IP camera monitoring system was originally only economically able to be used by large enterprises, but now IP monitoring system is ubiquitous in daily life, this is because the prices of IP cameras and PoE switches have dropped significantly, so many people try to build small IP monitoring system to protect the safety of their own property. So, which PoE switch is best for IP camera? How to choose and how to deploy IP cameras using PoE switches? This article will answer these questions in detail.
How to choose PoE switch for IP camera?
1. Determine the applicable scope of the camera
At present, cameras are divided into analog and digital signals according to the transmission mode. If your camera is an analog signal system, you don’t need to use a PoE switch, but if it is a network camera (IP camera), you can use this device.
2. Determine the indicators of your own camera.
Generally speaking, there are two main indicators of the camera: first, the voltage is generally 12V, and second, the power is generally 12-15W. The camera is divided into two types according to the interface: BNC interface and RJ45 interface. If your camera is a network camera, you need to determine whether it has a PoE module power receiving interface, if not, you need to buy a splitter to use the PoE device. (Note: The role of the splitter is to separate the power supply line of the PoE switch from the data transmission line, and the outlet is separated into two types of power and data.) When in use, the connector of the splitter is connected to the camera, and the data line is inserted into the RJ45 interface.
3. Determine the number of ports, managed or unmanaged, speed and other issues.
At present, the interfaces on the market are mainly 8, 12, 16, and 24 ports. There are generally one or two optical fiber ports. The rate is generally 10/100/1000M or 1G.
4. After-sales service/technology and product update.
When purchasing products, one must look at whether the product line is rich or not, which means whether the company has the ability to update the technology and products of the products that have been sold, so that new and old users can use the latest technical services.
What are the application scenarios for deploying IP cameras with PoE switches?
Using PoE switches to deploy IP cameras can save time and network costs. At the same time, the installation position of the IP camera is not limited by the power socket, making the installation more flexible and convenient. Based on this, the matching mode of PoE switches and IP cameras has been widely used in various industries, such as home security monitoring, to help users monitor property safety. Traffic monitoring can remotely monitor the safety of railway stations, highways and airports. Industrial monitoring, can monitor the production process, warehouse management, etc. So, how to deploy IP cameras with PoE switches?
How to deploy IP cameras with PoE switches?
No matter which type of PoE switch or IP camera you choose, the connection method and usage are basically the same. You can purchase the required monitoring equipment according to your actual needs and install them in different locations. Here, we take the application of home security monitoring as an example to illustrate the steps of connecting PoE switch and IP camera.
Step 1: Determine where to install the IP cameras
Usually, in the home network, the installation height of the IP camera should not be too low to prevent accidental damage; it should not be too high to be inconvenient for maintenance. Therefore, it is recommended that the indoor installation height be higher than 2.5 meters, and at the same time, the distance between the IP camera and the PoE switch should be controlled within 100 meters. When installing, please avoid strong light (such as sunlight, lighting, etc.) from directly shining on the IP camera lens, otherwise it will easily cause overbrightness or glare; and avoid installing the IP camera under the window, otherwise the infrared reflection will cause surveillance video or pictures overexposed.
Step 2: Install the Fixed IP Cameras
After determining the installation location, drill holes in the location to install the IP camera. Make sure that the IP camera bracket is firm and stable on the wall to prevent the picture from shaking, and adjust the IP camera angle properly to obtain the best monitoring angle.
Step 3: Determine the installation location of the network cable used to connect the IP cameras
After determining the installation location of the IP camera, drill a hole at a suitable location near it, and pre-embed the location of the network cable interface. If you need to install IP cameras on the upper second or third floor, please consider using the optimal wiring scheme, that is, the distance from the installation point to the nearest network access point is the shortest.
Step 4: Connect the IP Cameras to the PoE Switch
After completing the previous three steps, the next step is to connect your home IP surveillance system equipment. A complete IP surveillance system usually consists of PoE switches, IP cameras, Network Video Recorders (NVR), surveillance display devices (such as computers, TVs, etc.) and Ethernet cables. The specific connection steps are as follows:
- Insert the power cord into the power socket of the PoE switch and turn on the power;
- Use an Ethernet cable to connect the PoE switch and router to ensure that the switch can access the Internet;
- Use an Ethernet cable to connect the IP camera to the PoE port of the PoE switch; the PoE switch supplies power to the IP camera through the Ethernet cable and performs data transmission;
- Use an Ethernet cable to connect the PoE switch and NVR, and use a VGA or HDMI high-definition cable to connect the NVR and the monitoring display device. When connecting, please pay attention to use the corresponding interface.
Step 5: IP Camera System Setup
This is the last step in the installation process. The IP camera comes with application software or desktop management software. You can choose different functions such as real-time view, motion detection, video recording, etc. according to the software to meet your different monitoring needs. After completing the above steps, the PoE switch and IP camera are connected successfully, and the IP camera can work normally.
Final Thoughts
With the continuous expansion of the network cameras’ applications, the application scale of intelligent data communication equipment such as PoE switches is also increasing, and the video is becoming more and more high-definition. This requires monitoring engineering companies to reasonably choose switches that are suitable and satisfy the performance of the overall network architecture for monitoring. How to choose a suitable PoE switch has become a problem that plagues enterprises and buyers. I hope this article can help you choose the suitable PoE switch for IP cameras.
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