2 routers - 2 POE switches - 1 NVR?

[BigLarge]

I know just enough to be dangerous here, so i've put together a diagram of my current network and proposed network. I've recently acquired a barn 220 feet from my house (where my network and cameras are) I trenched Cat6 to the metal barn and setup a 2nd router. No issues there. But now I need cameras out at the barn.

Does anyone see an issue with my proposed network? Or have a better way of adding cameras to this network?

 

[Mike A.]

Beyond a bunch of other various details and options, unless you have some particular reason for it you don't really need the second router. Just go to the second switch.

 

[tangent]

Your diagram as an image:

It's a matter of how you hook up / set up the router in the barn.

You don't even technically need "Router Two", presumably you want it to provide WiFi. For best results assign Router 2 a static IP address and set it up to function as an access point and disable the routing functions so you don't segment your network and block communication to your cameras in the barn.

If router 2 doesn't have an access point mode, you'll want to assign a static ip, turn off the dhcp server on router 2, and use only the LAN ports.

 

[BigLarge]

Beyond a bunch of other various details and options, unless you have some particular reason for it you don't really need the second router. Just go to the second switch.

Mike - thanks. I do need a 2nd router to give Wifi access to my phone and TV. This metal barn wont let any signals in.

 

[Mike A.]

Got it. Then as tangent said above, you can set up as an AP and save some troubles. But if it's working as you want, it's OK. You should be good as is.

Not sure what else you have on the network, but good idea to try to segregate the cams from everything else and block Internet access to/from them.

 

[tangent]

Mike - thanks. I do need a 2nd router to give Wifi access to my phone and TV. This metal barn wont let any signals in.

If you have a spare port on the switch in the barn, you could also connect router2/ap2 only to the switch with only 1 cable. Hopefully that makes sense. It shouldn't be an issue with the number of cameras you're dealing with, but sometimes lower end routers especially have lan to lan bandwidth that's much lower than you'd expect.

 

[tangent]

Got it. Then as tangent said above, you can set up as an AP and save some troubles. But if it's working as you want, it's OK. You should be good as is.

Not sure what else you have on the network, but good idea to try to segregate the cams from everything else and block Internet access to/from them.

Just because it's working now doesn't mean it will work when you add cameras...

If router 2 is routing and providing NAT the NVR in the house won't be able to connect to the cameras you add to the barn. IP address conflicts are also possible in some configurations. It's a simple fix.

Keeping cameras separate can be a good idea, but to do that here you'd either need another cable between the house and barn or switches that support VLANS.

 

[BigLarge]

Thanks to both of you. Its definitely a lower end router, I haven't looked at its functionality because, initially, it was supposed to just provide Wifi to 2 devices. Now, thats changed. Good news is, I havnet heard anyone say "that diagram wont work." Just may need to do some tweaking on Router 2's settings. I'm good at mounting all the equipment, wiring up CAT, and NVR stuff - but horrible at anything involving router settings, IP addresses, etc. I'll be back in a couple weeks, as i'm sure i'll run into a few issues there!

 

[Mike A.]

Just because it's working now doesn't mean it will work when you add cameras...

That's true.

Could also go switch-to-switch and then plug the second router into the second switch. Keep the cams off that router better.

 

[Mike A.]

You've done the hardest part already... trenching to get there. Can change what's at the end and how that's set up fairly easily.

 

[BigLarge]

Thats an idea. I'm no network engineer, but I dont see why that wouldn't work.

And I run a small excavating company, so the trenching is the easy part for me! Hah!

 

[BigLarge]

One other question: Is there a reliable way to stream my cameras 24/7 in my network? Currently I just have one monitor hooked up to HDMI, but i'd like to have a monitor setup in my barn as well. I tried running a wireless HDMI splitter, but the signal wont penetrate the barn.

 

[Mike A.]

The NVR must have a web interface. Just connect to that with whatever machine? That would be easiest.

If you only have/want a monitor there, I know there are HDMI-over-Ethernet convertors but I've not used and don't know much about those, cost, etc. Then I guess you only have video and no control that way.

 

[tangent]

One other question: Is there a reliable way to stream my cameras 24/7 in my network? Currently I just have one monitor hooked up to HDMI, but i'd like to have a monitor setup in my barn as well. I tried running a wireless HDMI splitter, but the signal wont penetrate the barn.

You could try something like TinyCam Pro or the NVR mfg's android app on a Fire TV Stick.

 

[Broachoski]

I would plug the AP router at the barn into the POE switch so the cameras will not have to route through the router.
in hindsight, running several cables to the barn would have been a good idea. I have made that mistake too many times.

 

[sebastiantombs]

I would recommend plugging the feed from the house directly into the switch in the barn to avoid routing camera traffic through the router in the barn. Basic rule of thumb is not to have raw, multiple, camera traffic passing through a consumer grade router to avoid overloading the backplane bandwidth.

 

[BigLarge]

I would plug the AP router at the barn into the POE switch so the cameras will not have to route through the router.
in hindsight, running several cables to the barn would have been a good idea. I have made that mistake too many times.

I bought a 500 foot spool of Cat 6 and trenched in 220 feet of it. I swear, within 10 minutes of backfilling it I thought to myself "why didnt I bury a 2nd line? I have plenty!"

 

[BigLarge]

I would recommend plugging the feed from the house directly into the switch in the barn to avoid routing camera traffic through the router in the barn. Basic rule of thumb is not to have raw, multiple, camera traffic passing through a consumer grade router to avoid overloading the backplane bandwidth.

Good call, thanks.

 

[BigLarge]

You could try something like TinyCam Pro or the NVR mfg's android app on a Fire TV Stick.

I tried running DMSS on my laptop - but it seems to time out eventually or something - i'd check on it the next day and have to reload everything. I didnt realize there is a way to get the app on Fire Stick. I have one on every TV so that would be great.

 

[sebastiantombs]

Hindsight is always20/20.