Questions about Hikvision NVR & Cameras

[Chase]

Ok so I am in the late planning stages of a IP camera system install for my house. I plan on (eventually) having 8 IP cameras installed around the outside of my house. After so much (exhausting/frustrating) research and reading I have settled on Hikvision for the brand I want to install.

Here is the NVR I plan on buying: Hikvision DS-7608NI-E2/8P NVR

Here is the camera I plan on starting out with: Hikvision DS-2CD2032-I-6MM

A portion of the install will have 4 cameras on the garage (inside and out). However, I am unable to run CAT5 cable to this area of my house. So more research led me to this product. TP-Link Powerline Adapater. I bought this product... hooked it up in the attic of my garage and amazingly I have wired internet in my house where I never did before. So after this, this led me to believe that this powerline adapter would work well with the security cam system I want to install.

I would install the cams in the places where I want.

Here is how I would install/config the system.

1. Install the cameras in the desired location.
2. Run the cat 5 from the camera locations to this POE Switch.
3. From the POE Switch, run Cat 5 from the uplink port to the Powerline Adapter in my attic.
4. Back in the house I think I would connect the NVR to the Router via Cat 5 (via one of the POE ports on the NVR). I would then connect the router with cat 5 to the other Powerline Adapter -- which I think would complete the circuit or system?

1. Would I be hooking this up right?

2. How does the NVR know to which camera is which when its hooked up this way?

3. Would Plug and Play still work for me or would I need to manually edit IP Addresses and what not?

4. I understand nothing is better than actually running Cat 5 cable throughout your house but this is not practical in my situation. The camera locations I need and the distance required is a hurdle which makes powerline adapters intriguing for me.

What else am I missing here? I have done a lot of research of brands, customer service, types of cameras, etc. and I feel like my brain is fried at this point.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[fenderman]

Do yourself a favor and avoid bullet cams...look at turret designs...hire someone to run cable..you will ultimately have issues...you need to run power to the cams anyway..

 

[drew91101]

1) If you want 8 cameras, don't get an 8 camera NVR, get a 16. You will have all 8 cameras up and running, realize you need a 9th and then have to get a whole new NVR.
2) I personally do not have experience with the powerline adapters however several members of the forum use them with no issues. Also, check on if the powerline adapter can handle 4 cameras.
3) Use Cat5e or Cat6, not Cat5
4) On the back of the NVR is a seperate rj-45 jack for your LAN, you wont have to use a POE port.

I think you might have something confused regarding the powerline adaptors. The way I see it is you mount the 4 cameras in the garage, run those cameras to the poe switch, runt he poe switch to the powerline in the garage attic.
In your house, run the powerline adapter into your router/switch. Run your NVR to the router/switch. configure and done.

Honestly, it doesn't matter which camera is which as long as you are able to add all of them. You can see what the picture is once they are powered up and go from there.

Plug and play will not work with the powerline cameras, you will have to add them manually to the nvr.

Also, would you be able to run one cat5e/cat6 to your garage rather than 4? even one would be better than the powerline with multiple cameras. What is the issue with running the cat5e/cat6?

Hikvision is a good brand to go with, I have them myself. Personally, those cameras you are looking at are crap; Go with this guy Hikvision 4MP Indoor/Outdoor EXIR Turret DS-2CD2342WD-I-2.8MM and do not pay 200+ for those cameras!!! Actually, lose that website completly.
PM @milkisbad and request a catalog from him; you will be pleasantly surprised.
Also, that switch is only 802.3af, look for 802.at (poe plus). The 802.3af should work for the cameras but double check the watts. Personally, I would get the 802.at if you ever want to upgrade cameras or need more power.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Chase]

Do yourself a favor and avoid bullet cams...look at turret designs...hire someone to run cable..you will ultimately have issues...you need to run power to the cams anyway..

- I have heard that statement before about choosing Turrets over Bullet cams but still don't completely understand why? Is it just a better picture?

- Why would I have issues if I used Powerlines? Right now the cams would receive power from the switch.

 

[fenderman]

- I have heard that statement before about choosing Turrets over Bullet cams but still don't completely understand why? Is it just a better picture?

- Why would I have issues if I used Powerlines? Right now the cams would receive power from the switch.

there are about 50 threads that discuss the benefits of turrets. Spiders, ir spread, more vandal resistant. Right now by far the best value for turrets is the dahua starlight..see thread...
Poweline is not as stable as ethernet...a bit more than the cost of powerline you can have someone run the cable...you will ultimately have problems..

 

[Chase]

1) If you want 8 cameras, don't get an 8 camera NVR, get a 16. You will have all 8 cameras up and running, realize you need a 9th and then have to get a whole new NVR.
2) I personally do not have experience with the powerline adapters however several members of the forum use them with no issues. Also, check on if the powerline adapter can handle 4 cameras.
3) Use Cat5e or Cat6, not Cat5
4) On the back of the NVR is a seperate rj-45 jack for your LAN, you wont have to use a POE port.

I think you might have something confused regarding the powerline adaptors. The way I see it is you mount the 4 cameras in the garage, run those cameras to the poe switch, runt he poe switch to the powerline in the garage attic.
In your house, run the powerline adapter into your router/switch. Run your NVR to the router/switch. configure and done.

