Simple question about Lorex NVR LAN access

[Pogobongo]

I have been pulling my hair out with Lorex "support" via chat who seem unable or unwilling to give me a straight answer, so I'm hoping someone here can help me before I go out and buy a Lorex NVR - specifically, the 4K Ultra HD NVR with 4 Channels and FLIR Cloud.

I need to install the NVR in a remote location with no Internet access. Connecting a monitor and mouse etc to the NVR will not be possible either. However, if I create a small (isolated) LAN with the NVR which is connected to the cameras via PoE, and with a laptop on the same LAN as the NVR, can I fully control and operate the NVR via a browser on the laptop on the LAN? Can I see recorded and live video? Is there any functionality I will lose, besides obviously having no remote access?

Lorex repeatedly say that the laptop and the NVR need to be connected to the Internet, so I am worried that the NVR will only talk to the Lorex cloud service and not to my browser directly. They say it might work but they've never tested it which seems totally bizarre.

Please would someone clarify!!!!

Finally, the application is to monitor a number of mailboxes which are repeatedly vandalized at night, so night vision is REALLY important. Is Lorex the way to go, or is Foscam a better choice? There is limited, but some, ambient lighting, and I need to be able to read license plates.

Thanks for the information and advice!!

 

[fenderman]

I have been pulling my hair out with Lorex "support" via chat who seem unable or unwilling to give me a straight answer, so I'm hoping someone here can help me before I go out and buy a Lorex NVR - specifically, the 4K Ultra HD NVR with 4 Channels and FLIR Cloud.

I need to install the NVR in a remote location with no Internet access. Connecting a monitor and mouse etc to the NVR will not be possible either. However, if I create a small (isolated) LAN with the NVR which is connected to the cameras via PoE, and with a laptop on the same LAN as the NVR, can I fully control and operate the NVR via a browser on the laptop on the LAN? Can I see recorded and live video? Is there any functionality I will lose, besides obviously having no remote access?

Lorex repeatedly say that the laptop and the NVR need to be connected to the Internet, so I am worried that the NVR will only talk to the Lorex cloud service and not to my browser directly. They say it might work but they've never tested it which seems totally bizarre.

Please would someone clarify!!!!

Finally, the application is to monitor a number of mailboxes which are repeatedly vandalized at night, so night vision is REALLY important. Is Lorex the way to go, or is Foscam a better choice? There is limited, but some, ambient lighting, and I need to be able to read license plates.

Thanks for the information and advice!!

You will have most of the functionality available to you via the browser. You dont need an internet connection. Foscam is crap.
For low light you want a dahua starlight camrea. See wiki.
For lpr you need to dedicate a camera - see LPR section of this forum

 

[mat200]

I have been pulling my hair out with Lorex "support" via chat who seem unable or unwilling to give me a straight answer, so I'm hoping someone here can help me before I go out and buy a Lorex NVR - specifically, the 4K Ultra HD NVR with 4 Channels and FLIR Cloud.

I need to install the NVR in a remote location with no Internet access. Connecting a monitor and mouse etc to the NVR will not be possible either. However, if I create a small (isolated) LAN with the NVR which is connected to the cameras via PoE, and with a laptop on the same LAN as the NVR, can I fully control and operate the NVR via a browser on the laptop on the LAN? Can I see recorded and live video? Is there any functionality I will lose, besides obviously having no remote access?

Lorex repeatedly say that the laptop and the NVR need to be connected to the Internet, so I am worried that the NVR will only talk to the Lorex cloud service and not to my browser directly. They say it might work but they've never tested it which seems totally bizarre.

Please would someone clarify!!!!

Finally, the application is to monitor a number of mailboxes which are repeatedly vandalized at night, so night vision is REALLY important. Is Lorex the way to go, or is Foscam a better choice? There is limited, but some, ambient lighting, and I need to be able to read license plates.

Thanks for the information and advice!!

Welcome @Pogobongo

The NVRs can be accessed on the LAN via a browser, you can also use the Dahua OEM software on a PC. ( see smartpss ).

As fenderman points out the Dahua OEM 2MP starlight cameras are great for low light performance. As many Lorex kits are Dahua OEM you can add the starlight cameras to that NVR, however note the Lorex products do not support IVS features, so the camera's IVS features will not be configurable via the NVR.

If you are going for one of the Lorex kits which is currently on sale go for the newer camera models - they will perform better, and get at least the 8 channel NVR model.

Do checkout the reviews by members here on Dahua OEM cameras - there are some nice models worth considering, many of us like the turret models. ( IPC-HDW42xx and IPC-HDW52xx )
Start with some of the reviews by @looney2ns