Back to Basics: IP Cameras

One of the basic tenets of physical security is the IP Camera. Some of you may ask what is an IP Camera. Basically an IP camera is a networked digital video camera, therefore you may also hear them called network cameras. Of course the IP portion comes into play when describing the networked portion that uses IP (internet protocol) to transfer images and data the camera is gathering. 

So again we are speaking and talking in very general terms about IP cameras. What are some of the advantages of using an IP based camera system?

- Accessibility is one of the greatest advantages that I can think of. When a camera is on a network it is easily configurable to have access anywhere online. Many camera manufacturers have an app already made that will let you access your cameras via a smartphone.

- Power over Ethernet is also a succinct advantage of an IP based system. What this does is allows you to use the same cable that connects your camera to your network to also power the camera. 

- Security, if viewing online easily scares you, you can also lock these down so only limited access can be gained or none at all unless you are within the network the cameras are on.

- Two way communication, this one is kind of cool. This can be used in many ways but essentially you have audio going both ways depending on camera model. 

So we've mention some pretty cool basic features, not what would be some cons of an IP based system?

- The setup can be more complex when trying to secure all of the devices on the network (that may be a good reason to hire a company such as Affinitech)

- Data storage, depending on your set up and footage retainment requirements the amount of storage needed could be very large depending on your overall configuration. 

Thanks for taking the time to read this very basic overview of some pros and cons of IP Cameras. If you have any questions, feedback or find errors in spelling, grammar etc. please email us at online@affinitechinc.com