Camera reboots every few minutes

Camera reboots every few minutes

Symptom

A camera powers up, streams for 30 seconds to a few minutes, then drops off the network and reboots. Pattern repeats. Other cameras on the same switch may also flicker.

Likely causes

1. Total PoE draw exceeds the switch’s power budget.
2. Switch port PoE class is lower than the camera requires (for example, 802.3af port feeding an 802.3at camera with IR on).
3. Long cable run (near 100 m) drops voltage under load below the camera’s minimum.
4. Cheap or damaged patch cable increases resistance on the pairs carrying PoE.

Fix

If the switch is over budget

1. In the switch UI, read PoE total consumed versus budget.
2. Move low-priority devices to a non-PoE switch, or upgrade to a switch with a larger PoE budget.
3. Set port priority on critical cameras so they win contention.

If the port class is too low

1. Check the camera’s datasheet for PoE class (af / at / bt).
2. Confirm the switch port supports that class. Replace the switch or use a single-port PoE+ injector that matches.

If the cable run is too long or too thin

1. Measure the run. If over 90 m end-to-end, shorten it or insert a PoE extender at the midpoint.
2. Replace CCA (copper-clad aluminium) cable with solid copper Cat5e or Cat6.
3. Re-terminate both ends. Poor crimps add resistance and cause voltage drop under IR load.

Caution

Disable IR or high-power features temporarily to confirm the brownout is power-related. If the camera stays up with IR off, the diagnosis is confirmed.

Verify

1. Camera stays online continuously for 15 minutes under full load (IR on at night, stream at full FPS).
2. Switch UI shows port PoE draw stable, not spiking and resetting.
3. Camera event log (vendor UI) shows no recent reboots.

If none of this worked

• Export the switch PoE log and the camera event log. Attach both to a support ticket.
• Note the cable length, gauge, and switch model in the ticket.
• See also: No link light at the switch.