Is Hikvision the best option for wireless 2-4 camera set up?

[surveillancelot]

Hi guys,

I've been out for a few years, but before I was installing several Hikvision systems. It was the best option back then. I have never installed WIFI cameras, only wired Hikvision cameras.

Now I'd have a few places that would need 2-4 camera systems. They are with 4G/5G internet connection. Most without possibility to go wired. Furthermore, the routers might not support port forwarding. I guess this is not a problem anymore, or is it? I remember the last Hikvision systems I installed with hikconnect were pretty easy to install. I wouldn't like to mess up with the routers since the come from operators and there will be several different ones. Anyway, fast and easy installation is a benefit.



Some requirements for the set ups:
-Cloud system instead of NVR preferred (Internal sd-cards as storage)
-PIR sensor would be good / Alarm input
-waterproof necessary. Dome cameras preferred.
-WIFI range min. 20 meter, 50 meters preferred.


So should I even consider other brands? Dahua? Anything else?

 

[mat200]

Hi guys,

I've been out for a few years, but before I was installing several Hikvision systems. It was the best option back then. I have never installed WIFI cameras, only wired Hikvision cameras.

Now I'd have a few places that would need 2-4 camera systems. They are with 4G/5G internet connection. Most without possibility to go wired. Furthermore, the routers might not support port forwarding. I guess this is not a problem anymore, or is it? I remember the last Hikvision systems I installed with hikconnect were pretty easy to install. I wouldn't like to mess up with the routers since the come from operators and there will be several different ones. Anyway, fast and easy installation is a benefit.



Some requirements for the set ups:
-Cloud system instead of NVR preferred (Internal sd-cards as storage)
-PIR sensor would be good / Alarm input
-waterproof necessary. Dome cameras preferred.
-WIFI range min. 20 meter, 50 meters preferred.


So should I even consider other brands? Dahua? Anything else?

Hi @surveillancelot

Most of us have had significant issues with WiFi cameras, to the point we do not recommend them as your core camera setup.

Many member like Dahua OEM IP PoE cameras, or Hikvision OEM IP PoE cameras .. there are other brands also available, but the #2 and #1 makers of cameras in the world seem to be most popular here.

 

[surveillancelot]

Yeah, 10 years ago I was testing some wireless cameras, but there were several issues why we never installed them for customers.I thought in 10 years things would have improved....

For the systems I'd be installing now, my hands are tied. It is either wireless or don't take the job.

Seems hikvision has for example DS-2CV2141G2-IDW that seems to be a solid candidate for this job. however, it is without alarm input. At least I could take it for testing and see how it works.

 

[Mark_M]

I thought in 10 years things would have improved....

WiFi has improved but it's not as good and reliable as a cable connection. WiFi isn't designed for continuous data streaming of video.

 

[surveillancelot]

Good to hear. I would assume Hikvision hadn't come up with Wifi cameras unless they would be reliable. However, we're not talking about continuous video streaming, if the camera has internal sd-card where all recordings go. And when they are monitored remotely, most of the time only the lower rate stream is used which doesn't eat the bandwidth.

What I am concerned is that do the cameras suddenly lose connection and are they able to reconnect automatically. This was the problem with the first wifi ip-cameras with our testing.

 

[Mark_M]

However, we're not talking about continuous video streaming, if the camera has internal sd-card where all recordings go. And when they are monitored remotely, most of the time only the lower rate stream is used which doesn't eat the bandwidth.

Are you referring to a cloud camera (sends all your data to some companies servers) or cameras recording to a local NVR/VMS?

 

[mat200]

Good to hear. I would assume Hikvision hadn't come up with Wifi cameras unless they would be reliable. However, we're not talking about continuous video streaming, if the camera has internal sd-card where all recordings go. And when they are monitored remotely, most of the time only the lower rate stream is used which doesn't eat the bandwidth.

What I am concerned is that do the cameras suddenly lose connection and are they able to reconnect automatically. This was the problem with the first wifi ip-cameras with our testing.

Hi @surveillancelot

"For the systems I'd be installing now, my hands are tied. It is either wireless or don't take the job. "

Do you need to support these? or is it a setup and done?

If you need to support these, plan to determine what your expected support resources you need to allocate to them.

In general, members of the forum have not been impressed with WiFi NVRs / Cameras in terms of reliability. If the customer demands WiFi then I would have a clause in the contract regarding potential issues and what you plan to do for support.

Issue often comes when there is more WiFi traffic, so just testing one camera is not enough .. need to test under full load +

 

[DanDenver]

@surveillancelot, you don’t mention what it is that your client is protecting. Just make sure you inform them that Wi-Fi jammers are in use all over the country and perps know how to use them.
Your client needs to know this major deficiency. Not being fully transparent could lead to unwanted legal exposure to you.

Here is just one of many articles out there of perps blocking the Wi-Fi signal just to get away with a crime:

Burglars suspected of using signal jammer to fool San Jose man's Nest security camera

"...and then, as I'm looking at the video, I'm starting to see these gaps in the video." One San Jose burglary victim explains how he thinks the suspects got around his home security cameras.

abc7news.com

 

[looney2ns]

You can make any camera wireless by using wireless Bridges from Ubiquity or the like. That would NOT be Wifi.

 

[DanDenver]

You can make any camera wireless by using Bridges from Ubiquity or the like. That would NOT be Wifi.

Excellent differentiation

 

[SouthernYankee]

I have posted this before.

I did a WIFI test a while back with multiple 2MP cameras each camera was set to VBR, 15 FPS, 15 Iframe, 3072kbs, h.264. Using a WIFI analyzer I selected the least busy channel (1,6,11) on the 2.4 GHZ band and set up a separate access point. With 3 cameras in direct line of sight of the AP about 25 feet away I was able to maintain a reasonable stable network with only intermittent signal drops from the cameras. Added a 4th camera and the network became totally unstable. Also add a lot of motion to the 3 cameras caused some more network instability. More data more instability.
The cameras are nearly continuously transmitting. So any lost packet causes a retry, which cause more traffic, which causes more lost packets.
WIFI does not have a flow control, or a token to transmit. So your devices transmit any time they want, more devices more collisions.
As a side note, it is very easy to jam a WIFI network. WIFI is fine for watching the bird feed but not for home surveillance and security.
The problem is like standing in a room, with multiple people talking to you at the same time about different subjects. You need to answer each person or they repeat the question.

Test do not guess.

 

[Teken]

You can make any camera wireless by using wireless Bridges from Ubiquity or the like. That would NOT be Wifi.

^ This . . .

If the system must be wireless than deploying a PtmP Bridge network will meet that need. Given you stated 120 VAC is present at each location this is easily done.

It will cost more but the video connectivity will be more reliable within the constraints of wireless technology.

 

[KartCZ]

Are you referring to a cloud camera (sends all your data to some companies servers) or cameras recording to a local NVR/VMS?

Can you please mention some free cloud storage services for using with my Axis and Hikvision cameras?
thx