have to ask yourself whether the costs for this outweigh the costs involved in replacing the coaxial cabling.