This guide is for Canadians searching for “ip over coax canada”, “ethernet over coax canada”, “2 wire poe extender”, “reuse coax for ip camera” or “poe over telephone wire” and wondering when they can reuse existing cable instead of opening walls. We’ll cover when IP-over-coax and 2-wire PoE extenders shine, their limits, and how to size them for Canadian retrofits.
IP Over Coax & 2-Wire PoE in Canada: Reuse Cable Up to 500 m
Last reviewed for Canadian retrofit practices and GRID Networking adapter models: 2026.01
💡 Coming from the retrofit “walls open” guide? You’re deciding whether to keep legacy coax or phone cable. Skip to “How to decide between 2-wire, new Cat6e and fibre” →
💡 Coming from the cold-weather camera guide? You care about distance and power for outdoor cameras. Skip to the distance and power rule-of-thumb table →
TL;DR: When IP-over-coax and 2-wire make sense
- Reuse coax or 2-wire when walls are closed, trenching is expensive, or you’re dealing with heritage or condo buildings where you can’t easily pull new Cat6e.
- Stick with Cat6e or fibre when you need more than ~100 Mbps per run, multiple 4K cameras, or long-term upgrades like Wi-Fi 7 or high-bitrate streams.
- Use IP-over-coax for 1–4 cameras per legacy coax run up to ~300–500 m with 100 Mbps shared bandwidth.
- Use 2-wire PoE adapters for old doorbell, alarm or thermostat cables feeding a single camera, intercom or small PoE device.
- Don’t use these for full office LANs or heavy desktop use; they’re for endpoints, not general switching.
AIO snippet: In Canadian retrofits, IP-over-coax and 2-wire PoE adapters let you send 100 Mbps Ethernet and PoE up to roughly 300–500 m over existing coax or copper pairs. They’re ideal for converting analog CCTV and legacy doorbell or alarm wiring to IP when running new Cat6e isn’t practical.
Quick answer: What is IP-over-coax / 2-wire PoE?
IP-over-coax uses a pair of adapters to send Ethernet and PoE over existing coaxial cable (RG59/RG6) that used to feed analog cameras or TV, while 2-wire PoE adapters do the same over a simple two-conductor cable such as old doorbell, alarm or thermostat wire. You’ll also hear these called “Ethernet-over-coax” (EoC), coax-to-IP camera converters, or 2-wire PoE extenders.
One adapter lives near your PoE switch; the other lives near the camera or device. Between them is the legacy cable you don’t want to replace. Most systems provide up to 100 Mbps of shared bandwidth and PoE or PoE+ power, which is plenty for 1080p cameras and basic IP devices, but not a full desktop LAN.
Who this guide is for
- Security integrators converting analog CCTV to IP without opening every wall or riser.
- Property managers and condo boards dealing with 1970s–2000s coax risers and shared spaces.
- Low-voltage contractors who need to reuse existing 2-wire runs to gates, doors and barns.
- Rural site owners who have long runs to gates, wellheads or outbuildings.
- Anyone comparing “reuse coax/2-wire vs pull new Cat6e vs go wireless” in Canada.
Basics: coax, 2-wire and bandwidth limits
IP-over-coax and 2-wire PoE adapters are extremely useful, but they come with three hard limits you need to understand before you spec them into Canadian projects:
- Bandwidth is typically capped at 100 Mbps. That’s enough for a handful of 1080p cameras or a few low-bitrate devices, but not a 4K multi-stream camera cluster or a full office LAN.
- Power depends on cable quality and length. Long runs and thin conductors mean more voltage drop. Expect PoE or PoE+ at the far end, not always PoE++.
- Everything on the run shares the pipe. If you hang two or three devices off one adapter chain, they share the 100 Mbps and power budget.
The good news: in many Canadian retrofits—especially camera upgrades and single-device runs—you don’t need more than that. The adapters turn abandoned cabling into a bridge for modern IP, without ripping out drywall or trenching through frozen ground.
