How To: Set Up an IP-Based Camera Surveillance System

Cameras are popping up all over the place. You can find them at retail businesses, factory floors, homes, apartments, landmarks, schools, financial institutions and transportation centers, to name but a few. Applications range from basic security and safety to quality control monitoring.

Although you can use these cameras over the Web, they're not really Webcams, which are those small, low-tech cameras designed for online socializing. Rather, IP-based cameras connect directly to IP networks, record at higher frame rates, and generally have better resolution then Webcams. They can pan, tilt and zoom, and many have one-way or two-way audio capabilities. They also come with monitoring and management software that lets you trigger alarms and e-mail alerts when certain events occur. For example, you can designate motion detection areas within a frame that generate alerts when motion occurs. Or you can set the system to begin recording when certain events occur or timers are set. Examples of motion events might include a person walking into the frame or a car driving across a designated area.

Since these systems are IP-based, you can monitor, store, and archive video, audio and associated application data over the Internet or across private data networks. The video can be carried anywhere the IP network extends, as opposed to closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems that require proprietary equipment and dedicated coaxial cabling. Anyone with the proper security clearance and a standard browser can monitor video, and control and configure the cameras on the network.

You need to have a fairly robust wired or wireless network set up for a successful IP surveillance roll-out. This Recipe assumes that you have a typical 10/100 wired or 802.11g wireless network already set up. We will, however, look at some Power over Ethernet (PoE) networking equipment and discuss the advantages of that type of system as well. PoE allows you to send power over ethernet lines so you don't have to place the cameras near power sources.

Finally, a note on what all this will cost you. Simply put, pricing will depend on several factors you'll need to carefully consider: Labor rates, the camera(s) selected, the structure of the building(s), the location of power outlets, the location of network infrastructure, etc.

Big Benefits

A quick rundown of the main benefits of IP surveillance follows. Use these points when pitching solutions to your customers, and they will quickly recognize the advantages.

• Utilizes existing IP infrastructure.
• Highly scalable.
• Flexible camera placement: PoE eliminates need for local power source; Wi-Fi eliminates need for hard-wired ethernet cable. Wi-Fi stands for Wireless Fidelity, and Wi-Fi is pretty much a noun these days, and has even become synonymous with the more generic term "wireless."
• Remote viewing from anywhere/anytime via a standard Web browser.
• Standards-based, allowing multi-vendor solutions and integration.
• Better image quality than closed circuit TV (CCTV) analog systems.
• Open storage and server systems scale easily and cheaply, with no need for specialized recording equipment or training.
• Secure: Data can be encrypted across the network, so only the cameras and servers know what kind of packets to expect across the system. Without the proper authentication keys, outsiders can't break into the network to steal video data or feed false video into the system. Also, any interruption to the data stream can automatically trigger alarms and alerts.

Ingredients

Let's get into the two main areas of components—the cameras and the network—that we'll need for building out an IP camera surveillance system.

Cameras: Most professionals are deploying products from D-Link of Fountain Valley, California. The company has been around for 20 years, and it offers quality cameras at reasonable prices. I recommend them.

I tested D-Link's DCS-6620G, DCS-5300G, DCS-3220G, DCS-2120 and DCS-950G cameras. I've listed them in order from fully featured to bare-bones. The DSC-6620G is the deluxe model, with all the bells and whistles and the superior Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) technology.

The D-Link DCS-6620G and DCS-5300G are the motorized models; they offer full pan, tilt and zoom features. The 6620G retails for about $775 on Amazon. The DCS-5300G sells for about $422. (All prices are subject to change, of course. Watch for deals!)

The DCS-6620G, DCS-5300G and DCS-3220G have microphones and 3.5-mm. audio jacks to connect speakers at the camera source, so you can have remote two-way conversations. The DCS-3220G retails for $323 on Amazon.

The DCS-2120 has a microphone, but no speaker jack, so you can only monitor sound from this camera; you can't speak back to the person on the other end. I won't go into all the features here, but these cameras are quite impressive and take excellent, clear videos. The DCS-2120 retails for just under $320. The low-end DCS-950G is going for a little over $140.

All the cameras I tested operate as both Wi-Fi and wired Ethernet cameras. You can set them up either way depending upon your needs and the locations of your wired ethernet.

Once you've set up a camera, you can just plug the rest in and configure them without having to run the set-up utilities again. You can get a large facility installed really quickly this way. You simply plug the cameras into a power outlet and Ethernet jack, discover them with the D-Link client utility, and then configure the Wi-Fi settings according to your router's settings. Unplug the Ethernet cable(s) from the cameras you want to use in Wi-Fi mode, and you're set. The Wi-Fi cameras can be positioned anywhere in range of your wireless router and anywhere there is a power source. I'll cover the initial software installation in specific detail below.

The Network: You need to consider a few existing network variables before installing cameras. Ideally, your network switches and routers should offer a range of speeds from 56 megabits per second (Mbps) to 10 Gbps. For high-quality feeds or large numbers of cameras, consider 100 Mbps attached cameras with backbone network speeds of 1 Gigabit or higher. 10/100 Mbps networks and 54 Mbps or 108 Mbps Wi-Fi networks can be used for applications where high-resolution video quality is not as critical.

