Network IP Cameras

A network IP camera, or CCTV IP camera, is a digital video camera that sends the video recorded data over an IP network (Wifi or Ethernet) rather than an analogue coax cable. Whereas an analog CCTV camera uses a direct wire connection to a DVR.

IP cameras offer:

• Higher resolution and image quality
• Remote access/viewing via a smartphone, tablet, or computer over the network or internet. 
• Integration to advanced features like motion detection, analytics, and PoE support is easily scalable.

Things to consider before buying a network IP camera:

• Indoor vs outdoor use: Does the camera need weatherproofing, night vision, or vandal resistance? 
• Coverage area: How much area do you need to monitor, and how detailed must the image be? 
• Wired vs wireless: Wired tends to be more reliable and secure, wireless adds installation flexibility.
• Resolution: Higher resolutions let you zoom in more clearly but need more storage/bandwidth.
• Storage: Record to a local NVR, cloud storage, or onboard SD card?
• Network infrastructure: Ensure your network can handle multiple high-resolution video streams. 
• Security: Make sure the device supports passwords, firmware updates, encryption, etc. 

By reviewing each of these you’ll pick a camera that works reliably for your environment.

With the advancement in artificial intelligence, CCTV cameras are smarter than ever before and have the ability to not just monitor and record but also create efficient responses when they're needed most. Some AI features available are listed below:

• Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) - The vehicle number plate is detected, and characters are recognized automatically, and logs are created. Can also be used for whitelisting and blacklisting number plates and automatically trigger barriers and
• Face Detection, Recognition, and Tracking – Detects faces and recognizes them with a 1 to N matching with a database and can track the person and get all clips related to the particular person from the recording.
• People Counting – Provides in and out count and other analytics based on the counting.
• Physical Metadata – physical attributes are recognized by the camera system, such as gender, age range, color of clothes, beard/moustache , hat/cap, glasses, backpack, and much more, which can be automatically detected.
• Human/Vehicle Classification - detects humans and vehicles with counting and classification.
• Fire and Temperature Detection - Detects flames and fires and rises in temperature and raises alarm.

Other than the above-listed AI smart analytics, many others are also available for special use cases such as PPE detection, fall detection, behavior analysis, vehicle color and make recognition, heatmaps, loitering detection, crowd density, and much more.

The retention period depends on your storage capacity, number of cameras, recording resolution/frame rate, and whether recording is continuous or event-based.

To manage retention:

• Estimate how much storage each camera uses: bit rate × hours × number of cameras.
• Choose retention goals example: keep last 15 to 30 days of footage
• Use recording schedules: you can record continuously or only when events occur to save space.
• Use overwriting policies: most NVRs automatically overwrite the oldest footage when full.
• Monitor the storage usage regularly and adjust settings (reduce resolution/frame rate, add more HDD) if needed.

By planning retention, you ensure you have the footage when you need it and optimize storage costs.

Power over Ethernet (PoE) means that a single Ethernet cable provides both the network connection and electrical power to the IP camera.

Benefits:

• Simplifies installation: you only need one cable per camera rather than separate power and data.
• Greater flexibility in placing cameras (you don’t need to locate them near a power socket).
• Often more reliable and safe (less clutter, fewer cables).

Storage and bandwidth depend on several factors:

• Resolution: A higher resolution generates larger video files.
• Frame rate: More frames per second means more data being captured
• Compression: Using efficient video compression (H.264, H.265) reduces bandwidth/storage needs significantly
• Amount of motion: If motion is high or many events happen, more data is recorded and
• Number of IP cameras

As a guideline: Estimate your bit rate, multiply by hours of recording and number of cameras, and choose storage capacity accordingly.

Yes, one of the advantages of IP cameras is remote access.
One can

• View live video in real time from a smartphone app or web browser.
• Review recorded.
• Receive alerts like motion detection or tampering and view event-triggered clips.

Installation steps for IP Camera:

• Mount the camera in the desired location, considering field of view, height, and angle.
• Run the network cable (Ethernet or PoE) or set up wireless connectivity if supported.
• Connect the camera to the network switch/NVR/router and assign network settings (static or DHCP).
• Configure the camera: access via browser or app; adjust resolution, frame rate, motion detection zone, and alerts.
• Set up recording/storage: connect to NVR, cloud, or SD card; schedule recordings or event-based recording.
• Secure the camera: change default login credentials, update firmware, restrict access, and enable encryption if available.
• Test the system: view the live stream, check recording playback, and test alerts/notifications.

If you would like to get it installed by a professional, please contact the Vantage Security technical support team at techsupport@vantagesecurity.com

Image quality depends on multiple factors beyond just the sensor:

Lighting: Low light or very high contrast, like bright & dark areas, can degrade image clarity.
Resolution: The higher the resolution, the better the image quality.
Compression and bit rate: Over-compressing video may reduce the sharpness of the image.
Network issues: If bandwidth is insufficient or packet loss occurs, video may lag or drop frames.
Environmental factors: Weather, dust, fog, glare, and night-vision IR lighting all play a role.

Yes, typically you’ll need a recorder or storage system to capture and archive footage.

Key differences:

• NVR (Network Video Recorder) is designed for IP cameras; it records the digital stream over the network, cloud, or SD cards depending on the system design.
• DVR (Digital Video Recorder) is more for analogue CCTV cameras (feeds from coax cable).

To keep your system running reliably, you should periodically:

• Check and install firmware updates for all cameras and NVR.
• Confirm the camera lenses are clean and unobstructed.
• Verify network cables/connectors are secure and not deteriorated.
• Review recorded footage storage: check storage capacity and ensure archiving/deletion policies work.
• Test alerts and notifications to ensure you receive them when events occur.
• Check system logs for any unusual access attempts or errors.
• Inspect the camera view angle; make sure nothing has shifted (wind/vandalism), and make sure lighting conditions haven’t changed (e.g., new building obstruction).

Doing regular maintenance helps avoid long downtime or missed events.

Here are some of the best practices to secure your IP camera system from unauthorized access.

• Change the default username/password immediately after installation. 
• Use strong passwords (use of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters). 
• Keep firmware and software up-to-date.
• Disable services you don’t need (e.g., UPnP, open ports).
• Use network security features: segment cameras on a separate VLAN or network, enable firewall access, and use VPN for remote access. If using Wi-Fi, ensure encryption (WPA2/WPA3) and secure router settings.

By taking these steps, you can protect your system against many of the common vulnerabilities.