Thanks, guys. Appreciate your feedback. Going to stick with my original plan. Need to get going on the install as winter is coming!
Seeking input for NVR/BI hardware/computer
- Thread starter bbdude513
- Start date
Hi Guys - Didn't want to start a new thread so thought I'd follow-up with a few questions here (if you don't mind!).
1 - How do you access the PC hosting BI? Do you go headless and RDP to the machine when needed? Or do you buy a cheap monitor/keyboard to manage directly?
2 - Do most of you put BI, cams, etc. on their own LAN/VLAN so cameras can't 'phone home'?
3 - Are there any shortcuts to planning camera location? I know where I'll put them, but guessing how high I want them is trial and error? Run a long CAT from the rack and plug in the camera and just hold it in place during the day/night and take a look via BI to make sure it looks good? If it does, then fish the CAT to the mount location? Just curious if there's tips / shortcuts? I read the wiki and camera install forum but didn't find anything definitive. If you know of a helpful thread / wiki page I may have missed, would appreciate a link!
1 - How do you access the PC hosting BI? Do you go headless and RDP to the machine when needed? Or do you buy a cheap monitor/keyboard to manage directly?
2 - Do most of you put BI, cams, etc. on their own LAN/VLAN so cameras can't 'phone home'?
3 - Are there any shortcuts to planning camera location? I know where I'll put them, but guessing how high I want them is trial and error? Run a long CAT from the rack and plug in the camera and just hold it in place during the day/night and take a look via BI to make sure it looks good? If it does, then fish the CAT to the mount location? Just curious if there's tips / shortcuts? I read the wiki and camera install forum but didn't find anything definitive. If you know of a helpful thread / wiki page I may have missed, would appreciate a link!
Many of us run headless and RDP in when needed.
Most put the cams on VLAN or Dual NIC (easier and cheaper)
Best thing to do is to temp rig (a bucket with rocks and a 2x4 or 4x4 works well) them at the various locations to make sure day/night you capture what you want and don't get weird reflective glare from a house light, lamp post, IR bounce off of the house or shrubs, etc. Generally try to keep below 8 feet.
Hi Guys - Thank you for the past help. I didn't want to start a new thread. Going to buy an HP HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF Intel Core i7-8700 3.20GHz w/ 16GB DDR4 and try to become familiar w/ BI. Thinking I just start with a EmpireTech's Wi-Fi Villa Door Station to start with and go from there. Thoughts? I don't have the funds lined up just yet to do POE, etc. Any thoughts / concerns w/ the doorbell cam? I picked it since I plan to go with EmpireTech IPC-Color4K-X 3.6mm cameras and consensus seems to be I should stick with the same vendor for all cameras.
looney2ns
IPCT Contributor
Which Villa Door station, there is more than one.
See my reviews on Villa stations and doorbells.
See my reviews on Villa stations and doorbells.
Was looking at VTO2311R-WP, but doesn't seem like any doorbells are really that great. Ugh
Edit: Ending up going with two AD410 and has been pretty good so far, just some minor chime issues.
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Thanks for your help in the past. Getting ready to buy my BI machine and trying to think my way thru it first before I buy the hardware. The HP Elitedesk 800 G4 SFF w/ HDD does not have a dual NIC. Is there a popular machine that's similar to the ED 800 G4 w on-board dual NIC or do you almost always have to add it after the fact?
Trying to understand how the dual NIC would make it easier with cams. This thread was really helpful, but what if I have access points and other devices that need to be hardwired? Wouldn't I need two PoE switches to make this work - one for cams w/ out internet and one for all other internet connected devices like my access points and work computer?
The 2nd NIC can be had for under $20, so most will just do that. The advantage is a little more physical separation and ease of replacement.
That is correct - the purpose of the dual NIC is to place all of the cameras on one NIC and then the internet to the BI computer with the other NIC.
From this graphic courtesy of @samplenhold, you will notice the cameras are on one IP subnet (192.168.2.xxx) while everything else is on IP subnet 192.168.1.xxx
Doing so in this format prevents the cameras from talking to the internet. The BI PC will basically act as a firewall.
That is correct - the purpose of the dual NIC is to place all of the cameras on one NIC and then the internet to the BI computer with the other NIC.
From this graphic courtesy of @samplenhold, you will notice the cameras are on one IP subnet (192.168.2.xxx) while everything else is on IP subnet 192.168.1.xxx
Doing so in this format prevents the cameras from talking to the internet. The BI PC will basically act as a firewall.
