I purchased a 4108 NVR and 6 IP cameras, I installed as directed and all works fine. Here is my issue I am seeking help/advice:
In my little mind I envisioned being able to use the NVR "stand alone", that is no router needed thus keeping the system off my network. So my question is: Is it possible to drop in a wireless card to the NVR and have a stand alone system? I would like to have the cameras connect directly to the NVR wireless card and record locally to that NVR. I do not need internet or remote access hence the NVR. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance
Convert to wireless
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amcrest168
- Posts: 470
- Joined: Mon Jun 12, 2017 1:02 pm
Re: Convert to wireless
hi @gizguy12 and welcome to the forum. you will still need a router to handle dhcp even when it's not connected to the internet. the nvr is connected to a wireless router via a lan port and your 6 wireless ip cameras are connected to the wireless router. there you have a standalone without an internet connection.
Re: Convert to wireless
Hello and Welcome to the Forum
Could go POE if you didn't need or want Wifi
OK maybe that isn't something you want to do.... Then here is another option if you don't want your Cameras being able to connect to your Internet you can get a Second Router and could be Wifi even. Use it on a Second IP not as a Bridge or Access Point but on its own Subnet and then you can connect all your cameras to that router and the nvr to that router and now your system is behind a WALL if you will... There are other ways but if you want Wifi then Router is how you will have to go or buy a Wifi NVR sadly there is no magic card we can install in the 4108 I own that one as well and the 2116-HS myself... However another way you could go if you wanted and didn't need Wifi you could get a Managed Switch and setup your Camera system on a VPN in your Switch and again wouldn't have access from the outside in...
Could go POE if you didn't need or want Wifi
OK maybe that isn't something you want to do.... Then here is another option if you don't want your Cameras being able to connect to your Internet you can get a Second Router and could be Wifi even. Use it on a Second IP not as a Bridge or Access Point but on its own Subnet and then you can connect all your cameras to that router and the nvr to that router and now your system is behind a WALL if you will... There are other ways but if you want Wifi then Router is how you will have to go or buy a Wifi NVR sadly there is no magic card we can install in the 4108 I own that one as well and the 2116-HS myself... However another way you could go if you wanted and didn't need Wifi you could get a Managed Switch and setup your Camera system on a VPN in your Switch and again wouldn't have access from the outside in...
Be Safe.
Re: Convert to wireless
Thanks! I tried the switch and a vlan with my spare router, setup the network and the cameras ( will call net2) could see/talk with net1 but not the other way. So that didn’t work. So I figured why not set up router 2 with its own network and no reference to net 1 anywhere. So now I have a wireless system but only way to see them is to login to net2 wireless and adjust/add whatever. Problem is and always has been cameras lag/ choppy video ( I have 2 bullet cams 4 mp and 2 dome cams 3 mp and 1 indoor PTZ 2mp cam). At first I thought the wifi was too far away and too full so I came up with this bright idea to get them all alone on their own network and record 24/7 if something happens I got video. So net2 caused interference with main net1 Set channels at both ends , still freeze video and choppy. Darn things have just never been right. So I have an 8 port gigabit switch( managed) an Archer A7 router, the 4108 NVR (upped the HDD to 8TB) and the cameras and really all I want is a nice smooth, real time video wall. I don’t know where I went wrong so I’m on here pleading for help as I have tried everything else ( netgear CS, Amcrest sent me here)
Re: Convert to wireless
Ok so I guess I am not sure why Netgear sent you here isn't your Archer A7 a TP-Link Product? I have a couple of Archer Products by TP-Link sadly they can only run it seems 1 or 2 cameras over Wifi without much issue... So if your using that as your second Router that could be 1 problem
Next and most important as I am sure you were told by support is you need to manually configure or trick your Routers to use different Ch then trying to use the same... On the TP-Link if they are like mine you can do a AP Search and that will show you all the Routers in your area and what Ch they are on... Like Every now and again I have to reset one of my routers because I have a Neighbor that competes for my 5ghz ch and I don't like that.. I also from time to time found that I have people on my Ch for 2.4 however after doing some searching of the area they were far enough apart that there was little or no fight for traffic but Other times I found there was some with in range and I could see my wifi being an issue...
