Difference between
PoE NVR and PoE Switch?
Sir “I’m going to install two IP cameras
in my house. However, I have no idea whether to use a PoE NVR or a PoE switch
matching with them. So, what’s the difference between them? “
Hello “Arindam sir, this is XXX from BBB, as you are security expert, I realy confused from my cctv vendor, someone quote PoE based NVR someone quote
PoE switch with Normal NVR. Please suggest which technology is best for us.”
Such type
of questions I face throughout 2018, which indicates many people feel confused
about the selection between PoE NVR and PoE switch. This write-ups / blog
intends to explore the differences between PoE NVR and PoE switch in details.
What Is PoE?
PoE, an
abbreviated form of Power over Ethernet, allows a single CAT cable connecting a power sourcing
equipment (PSE) to provide both data connection and electric power to powered
devices (PDs) such as IP cameras, wireless access points, etc.
What Is a PoE NVR?
NVR
represents for network video recorder which provides you with centralized video
controls to easily view, manage, and store your surveillance footage in one
convenient location. A PoE NVR is a security video recorder with built-in PoE
switch designed to use with PoE-based IP cameras.
Equipped
with a PoE switch, a PoE NVR recorder can deliver both data and power over a
single Ethernet cable. There is no need for an additional PoE switch, which
will reduce the cost of equipment in theory. You just need to connect one
Ethernet cable from the camera to the PoE NVR recorder and then the built-in
switch will provide power to the camera while transmitting data.
A PoE NVR
is ideal for users with minimal network administration experience and is
generally used in homes and small businesses. It creates a private camera
network, keeping surveillance footage isolated from the main network and adding
an extra layer of privacy.
What Is a PoE Switch?
A PoE
switch or power over Ethernet switch, containing multiple Ethernet RJ45 ports,
is a dedicated network switch with multiple Ethernet ports to connect
network segments and provide power and network communications.
It expands
a network created by a router. Basically, it just assigns LAN IP addresses to
your camera and needs to be tied into a system that allows you to see and
manage your cameras, which is usually done with video surveillance software on
a computer. Therefore, it must be connected directly to a router on the same
network as your NVR. It can reduce the need for extra outlets and extension
cables and saves deployment cost and labor efforts as well.
Power over
Ethernet switch can be classified into many types. In addition to the most
common one, gigabit PoE switch, for example, there are other types as well
such as unmanaged and managed PoE switches. Most PoE switches provided in the
market have standard gigabit Ethernet ports which can provide speed of
10/100/1000Mbps. For smaller network, 8-port Gigabit PoE switch is very
popular. For larger/enterprise network, we use 24-port PoE switch and
48-port managed switch.
Main difference between a PoE NVR &
PoE Switch
From the
above, you will see that both PoE NVR and PoE switch can provide power and data
transmission. However, the former is limited in minimal network
administration experience while the latter can expend the network freely.
What’s more, a switch does not assign IP addresses, which is the job of a DHCP
server, usually built into a router. PoE NVRs provide this service, while PoE
switches don’t. The switch simply provides a data path between all of the
devices connected to it.
Note: You cannot plug a POE
switch into an NVR directly - it must be plugged into your network.
Visit http://arindamcctvaccesscontrol.blogspot.com/2014/11/poe-network-camera-in-global-market.html
for more detail.
Tips of Hanwha PoE NVR
By default, PoE NVRs
are set to connect directly to IP cameras. In cases where the PoE ports
are connected to network switches, the NVR must be put in Manual mode.
In addition, the PoE
ports are set to Isolated mode, where each device can only communicate only
with the NVR and not each other. This is a security feature to prevent
rouge devices from accessing other devices on the network. This will
prevent a connected PC from accessing IP cameras for setup changes.
If you are uplinking
non-camera devices, such as switches, media converters, PCs, etc., you must set
the NVR to Manual mode.
From the setup menu
of the NVR, navigate to System > System Management > Settings >
Load Factory Default.
Select the Manual
Setup Mode. If you wish to save some of the settings to speed up setup,
check the Not Included options of User, Camera, and/or Network as needed.
Click the
Initialization button and wait for the NVR to reboot.
This Write ups published on safe secure magazine Feb 2019 issue.