Planning IP cameras and an NVR for a factory

Start with what you need to see

List the places and the purpose: gate and vehicle entry (read number plates), stores (identify people), shop floor (see activity), dispatch (count and check). The purpose decides the camera, the lens and how close it must be.

Resolution and lens

• Identify a person needs more pixels on the face than seeing that someone is there. A narrower lens or a closer camera helps more than a higher megapixel number.
• Wide shop floors suit wide-angle or varifocal cameras; gates and counters suit narrower lenses.
• Choose cameras with good low-light performance for night shifts and yards.

Storage

Storage depends on the number of cameras, resolution, frame rate, compression (H.265 saves a lot over H.264) and how many days you must keep. Motion-based recording stretches it further. Decide the retention first, then size the NVR hard disks, with a margin.

Cabling and power

• Use PoE switches so one cable carries data and power.
• Keep copper runs within the Ethernet distance limit; use fibre or a local switch beyond it.
• Protect outdoor cables and use weatherproof junction boxes.
• Put the NVR and switches on a UPS.

Remote viewing

Set up the manufacturer's phone app, change every default password, and keep camera firmware updated. Give each viewer their own account, not a shared login.

Handover

Hand over a camera list with locations and IP addresses, the network diagram, admin credentials in a sealed record, and a short guide for playback and export.