Welcome to IPCamTalk!
Here’s a stab at sorting out all the equipment you need to consider :
You need a modem to convert the internet access from your provider to an Ethernet system.
The router allows devices in your house network to talk to the internet through your modem.
If you have WiFi in your house, that’s provided by an access point that’s connected to your router.
What makes it confusing is that most internet providers supply one device that has the modem, router, and access point all built into it.
When you use POE cameras, they need to be connected to your network by Ethernet cabling. Think of network switches as junction boxes, because networking is not as simple as just twisting wires together. The switches, if ” POE” switches can provide the power to cameras connected to them . If you don’t use POE switches, you’ll need an injector to inject the power into the camera cable between the non-POE switch and the camera.
By the way, if your router has LAN ports for wired devices, it also contains a switch. Most do. But you don’t want to have all your cameras connected to your network at your router. It’s better to have your cameras connected to your network at a separate switch.
Did you know that you don’t need a router to have a functioning POE camera system? You need a router if you want to access your system from outside your network, but you don’t want your network to depend on your router as it’s ”hub.”
If all this makes sense to you, the next thing you need to figure out how you want to make use of your cameras’ output. Most people do it by using either a Network video recorder, or a computer-based video system such as
Blue Iris.
Make sure you do a lot of reading here (and asking questions) before spending money. People here are incredibly helpful.
