Read, study,plan before spending money.
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My standard welcome to the forum message.
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.
Quick start
1) If you do not have a wired monitored alarm system, get that first
2)
Use Dahua starlight cameras or Hikvision darkfighter cameras if you need good low light cameras.
3) use a VPN to access home network (openVPN)
4)
Do not use wifi cameras.
5) Do not use cloud storage
6) Do Not use uPNP, P2P, QR, do not open ports,
7) More megapixel is not necessarily better.
8) Avoid chinese hacked cameras (most ebay, amazon, aliexpress cameras(not all, but most))
9)
Do not use reolink, ring, nest, Arlo cameras (they are junk), no cloud cameras
10)
If possible use a turret camera , bullet collect spiders, dome collect dirt and reflect light (IR)
11) Use only solid copper, AWG 23 or 24 ethernet wire. , no CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum)
12) use a test mount to verify the camera mount location.
My test rig: rev.2
13) (Looney2ns)If you want to be able to ID faces, don't mount cams higher than 7ft. You want to know who did it, not just what happened.
14) Use a router that has openVPN built in (Most ASUS, Some NetGear....)
15) camera placement use the calculator...
IPVM Camera Calculator V3
16) POE list
PoE Switch Suggestion List
17) Camera Sensor size, bigger is general better
Sensor Size Chart
Cameras to look at
IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED .
Review IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED (Full Color, Starlight+) - 4MP starlight
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Dahua IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED review
IPC-T5442TM-AS .....
Review-OEM 4mp AI Cam IPC-T5442TM-AS Starlight+ - 4MP starlight+
IPC-B5442E-ZE ......
Review - OEM IPC-B5442E-ZE 4MP AI Varifocal Bullet Camera With Starlight+
IPC-T2347G-LU ......
Review of the Hikvision OEM model IPC-T2347G-LU 'ColorVu' IP CCTV camera. (DS-2CD2347G1-LU)
IPC-HDW2231R-ZS ....
Review-Dahua IPC-HDW2231RP-ZS Starlight Camera-Varifocal
IPC-HDW2231T-ZS-S2 .
Review-OEM IPC-T2231T-ZS 2mp Varifocal Starlight Camera
IPC-HDW5231R-ZE ....
Review-Dahua Starlight IPC-HDW5231R-ZE 800 meter capable ePOE
IPC-HFW4239T-ASE ...
IPC-HFW4239T-ASE
IPCT-HDW5431RE-I ...
Review - IP Cam Talk 4 MP IR Fixed Turret Network Camera
IPC-T5241H-AS-PV ...
Review-OEM IPC-T5241H-AS-PV 2mp AI active deterrence cam
DS-2CD2325FWD-I
N22AL12 ............
New Dahua N22AL12 Budget Cam w/Starlight -- low cost entry
Other dahua 4MP starlight
Dahua 4MP Starlight Lineup
My preferred indoor cameras
DS-2CD2442FWD-IW
IPC-K35A
Review-Dahua IPC-K35A 3mp Cube Camera
If interested in
Blue Iris and other setup items see the following post
This is an intermediate / newbie guide for people just starting out looking for a surveillance setup. I know this setup might not be for everyone and there are many options. You can find a lot of this information in the Wiki: IP Cam Talk Wiki | IP Cam Talk A great place to start in the Wiki...
ipcamtalk.com
Read,study,plan before spending money ..... plan plan plan
Test do not guess
