Need help choosing new system for home.

[low56 0]

Hi,

I am interested in purchasing a new home surveillance system for my residence. I was looking at Qsee and Swann but hear those are not that really good. I've been pointed towards Dahua and wanted to see if anyone can help.

 

I am looking for either an 8 or 16 channel system that can recognize faces indoor and outdoors.

 

Debating over a typical analog system D1 or an IP system. My only concern with IP system is that it would be connecting to my home DSL line and I'm not sure I have the bandwidth to cover 8-12 cameras. Not too concerned with real time remote viewing but am really interested in getting good details from picture if and when I need it. I have 6.75 Mbps download and .86 Mbps upload.

 

Can you assist in any recommendations?

[low56 0]

So I've decided on the following setup from securitycameraking.

 

16 Channel IP NVR

NVR-ELM-16

 

and

 

1.3 Megapixel IR Dome

IPOD-EL1MPIR50.

 

I am now looking at which POE switch to use and have heard several people talk about Zyxel.

 

My question is that I plan on using 8 IP cameras but know that the Zyxel 8 port POE switch require at least one port for my Router which leaves me only 7 powered ports. What is the recommendation on another Zyxel port that can power 8 POE ports plus one more router port.

 

Thanks

[buellwinkle 0]

I like those little Dahua IR mini domes. I have one on my desk, haven't had a chance to install it anywhere.

 

ZyXel makes an unmanaged 16 port PoE switch where 8 ports are PoE and for twice the price, they also make an 8 port PoE managed switch where all 8 ports are PoE + one high speed gigabit port. Both woud fit your needs and depends more on if you want a managed or unmanaged switch.

[low56 0]

Unfortunately the 16 port only has 8 POE ports and one has to be used for connection to router. If I want to run 8 cameras then I am one port short.

[Stereodude 0]

Why does your router need a PoE port instead of one of the other 8 non PoE ports?

[low56 0]

Sorry but I was originally looking at the 8 port POE switch but ended up getting the 16 port switch for cheaper. It has 8 POE ports and I can use one of the non-POE ports for my router. Totally forgot.

 

THanks

[low56 0]

One last question. Since I am new to this I was wondering the configuration for the setup.

 

Do my 8 cameras feed into the POE switch and then the POE switch into my NVR and then the NVR into my router.

 

Or does it go. cameras into my POE switch. Switch into my router. NVR into my router.

[buellwinkle 0]

You should have all the cameras the NVR on the one switch. if you need remote access, then connect the switch to your router. You do not want the cameras to go through the router to get to the NVR.

[Stereodude 0]

Do my 8 cameras feed into the POE switch and then the POE switch into my NVR and then the NVR into my router.

 

Or does it go. cameras into my POE switch. Switch into my router. NVR into my router.

Neither.

 

You need to plug all the cameras into the PoE switch using the PoE ports. You also need to connect both the PoE switch and the NVR and to your "router" (assuming by router you mean a consumer grade router / wireless access point / switch). You can do this by connecting both the NVR and "router" into the PoE switch using the remaining 8 ports, or you can connect both the NVR and the PoE switch to the switch in the "router".

 

You should have all the cameras the NVR on the one switch. if you need remote access, then connect the switch to your router. You do not want the cameras to go through the router to get to the NVR.

If by "through" you mean going WAN to LAN side I'd agree. If you're simply referring to using the LAN side switch in the router/AP unit it doesn't really matter if the NVR is plugged into the switch in the router or the PoE switch that the cameras are directly plugged into (assuming the PoE switch and router's switch are connected).

[low56 0]

Sorry but a bit of a newb here.

 

I have a 16 port POE switch.(8 POE and 8 regular)

4 POE cameras.

1 NVR(No POE ports)

1 Consumer 4 port Router/AP.

 

Do I plug the 4 cameras into 4 POE ports on the switch. Then plug a Cat5e cable from the non-POE port on switch to my consumer router and then another Cat5e cable from the NVR into the consumer router.

 

Do I have that correct?

 

Do my 8 cameras feed into the POE switch and then the POE switch into my NVR and then the NVR into my router.

 

Or does it go. cameras into my POE switch. Switch into my router. NVR into my router.

Neither.

