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LeeD

Large apartment complex install

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Cameras need to be mounted on 10 different buildings on the apartment campus. Wires cannot be in the air. Each building has a fire alarm room with network connections which go to a comm room in the management building.

 

Can I use switches in each of the fire alarm rooms to access the cameras from the network?

 

If so, must they be poe?

 

Very experienced with coax systems, but this would be my first IP.

 

LeeD

Tupelo, MS

Link to google view of campus:

https://www.google.com/maps/preview?hl=en#!data=!1m6!1m3!1d894!2d-88.709695!3d34.2874802!2m1!1f90!2m1!1e3&fid=7

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Sounds like you need to hire someone experienced to help you out with this to get some experience under your belt.

 

In the spirit of being helpful, here is what I would do:

 

1. Get some Hikvision 3MP PoE IR cameras. You can find them for about $220 a piece or less.

 

2. Get some Netgear POE switches for each building. Depending on how many cameras you need for each building, you will need a 4, 12, or 24 port PoE switch. 4 ports run around $150. 12 ports run $250. And 24 ports run $350.

 

3. All of the switches will need to connect back to the main office where the NVR is stored. The NVR records all of your cameras to hard drives.

 

Hardest part will be running the CAT5/6 cables to the IDF rooms in each building.

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Without knowing what the end user is looking for you can't recommend cameras.

 

Yes if you have enough bandwidth you can use the current data lines but if they are used for the fire panels I would speak with the fire alarm company before you use them.

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You need to get in touch with building management and ask them to have their IT department to get in touch with you. Than you need to let them know what plan on doing. Chances are they are managed switches and he will need to assign you a static IP range for you to use. I honestly do not think you can just use what ever you see is available. Another option is to use outdoor wireless bridges from building to building. Create your own network and tie it all into the NVR.

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Sounds like you will be running cable outdoor, and having to bury some of it --- you can't just use a standard category 5/6 cable for that, and the distances might exceed the limits for coaxial, once you factor in the cost of outdoor cable and surge protection, you might end up finding fibre optic more cost effective.

 

Agree that this is not something you should just tackle off the cuff - the questions you are asking suggest that this is being approached from a technical wireman aspect, and leaves me wondering what attention, skills are available to address the actual physical security or other operational objectives of the system.

 

I would suggest you get a security consultant to compile an operational requirement for your system, this would address Physical Security, Safety, and Loss Control issues which I seriously doubt an IT professional would possess. No matter how well the system is cabled or installed, if it wasn't designed to address Security, Safety and Loss Control risks, it will be worthless and wasteful in any event.

 

Once the operational requirements are determined, the consultant and building maintenance personnel can combine to develop the technical specifications of the system, including transmission media, topology, etc.

 

It would be unprofessional to pre-empt IP or even CCTV as a solution just because one is an IT professional , rather allow the technical specification sheet to determine the eventual solution. If, which is likely from the little information you have give, the solution is an IP one, then your job would be to deploy it according to the specifications.

 

Unfortunately 80% of cctv systems are ineffective, because we are led to believe that the camera and cable is more important to our security, safety and loss control efforts than the skills of actual Physical Security, Health and Safety and Loss Control proferssionals. Without wanting to seem antagonistic, for the sake of your facility, it should not be forgotten that the objective of the system is Physical security, or health and safety, or Loss Control - none of which can be regarded as the field of expertise in which IT professionals are schooled.

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In my opinion, if you are tend to install IP camera around the 10 buildings, you may consider dispose optical fiber for those long and large space. As you shown you are versed at coaxial cable so trench pipeline is not difficult to you.

 

But as others suggest you on IP maping, I agree with that is cruncial issue for you. As well, you beter structure a indepent sub mesh for those surveillance for neat infrastructure. One question arrose from this huge project, how to storage those tons of data, NVR or NAS and how long is requested to be record?

 

Its not easy to say to you deployed xxxxxx 3, 2 or 1.3MP camera and no answer to why and how. All need to check whole ambience, power and etc.

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you can get wireless cameras & install video surveillance software so that you can monitor the buildings anytime anywhere from your smart phone or any other devices.

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