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Very simple and the graphic helps. Can't believe I forgot how I could use subnets - much appreciate the help. Happy to see I won't need two switches.
So then if I want to connect to the BI machine from within 192.168.1.XXX, would I need to use a VPN client (e.g., NordVPN) or is there an easier way? I'll probably be using a switch like TPlink's TL-SG2428P (if that helps).
So then if I want to connect to the BI machine from within 192.168.1.XXX, would I need to use a VPN client (e.g., NordVPN) or is there an easier way? I'll probably be using a switch like TPlink's TL-SG2428P (if that helps).
NordVPN is to hide your IP address for illegal streaming and porno LOL.
You need a free VPN that you host. The whole purpose of the VPN is to securely log back into your local system when remote, similar to how many employers use VPN for their remote workers.
Many routers have OpenVPN native to the router that you can use.
You only need to VPN when you are away from your home wifi.
So any device on your LAN that is on the 192.168.1.xxx subnet can access the BI video by opening up a browser and typing in the IP address of the BI computer and up will come the BI user and password to view BI via the native UI3 interface.
Or if that device has the ability to do remote desktop, you could get into the BI computer that way as well.
You need a free VPN that you host. The whole purpose of the VPN is to securely log back into your local system when remote, similar to how many employers use VPN for their remote workers.
Many routers have OpenVPN native to the router that you can use.
You only need to VPN when you are away from your home wifi.
So any device on your LAN that is on the 192.168.1.xxx subnet can access the BI video by opening up a browser and typing in the IP address of the BI computer and up will come the BI user and password to view BI via the native UI3 interface.
Or if that device has the ability to do remote desktop, you could get into the BI computer that way as well.
Noodling on this a bit more and noticed I do need two switches to physically isolate cameras from the web. How do you guys handle wireless surveillance devices like video doorbells? Unfortunately, I don't really have an option to run a CAT cable to their locations. Guessing only option would be to put them on a VLAN? If I'm going to put them on a VLAN does it make sense to put my cameras on VLAN too? Thanks again for all your help!
VLAN is certainly a possibility.
The dual NIC is cheaper and faster, and depending on the number of cameras, better than VLANs (although true VLAN users will refute it).
For example, the EdgeRouter X is claimed to be somewhere between 800Mbps to 1Gbps, but you see tests all over where people are only getting in the 700Mbps range.
On my isolated NIC, my cameras are streaming non-stop 350Mbps. Unlike other devices like streaming services, these cameras do not buffer, so this is full-on, never stopping to take a breath. Even if someone has a gigabit router, a 3rd of non-buffering 24/7 data will impact its speed.
I would just as soon not have that much video data going thru a device if it doesn't need to. Has to slow the system down.
So what we have done is take an old wifi router and put the wifi doorbell or indoor wifi camera on it. All that is on that router are the cameras and nothing else. You then also do not connect it to the internet. Instead you connect it to the camera POE switch. That is much safer than letting it on your LAN router with internet access.
The dual NIC is cheaper and faster, and depending on the number of cameras, better than VLANs (although true VLAN users will refute it).
For example, the EdgeRouter X is claimed to be somewhere between 800Mbps to 1Gbps, but you see tests all over where people are only getting in the 700Mbps range.
On my isolated NIC, my cameras are streaming non-stop 350Mbps. Unlike other devices like streaming services, these cameras do not buffer, so this is full-on, never stopping to take a breath. Even if someone has a gigabit router, a 3rd of non-buffering 24/7 data will impact its speed.
I would just as soon not have that much video data going thru a device if it doesn't need to. Has to slow the system down.
So what we have done is take an old wifi router and put the wifi doorbell or indoor wifi camera on it. All that is on that router are the cameras and nothing else. You then also do not connect it to the internet. Instead you connect it to the camera POE switch. That is much safer than letting it on your LAN router with internet access.
Interesting ... so you have a wifi network that isn't connected to the internet. I do like the simplicity of it all over VLANs.
Hey Guys - Shot in the dark here. I know some folks use BI via the UI3 interface on a tablet as a means to have a live look at the cameras at all times. Has anyone tried running the live camera view via Home Assistant or Home Seer? What I'd like to do is have my four cams visible at all times via a 10" tablet and also have 1/4 of the screen displaying audio (e.g., Amazon Music, Pandora, etc.). Anyone run a setup like this? How much of a pain is it to configure it all? Thanks in advance again!