 

You need to plug all the cameras into the PoE switch using the PoE ports. You also need to connect both the PoE switch and the NVR and to your "router" (assuming by router you mean a consumer grade router / wireless access point / switch). You can do this by connecting both the NVR and "router" into the PoE switch using the remaining 8 ports, or you can connect both the NVR and the PoE switch to the switch in the "router".

 

You should have all the cameras the NVR on the one switch. if you need remote access, then connect the switch to your router. You do not want the cameras to go through the router to get to the NVR.

If by "through" you mean going WAN to LAN side I'd agree. If you're simply referring to using the LAN side switch in the router/AP unit it doesn't really matter if the NVR is plugged into the switch in the router or the PoE switch that the cameras are directly plugged into (assuming the PoE switch and router's switch are connected).

[blakem 0]

Sorry but a bit of a newb here.

 

I have a 16 port POE switch.(8 POE and 8 regular)

4 POE cameras.

1 NVR(No POE ports)

1 Consumer 4 port Router/AP.

 

Do I plug the 4 cameras into 4 POE ports on the switch. Then plug a Cat5e cable from the non-POE port on switch to my consumer router and then another Cat5e cable from the NVR into the consumer router.

 

Do I have that correct?

 

Yes that will work but in my opinion it is the less desireable configuration.

 

You should plug all cameras in the POE ports of the switch.

Plug the NVR on the non-poe port of switch.

If you want to access the NVR from the internet then plug the router in to a non-POE port of the switch.

 

Basically I would want my NVR on the same switch as my cameras. Your suggested configuration uses the switch in your router and the new switch the cameras are on. You can plug computers and stuff in the router's switch or the remaining non-POE switch but I think I would just plug my computer in the router.

[Stereodude 0]

Do I plug the 4 cameras into 4 POE ports on the switch. Then plug a Cat5e cable from the non-POE port on switch to my consumer router and then another Cat5e cable from the NVR into the consumer router.

 

Do I have that correct?

That's one way to do it. You can also do it how Blake suggests.

[Stereodude 0]

If you want to access the NVR from the internet then plug the router in to a non-POE port of the switch.

That's a bit of an oversimplification don't you think? Don't the cameras use DHCP to get an IP address (meaning they need to see the router) and use NTP to get the time (meaning they need internet access through the router)?

 

Further, if he wants to control or access the cameras or NVR from any computer on his "network" the PoE switch and the router need to be connected. It seems like connecting the PoE switch to the router isn't really optional.

[blakem 0]

That's a bit of an oversimplification don't you think? Don't the cameras use DHCP to get an IP address (meaning they need to see the router) and use NTP to get the time (meaning they need internet access through the router)?

 

Further, if he wants to control or access the cameras or NVR from any computer on his "network" the PoE switch and the router need to be connected. It seems like connecting the PoE switch to the router isn't really optional.

 

I believe most all cameras can be programmed to have a static IP.

[buellwinkle 0]

If you're simply referring to using the LAN side switch in the router/AP unit it doesn't really matter if the NVR is plugged into the switch in the router or the PoE switch that the cameras are directly plugged into (assuming the PoE switch and router's switch are connected).

 

This is said by someone that clearly does not understand how switches work. You can follow this advice and slow down your entire home network if you like.

[low56 0]

Buellwinkle. Are you suggesting going with Blake's suggesting? Everything into the POE switch and then POE switch into my router?

 

If you're simply referring to using the LAN side switch in the router/AP unit it doesn't really matter if the NVR is plugged into the switch in the router or the PoE switch that the cameras are directly plugged into (assuming the PoE switch and router's switch are connected).

 

This is said by someone that clearly does not understand how switches work. You can follow this advice and slow down your entire home network if you like.

[Stereodude 0]

This is said by someone that clearly does not understand how switches work. You can follow this advice and slow down your entire home network if you like.

Well, I guess this is your opportunity to show off just how much you know and explain how a switch slows down because you're sending a lot of data between two ports. What's your describing is precisely what a switch intends to avoid when compared to a hub.

 

Edit: Further, in some cases it can be very beneficial rather than detrimental when the PoE switch has a gigabit uplink and the second switch is a gigabit switch. The PoE switch aggregates the 10/100 bandwidth of all the PoE ports it has to a gigabit link and that lets you get more bandwidth to your NVR/DVR/PC than if you just plugged it into a 10/100 port on the PoE switch.