Honestly, it doesn't matter which camera is which as long as you are able to add all of them. You can see what the picture is once they are powered up and go from there.

Plug and play will not work with the powerline cameras, you will have to add them manually to the nvr.

Also, would you be able to run one cat5e/cat6 to your garage rather than 4? even one would be better than the powerline with multiple cameras. What is the issue with running the cat5e/cat6?

Hikvision is a good brand to go with, I have them myself. Personally, those cameras you are looking at are crap; Go with this guy Hikvision 4MP Indoor/Outdoor EXIR Turret DS-2CD2342WD-I-2.8MM and do not pay 200+ for those cameras!!! Actually, lose that website completly.
PM @milkisbad and request a catalog from him; you will be pleasantly surprised.
Also, that switch is only 802.3af, look for 802.at (poe plus). The 802.3af should work for the cameras but double check the watts. Personally, I would get the 802.at if you ever want to upgrade cameras or need more power.

Welcome to the forum.

Thanks for the info on Cat 5... I didnt know the difference and I'll make sure I have atleast 5E.

My modem and router are located on the first floor on the totally opposite side of the house. To me, there is no easy way of running a long stretch of cable down to the basement, thru a crawl space, magically find its way up a way and into the garage attic. Believe me if there was a way I would do it (or pay someone to do it -- just don't think its feasible right now).

@milkisbad who you recommend. Is he an authorized dealer for Hikvision. Customer support and warranty is very important to me.

 

[drew91101]

If you already don't have cable in place, go for cat6..personal preference so you don't have to upgrade cable in 5 years. I understand it can be tough running cable; I have been running wire for a while now and though it may not be easy, there is always a way. You could also try for a wireless bridge (no experience here). I'm sure you know your house better than me but why not drill through the floor (in the wall), run through the crawl space, and through into the garage, up the wall? IMO eventhough it is not going to be easy to run the wire, it will be much less work in the long run, no pun intended.
milkisbad is a vendor/salesman for LTS. They offer re-branded hik equipment with customer support and a 3 year warranty. LTS=Hikvision-logo

 

[Chase]

Update:

I took a more in depth look this afternoon and I think I can actually run 1 (really don't to do 4 lol) Cat5e or 6 wire to my router on the other side of the house from my garage attic.

So if this goes as plan I have another question. If I am able to run a wire to my router/nvr setup would I then be ok for the Plug and Play option? I will be using a PoE switch for 4 cameras in the garage.

 

[drew91101]

Good news! I don't think you can use PnP with the cameras since they will be added from a switch. I am having a very similar problem where I am only able to run one wire into my garage. @nayr recommended a POE splitter which uses an 802.3at input and outputs 4 802.af ports. Basically, its a POE powered switch. I ordered one and should be getting it today. Here is my thread with his response; you should find it useful: POE Suggestion

 

[Chase]

Update:

I successfully have 1 cat 5e cable from my garage into my house near the router... still have some cleaning up to do yet but it's progress.

Question. Since I have 1 wire ran...... what kind of connection will they give me when I have 4 cameras hooked up in the garage and connected thru a Poe switch? Will I still exeperience lag since all 4 cams will send/receive/transmit on that same line back to the router?

 

[drew91101]

I don't think you will notice any issues unless you are recording all 4 continuously with a higher fps and quality. I plan on setting my switch up this weekend so we'll see

 

[fenderman]

Update:

I successfully have 1 cat 5e cable from my garage into my house near the router... still have some cleaning up to do yet but it's progress.

Question. Since I have 1 wire ran...... what kind of connection will they give me when I have 4 cameras hooked up in the garage and connected thru a Poe switch? Will I still exeperience lag since all 4 cams will send/receive/transmit on that same line back to the router?

1 camera or 100 it makes no difference as long as the switch can sustain the bandwidth...with standard 4096 bitrates its a walk in the park even with a 10/100 switch..

 

[Chase]

Thank you for the reply @fenderman .

So would I be wasting my time running 3 more wires? Picture quality is important to me. But if a good switch would work just as good then I'd consider that option.

 

[fenderman]

Thank you for the reply @fenderman .

So would I be wasting my time running 3 more wires? Picture quality is important to me. But if a good switch would work just as good then I'd consider that option.

A complete waste of time...enjoy the benefits of network cameras...spend a few extra dollars on a managed switch and you will have more control. Amazon.com: ZyXEL 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Web Managed PoE Switch with 60 Watt Budget [GS1200-5HP]: Computers & Accessories

 

[Chase]

@fenderman I need to correct something I said above.

I figure I am going to have 6 cameras in the area where my garage is. However, all 6 cat5 connections are run up the the attic to the desired cam locations. Instead of running 6 back to the NVR what if I put the switch in the attic? Where I am stumbling is, I began thinking just how hot it gets in the attic and now I'm not sure if a switch in the attic is a good idea.

Is it a better idea to run 6 cables from the cams to the nvr? Without measuring, I figure each run would be 100' feet or less.

What do you think?