CCTV system upgrade

[joon2692]

Hello,

I'm upgrading from my summer cottage CCTV system. The current system includes a Hikvision NVR with three IP cameras connected. Current cameras are wired with a Cat6 cable. Three surveillance cameras will not be able to monitor the entire property, so the intention would be to add at least two new cameras and upgrade the NVR to one of the VMS software. I do not like Hikvision’s iVMS softwares/apps.

The biggest problem is that it is not possible to cable the property entrance surveillance cameras. The only option would actually be to put the cable underground, but it is too expensive and time consuming. Do you have any ideas for doing this? Maybe WiFi on cameras, etc.?

I have not yet decided which VMS software to choose, maybe Milestone or Blue Iris. I am very familiar with a few CCTV/VMS softwares like Hikvision iVMS, Mirasys, Lenel, but I would like to try something else. Opinions are welcome here. The VMS price should be less than $ 75. I’m probably building a suitable workstation for VMS and also considering NAS recordings and remote access.

The aim is therefore to make the system as cost-effective as possible, but of high quality. The plan is not in a hurry, the system is to be installed in the spring when the snow has melted.

Sorry if a similar thread already exists but I couldn't find it.

 

[SouthernYankee]

Most people here that are using a VMS are using blue iris. They use older Business class computers for BI, most do not build there own computer. Get the computer off of EBAY, if it is available.

If you are providing power to the cameras you can wire ethernet. Or look at powerline ethernet adapter. Wifi in general is not recommended, but it will work for two 2 MP cameras, as long as there is not a lot of interference.

Read Study Plan before spending money
Please read the IP Cam Talk Cliff Notes and other items in the IP Cam Talk Wiki. (read on a real computer, not a phone). The wiki is in the blue bar at the top of the page.

Read How to Secure Your Network (Don't Get Hacked!) in the wiki also.

============================
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 SSID and 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 find for watching the bird feed but not for home surveillance and security.
Test do not guess.

For a 802.11G 2.4 GHZ wifi network the Theoretical Speed is 54Mbps (6.7MBs) real word speed is nearer to 10-29Mbps (1.25-3.6 MBs) for a single channel

Think of the problem as you are in a room with a number of different people talking to you about different subjects all at the same time, If you do not answer then they repeat what they said.

You neighborhood and house activity can effect your wifi, the neighbor or you turn on the microwave, Turn on the TV using a wireless connection.

============================