Edited February 13, 2013 by Guest

[ak357 0]

Stop fighting

Always create 2 separate subnets

one for cameras

second for (home)LAN

All u need comp with 2 NIC

[Stereodude 0]

Always create 2 separate subnets

one for cameras

second for (home)LAN

All u need comp with 2 NIC

What is the reasoning behind this? Security?

 

You could also use a single managed switch with VLANs and tagged ports. There are lots of ways to accomplish network separation.

[ak357 0]

Always create 2 separate subnets

one for cameras

second for (home)LAN

All u need comp with 2 NIC

What is the reasoning behind this? Security?

 

You could also use a single managed switch with VLANs and tagged ports. There are lots of ways to accomplish network separation.

Yes, but

How many homeowners have u seen who will do "vlans" ?

To setup comp with 2 NIC takes few min

and cost next to nothing

as to why ?

to keep cam traffic separate from local LAN

[buellwinkle 0]

Still have no clue what you are talking about Stereodude. You have say 8 cameras, all megapixel, say about 60-80Mbps of network traffic, all continously fed to the NVR and you say take the 100Mbps switch, plug that into his home router and then plug the NVR into his home router and make all that traffic go through the router. Or are you saying he should buy a more expensive router with a gigabit uplink and get a gigabit router if he doesn't already have one.

 

I agree with AK357, put the cameras, the NVR and the PC on the same switch through a seperate NIC on the PC.

[Stereodude 0]

Still have no clue what you are talking about Stereodude. You have say 8 cameras, all megapixel, say about 60-80Mbps of network traffic, all continously fed to the NVR and you say take the 100Mbps switch, plug that into his home router and then plug the NVR into his home router and make all that traffic go through the router.

I said it really shouldn't make any difference. If the switch is any good, moving 60-80Mbps of data from port A to port B won't reduce the performance of other data through the switch noticeably.

 

Or are you saying he should buy a more expensive router with a gigabit uplink and get a gigabit router if he doesn't already have one.

I said if he had a gigabit switch in his router (unknown) and had a PoE switch with a gigabit uplink (he doesn't) it would actually be advantageous to connect the PoE switch to the gigabit switch in his router using the gigabit uplink and then connect the NVR to the gigabit switch in the router instead of plugging the NVR directly into a 10/100 port on the PoE switch.

[low56 0]

Don't know if this helps but I have the ZyXEL 16-Port ES1100-16P 10/100 PoE Switch. Not Gigabit.

I also have the ASUS RT-N66U wirless 4 port router.

 

I also will be running 4 1.3 Mp cameras(720p) at 15 fps. Maybe 30fps.

 

still looking for some help since there seems to be so much debate.

 

Thanks again.

[Kawboy12R 0]

If it were me I'd run the cams into the switch and the switch into the NVR, then plug the NVR into the router and only worry about running another NIC in the 'puter for the cctv traffic if I ran into problems with slowdowns or dropped frames under peak usage and/or router crashes. Not likely anyway because the cams are tied directly to the NVR via the switch and the router would only handle remote access traffic to the NVR, right? A separate NIC is cheap and isolates traffic but it might not be needed anyway. There's more than one way to skin a cat, er network though, but why tie outside access to the NVR to a NIC in a computer that then has to be on all the time? May as well just run remote access directly through the router if you don't have any troubles. If the computer IS the NVR then it makes more sense for a separate NIC for cam traffic but still might not be needed.

[ak357 0]

If it were me I'd run the cams into the switch and the switch into the NVR, then plug the NVR into the router and only worry about running another NIC in the 'puter for the cctv traffic if I ran into problems with slowdowns or dropped frames under peak usage and/or router crashes. Not likely anyway because the cams are tied directly to the NVR via the switch and the router would only handle remote access traffic to the NVR, right? A separate NIC is cheap and isolates traffic but it might not be needed anyway. There's more than one way to skin a cat, er network though, but why tie outside access to the NVR to a NIC in a computer that then has to be on all the time? May as well just run remote access directly through the router if you don't have any troubles. If the computer IS the NVR then it makes more sense for a separate NIC for cam traffic but still might not be needed.

Hmm, may be u miss point a little

NIC for camera do not have DNS and gateway entry

(so IT Does not have Internet Access )

but second NIC does

do u follow ?