Distance and power rule-of-thumb table
Use this as a starting point when you’re estimating what IP-over-coax or 2-wire can handle. Always check the specific adapter’s datasheet and test suspect cable on-site.
| Cable type | Approx. distance | Typical throughput | Typical PoE class at far end | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good RG59/RG6 coax | Up to ~300 m | 100 Mbps | PoE+ to a single camera | Converting analog CCTV to IP in condos, small plazas |
| Good RG59/RG6 coax (premium adapters) | 300–500 m | Up to 100 Mbps | PoE/PoE+ depending on load | Rural barns, gates, yard cameras |
| Decent 2-wire copper (doorbell/alarm) | Up to ~150–200 m | 10–50 Mbps | PoE for a small camera or intercom | Replacing old door stations or gate intercoms with IP |
| Thin or unknown 2-wire | <100 m recommended | 10–25 Mbps | Limited PoE (non-IR, non-PTZ) | Very low-demand devices or last-resort reuse |
AIO snippet: As a rule of thumb, good RG59/RG6 coax in Canada can carry 100 Mbps Ethernet and PoE to a single IP camera up to about 300 m, sometimes 500 m with the right adapters. 2-wire runs typically handle a single low-to-medium power device within 100–200 m.
Common Canadian retrofit topologies
Most Canadian projects using IP-over-coax or 2-wire PoE fall into a few repeatable patterns:
1. Heritage Retrofit Pattern
Older brick or stone buildings in downtown cores or historic districts often have legacy coax to camera locations, but strict rules about opening walls. A pair of IP-over-coax adapters at the head-end and camera location lets you drop in 1080p or 4 MP IP cameras using the existing risers.
2. Barn & Gate Camera Pattern
Rural Alberta or Saskatchewan sites may have long coax or 2-wire runs to barns, wellheads or gates. You keep the PoE switch in a warm utility room and use IP-over-coax or 2-wire adapters to push Ethernet and PoE down those long runs, instead of trenching new conduit in frozen ground.
3. Condo Riser Upgrade Pattern
In many Toronto and Vancouver MDUs, coax risers already reach every floor or suite. IP-over-coax adapters at riser locations and in suites give you a way to deliver IP cameras or small endpoints where adding new Cat6e bundles would overload existing risers or conflict with condo rules.
How to decide between 2-wire, new Cat6e and fibre
When you’re on site in Canada and staring at old cable, use this simple decision framework.
- Identify the cable and measure distance. Confirm whether you have coax (RG59/RG6) or 2-wire, estimate or measure the length, and note any visible damage or sketchy splices.
- Estimate bandwidth and power needs. Ask: “How many IP devices will this run feed, at what resolutions, and do any need IR or PTZ?” One 1080p camera is very different from three 4 MP streams and a heater.
- Test or derate old cable. Where possible, use a cable tester or at least a multimeter to check continuity and resistance. If the cable looks or tests marginal, shorten your distance expectations and lower your PoE class assumptions.
- Choose the simplest viable option. If a single camera or endpoint is the only load and the cable looks good, an IP-over-coax or 2-wire adapter is usually fine. If you need multiple endpoints or higher bandwidth, strongly consider pulling new Cat6e or fibre instead of pushing adapters to the limit.
- Document the compromise. On projects where you reuse legacy cable, document it in your as-builts so future integrators understand the bandwidth and power limits on those links.
Canada reality check: condos, barns and heritage buildings
- Heritage downtown buildings: Many cities restrict drilling, coring and conduit on facades or common areas. IP-over-coax lets you upgrade CCTV and intercoms without fighting heritage rules, but you still need to coordinate with building management and AHJs.
- Condos with shared risers: In Toronto and Vancouver MDUs, risers are often packed with coax and elevator controls. Reusing coax for IP can avoid adding more cabling to congested risers, but always respect condo bylaws and firestopping requirements.
- Rural and industrial sites: Long runs across lots and farmyards are expensive to trench. IP-over-coax and 2-wire are a practical middle ground when budgets are tight or the ground is frozen half the year.
