Static or DHCP for IP cams?
- Thread starter cmx
- Start date
I use static IP's for my IP cameras.
First, I set the DHCP server in my router for a range of 192.168.200.2 to 192.168.200.99 which leaves me with 192.168.200.100 to 192.168.200.255 to use for cameras, printers, etc......155 unique, static IP's for my use is plenty.
That leaves 98 IP's for the router to assign to DHCP devices in my household which is also more than enough.
I put the assigned IP's in a spreadsheet that includes camera info (make, model, location or description, etc.). In the visible on-screen display I place the 3 digits of the last octet at the end of the name such as "Patio 188".
I've been using static IP's as described above for probably 20 years, because many older routers and modem/router combos leased by ISP's did not have a feature where you could make an IP reservation for a DHCP device, so using static assignments avoided the issue and I have NEVER encountered a problem by doing it that way.
But some folks like DHCP and you'll likely hear their reasons as well.
First, I set the DHCP server in my router for a range of 192.168.200.2 to 192.168.200.99 which leaves me with 192.168.200.100 to 192.168.200.255 to use for cameras, printers, etc......155 unique, static IP's for my use is plenty.
That leaves 98 IP's for the router to assign to DHCP devices in my household which is also more than enough.
I put the assigned IP's in a spreadsheet that includes camera info (make, model, location or description, etc.). In the visible on-screen display I place the 3 digits of the last octet at the end of the name such as "Patio 188".
I've been using static IP's as described above for probably 20 years, because many older routers and modem/router combos leased by ISP's did not have a feature where you could make an IP reservation for a DHCP device, so using static assignments avoided the issue and I have NEVER encountered a problem by doing it that way.
But some folks like DHCP and you'll likely hear their reasons as well.
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bigredfish
Known around here
Kind of need more info about what you are trying to do.. Personally turn off UpNP in all devices and best to turn it off in your router so one can't sneak on that you forgot to turn off..
Normally Firewall info isn't needed unless you have blocked the devices from access of the internet over email, NTP and all other ports then you would maybe want to setup a path they can access those servers on the outside.
Static IP is best for me. However I have more then my share of security cameras and DVR/NVRS so it is best for me that I have it setup this way so I don't loose track where a camera that isn't on one of my POE NVRs I can access the WebUI fast without having to look up what IP address it was last given by my Router.. Now I do have a few cameras that don't have Static ability in the Camera that I have setup on my Router to have a static IP and I have setup in my router some devices that I reset often to have a static IP so I don't have to hunt down the device after a factory reset..
I am not a normal end user and again have more then my share of devices.. Like know know where they are on my network at all times.. Static wins for me..
Normally Firewall info isn't needed unless you have blocked the devices from access of the internet over email, NTP and all other ports then you would maybe want to setup a path they can access those servers on the outside.
Static IP is best for me. However I have more then my share of security cameras and DVR/NVRS so it is best for me that I have it setup this way so I don't loose track where a camera that isn't on one of my POE NVRs I can access the WebUI fast without having to look up what IP address it was last given by my Router.. Now I do have a few cameras that don't have Static ability in the Camera that I have setup on my Router to have a static IP and I have setup in my router some devices that I reset often to have a static IP so I don't have to hunt down the device after a factory reset..
I am not a normal end user and again have more then my share of devices.. Like know know where they are on my network at all times.. Static wins for me..
Just looking for ideas on how to manage my cams, I block my cams from getting to the internet, it's easy to do with ubiquiti. I would use VLAN but not all my switches are ubiquiti and it tends to be a pain when you have different brands of switches mixed.
I find it easy to just create a rule and paste all my IP cameras address in and then check with a laptop to verify.
I find it easy to just create a rule and paste all my IP cameras address in and then check with a laptop to verify.
I use static because when I want to access a camera, I want to be able to access it with a known IP without guessing or looking up what IP address may have been assigned to it.
Similar to Tony, I have a network map spreadsheet with information for each camera with its IP, patch panel location, description, focal length, etc.
Similar to Tony, I have a network map spreadsheet with information for each camera with its IP, patch panel location, description, focal length, etc.
I "reserve" specific IP addresses for each camera in the DHCP service. This basically gives me the benefits of both strategies. My cameras are assigned as DHCP in their settings. This makes is easier to pull one down and trouble shoot it on the bench, etc if needed. However the DHCP service always assigns the camera the exact same IP address. This gives me the stability of setting up static addresses.
Yes it is a little more work initially to reserve those addresses in my DHCP server, but I feel it is worth the tiny bit of extra work.
Yes it is a little more work initially to reserve those addresses in my DHCP server, but I feel it is worth the tiny bit of extra work.
bigredfish
Known around here
You can , but mine don’t talk to the internet even the ones on my LAN.
Don’t enable P2P or anything else to make them reach out and they don’t
Don’t enable P2P or anything else to make them reach out and they don’t
looney2ns
IPCT Contributor
I can't imagine keeping track of the cameras without static addresses. It's not like there's a DNS server to follow them around.
I don't think that would work for me, i have 4 POE switches scatted around the property that all link back to a 10GIG switch. It only takes a min to block them all in Unifi.
But its a good idea
I have more than 4 POE switches scattered around and still dual NIC.
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 almost 500Mbps. This is full-on, never stopping to take a breath. Even if someone has a gigabit router, a 3rd to half 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.
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 almost 500Mbps. This is full-on, never stopping to take a breath. Even if someone has a gigabit router, a 3rd to half 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.
Ahhh, I love that idea! I have a spreadsheet tracking everything, but that's a great idea to pop it up right on the screen.
This is what we do too. Also, in my unusual use case it is common for camera to be dynamically installed at the last minute and we haven't pre-reserved IPs for all of the cameras in inventory so it ends up being "Plug it in, look at the switch to see what IP it picked up, and then decide if I want to use that as a reservation (one click) or give it a different one and reboot it.
Local hostnames actually work within a network segment pretty automatically, so if you are already doing specific configuration on the device it's not much more effort to add a hostname while you're at it. Or you can do local DNS on your network.
At that level of activity I'd suggest inserting a Layer 3 switch so that local traffic never reaches the router. Most modern switches are non-blocking.
While I realize this situation is going to be pretty uncommon, I am about to "redo" my entire network architecture. Part of this change will be using entirely new address subnets on my network. The fact that I kept the individual devices on my network set up for DHCP and "reserved" static addresses in my router/firewall will make this change much easier. I can simply swap out the old firewall for the new firewall, reboot everything, and the devices will have automatically connected using the new network address scheme because they will receive a DHCP assigned address. I can then go back through the system and reassign static addresses as needed.
Again, I realize that most people will never want or need to change their network address scheme, so this is a very uncommon issue to run across. But in my case, the fact that I used DCHP with reserved addresses instead of setting static addresses in each devices settings will make this change much easier for me.
Again, I realize that most people will never want or need to change their network address scheme, so this is a very uncommon issue to run across. But in my case, the fact that I used DCHP with reserved addresses instead of setting static addresses in each devices settings will make this change much easier for me.
@TonyR Whats a spread sheet. something you put over a work mate?