So to be fair I have only 1 of my TP-Link routers in use, Moved another one out of service and put in a Outdoor Router that I have had for some years to get the camera in the way back... Sadly I get a week or so without issue before I have some one fighting for my CH..
What a lot of people don't understand is there is more then just Wifi on some of the CH... Blutooth products share some of the same bandwidth as some Wifi and with more and more people using that tech today can also make issues...
Another thing.. You said you have a Switch.. I would look over your Switch for Status of your ports.. Not all switch have the function but I have been able to track down some issues I have had with some of my Older cables and some newer ones that I bought premade by using my switch and seeing there was Errors on the ports.. .First thing I do is move to a different port make sure the port isn't failing if errors come up then most likely a Cable issue... I am not saying your having a Cable issue but if your cable from your Switch to your router or to your NVR/DVR or Recorder of any type is bad that can make for things not to be to happy... I mention this because I had some Issue between my Switch and my NVR where I had some Paused Frames and at first I thought it might have been to much info going into the NVR and the Switch was just keeping the data until the NVR could take more but after some issues with Choppy and bad videos I found changing out my cable to the NVR corrected this...
About Wifi.. Sadly there is some other issues that can come up... While you can go around with your phone and it will say that you have a good connection to spot your trying to put a camera.. Sadly your Phone and camera Wifi are not the same... Most Cell phones have a Wifi Booster built into them to make things better. Or at least the ones I have owned over the last 10 years or so have...
You will want a Good Netgear Gaming router for connection of Wifi cameras... Sadly they are not Perfect either however the ones I have on my network have more Ram 2 or 3 times more and a faster Processor then my TP-Link Routers... This is the Nighthawk line of Router by Netgear. I still have to Reboot them every now and again because things get Slow and I start to loose camera feeds... One and only Reason I have my Cameras loaded with a MSD card is for backup recording if the network is lost
Next and most important as I am sure you were told by support is you need to manually configure or trick your Routers to use different Ch then trying to use the same... On the TP-Link if they are like mine you can do a AP Search and that will show you all the Routers in your area and what Ch they are on... Like Every now and again I have to reset one of my routers because I have a Neighbor that competes for my 5ghz ch and I don't like that.. I also from time to time found that I have people on my Ch for 2.4 however after doing some searching of the area they were far enough apart that there was little or no fight for traffic but Other times I found there was some with in range and I could see my wifi being an issue...
So to be fair I have only 1 of my TP-Link routers in use, Moved another one out of service and put in a Outdoor Router that I have had for some years to get the camera in the way back... Sadly I get a week or so without issue before I have some one fighting for my CH..
What a lot of people don't understand is there is more then just Wifi on some of the CH... Blutooth products share some of the same bandwidth as some Wifi and with more and more people using that tech today can also make issues...
Another thing.. You said you have a Switch.. I would look over your Switch for Status of your ports.. Not all switch have the function but I have been able to track down some issues I have had with some of my Older cables and some newer ones that I bought premade by using my switch and seeing there was Errors on the ports.. .First thing I do is move to a different port make sure the port isn't failing if errors come up then most likely a Cable issue... I am not saying your having a Cable issue but if your cable from your Switch to your router or to your NVR/DVR or Recorder of any type is bad that can make for things not to be to happy... I mention this because I had some Issue between my Switch and my NVR where I had some Paused Frames and at first I thought it might have been to much info going into the NVR and the Switch was just keeping the data until the NVR could take more but after some issues with Choppy and bad videos I found changing out my cable to the NVR corrected this...
About Wifi.. Sadly there is some other issues that can come up... While you can go around with your phone and it will say that you have a good connection to spot your trying to put a camera.. Sadly your Phone and camera Wifi are not the same... Most Cell phones have a Wifi Booster built into them to make things better. Or at least the ones I have owned over the last 10 years or so have...
You will want a Good Netgear Gaming router for connection of Wifi cameras... Sadly they are not Perfect either however the ones I have on my network have more Ram 2 or 3 times more and a faster Processor then my TP-Link Routers... This is the Nighthawk line of Router by Netgear. I still have to Reboot them every now and again because things get Slow and I start to loose camera feeds... One and only Reason I have my Cameras loaded with a MSD card is for backup recording if the network is lost
Be Safe.