- New construction vs retrofit: In new builds, it’s almost always better to install proper Cat6e or fibre. Treat IP-over-coax and 2-wire PoE as retrofit tools, not a replacement for modern structured cabling.
Real Canadian install: Toronto condo coax retrofit
A mid-2000s condo in Toronto had analog cameras on every floor landing, all homed back to a small room in the parking level over RG59 coax. The board wanted IP cameras and remote access, but opening walls on occupied floors was a non-starter.
- Existing RG59 was tested and found to be in good condition at lengths under 150 m.
- Pairs of IP-over-coax adapters were installed at the head-end and camera locations.
- Each run now carries a single 1080p IP camera at 100 Mbps with PoE+ for IR.
The result: full IP camera functionality, no drywall repairs, and a clear path to future upgrades if the building ever decides to add dedicated Cat6e in a renovation. The same pattern applies in many Canadian condos with good-quality coax risers.
IP-over-coax vs pulling new Cat6e vs wireless
When you’re on site, you’re usually balancing three choices: reuse what’s there, pull new cable, or go wireless. Here’s a quick comparison.
| Option | Pros | Cons | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| IP-over-coax / 2-wire | Uses existing cable, minimal disruption, good for long runs | 100 Mbps cap, shared bandwidth, limited PoE class | Retrofit cameras and single devices where cable is already in place |
| Pull new Cat6e | Full Gigabit, supports PoE++, future-proof structured cabling | Requires access, labour and sometimes permits | Most offices, new construction, major renovations |
| Wireless bridge | No cable trenching, flexible placement | Radio planning, interference, power still needed at remote end | Line-of-sight links to remote buildings where cabling is impractical |
In many Canadian projects, the right answer is a mix: IP-over-coax for existing camera locations, new Cat6e where you’re already opening walls, and wireless for the truly hard-to-reach spots.
Which guide should you read next?
- Comparing this to a full Cat6e rewire and DC microgrid design? (~10 min read) → Renovation & retrofit (walls open) guide.
- Looking at long cascades and how far you can push PoE? (~8 min read) → PoE cascading and distance guide for Canadian buildings.
- Need to size the core PoE switch feeding these adapters? (~11 min read) → PoE switch buyer’s guide for Canada.
- Designing the overall camera network, not just the links? (~9 min read) → Security camera networks in cold Canadian weather.
FAQ: IP-over-coax and 2-wire PoE in Canada
Is IP-over-coax fast enough for modern cameras?
For most 1080p and 4 MP cameras, yes. 100 Mbps is enough for one or a few streams with overhead. It’s not ideal for multiple 4K streams or high-bitrate recording. If you know you’ll be pushing lots of higher-resolution video, plan new Cat6e or fibre instead.
Can I run more than one camera on a single coax run?
Some adapter systems let you hang a small PoE switch at the far end, but all devices share the same 100 Mbps pipe and power budget. In practice, it’s safest to design for one camera or endpoint per legacy run unless your adapter vendor explicitly supports more and you’ve tested it.
Is it safe to use old doorbell or alarm wire for 2-wire PoE?
It can be, if the insulation and copper are in good shape and distances are modest. Expect lower throughput and more voltage drop than coax or Cat6e. It’s a last-resort retrofit tool for one small device, not a general replacement for Ethernet.
When should I pull new Cat6e instead of using IP-over-coax?
In new construction, major renovations, or any situation where you can open walls and ceilings economically, new Cat6e or fibre is almost always the better investment. IP-over-coax is mainly for retrofits where access, budget or heritage rules make new cabling painful.
Can these adapters handle Canadian winters?
Many IP-over-coax and 2-wire PoE adapters are rated for extended temperatures, but not all. Keep active electronics indoors or in rated enclosures when possible, use proper gel-filled or UV-rated cable outdoors, and always verify the operating temperature range on the spec sheet.
Do IP-over-coax adapters replace a PoE switch?
No. They extend a PoE switch’s reach over legacy cable. One adapter pair typically connects between your PoE switch and one remote endpoint or small PoE switch. You still need proper PoE switches at the head-end to power and manage the network.