If you don't want to run Ethernet cable, 802.11 wireless access points and wireless cameras are an option. The 54-Mbps 802.11g standard is sufficient for many video surveillance applications. Current wireless security standards, like Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), offer robust authentication and encryption for the wireless signal to prevent snooping and interception of the video signal.

You should estimate throughput and peak demand requirements that will be placed on the network and examine how those demands may impact other network applications. Also, consider Quality of Service (QoS) mechanisms to provide the desired level of video quality to your IP Surveillance cameras and monitoring applications.

If you have a client that needs a larger installation—with 200 to 300 cameras, for example—you can go with Gigabit and 10-Gigabit Ethernet. Some organizations are easily using more than 1,000 cameras at a time with these high-speed networks. Installing the Cameras and Software

As I mentioned earlier, the camera installation process is quite easy with the equipment I'm recommending.

So let's start with the installation of the DCS-6620G camera. First, connect the Ethernet cable to the camera as depicted in the following photo. The Ethernet cable must be connected at first for set-up purposes; it will be removed later.

Next, connect the power cable, as shown in the following photo:

As shown in the next photo, the 6620 camera has detachable antennae that needed to be screwed on at first.

Next, plug the power connector (the one with two prongs) into the wall. Make sure your computer and router are booted up. Then it's time to install the software.

Note: The camera will come with an install CD that has a typical InstallShield Wizard for set-up. This particular D-Link installation places an installation wizard on your desktop after you've run the set-up CD. You simply click it to get going.

Once the program finds the camera—this takes just a few seconds—you'll see the following screen. Place a check next to the camera you want to link to and configure.

At this initial stage, you are prompted to confirm IP and networking settings for the camera. The following screen details the settings given to the camera by my router:

Clicking "Next" brings you to the wireless set-up, which looks like this:

This is where you can configure security and encryption options. Before we start though, you might want to bone up on wireless security. If you do, see my earlier TechBuilder Recipe, An Easier Way To Secure Wireless Networks.

The next screen you get allows you to exit from the initial configuration. You can now unplug the Ethernet cable from the camera. The wireless functionality is set.

Clicking on the install wizard desktop icon again brings up the "searching for cameras" screen again. The list of available cameras comes back, including the wireless camera.

When you place the check mark and click the link that says "link to selected device(s)" in the upper right corner of the screen, the program launches a standard browser window with the live camera feed and options for manipulating and configuring the camera further.

This camera is now set with its own IP address that the router will recognize each time you search for cameras. You can take the camera anywhere there is an electrical outlet (within range of the Wi-Fi network), plug it in, and begin monitoring the room. The camera is discovered every time. Analog vs. IP-Based

Let's take a quick look at the differences between old-school analog systems and the new wave of IP-based network systems.

Analog closed-circuit recording systems (CCTV) are limited, because they are only as smart as the person monitoring the system. With IP networks you have access to a wide-range of automated software settings and alert systems that make security management more efficient and intelligent and less error prone and less costly.

On the other hand, IP camera systems handle motion detection, event triggers, and alert automation (via e-mail, pager or phone call), and have a multitude of options for changing frame rates, resolution and timed record cycles. Analog camera systems can't do this without digital conversion.

This particular D-Link IP surveillance application has room for 16 cameras, as shown here:

The next screens you'll see offer motion-detection and monitoring scheduling. After that, you can manage alert, recording, and snapshot settings.

All in all, this particular program is highly flexible and can accommodate virtually any scenario and alert response. Best of all, it comes free with the more high-end D-Link cameras.

Power over Ethernet (PoE)

PoE switches and adapters are useful for times when local power outlets are not available. Power is drawn from the power source near the switch and then routed over ethernet cables. This is possible because the CAT5 Ethernet spec enables both data and power.

As always, pricing depends up the various equipment involved on a site, along with such network variables as the number of ports, switch capabilities, vendors deployed, etc. Make sure all of these fit within yours and your customer's budget.

PoE (short for Power over Ethernet) is basically a power extension via ethernet cable. It requires a PoE switch or PoE adapters. PoE switches will send power and data to either:

• A PoE enabled device that can take power and data from a single ethernet cable and the attached PoE switch; or
• A PoE terminal adapter that splits the power out of the ethernet cable at the end of the line and connects to a standard power input on the networked device (in this case a camera).

The second scenario is shown in the next photo. The PoE router is on the far left, the terminal adapter is in the middle, and the camera is connected on the far right with a power bridge cord and a second Ethernet cable. With a PoE enabled camera or device, you wouldn't need the terminal adapter.

If you plan on using a non-PoE switch or router—because you don't have power outlets near the location you'd like to place the camera—the following set-up will apply:

• Attach an Ethernet cable to your router, as shown here:
• Attach the PoE base unit adapter to the other end of the ethernet cable like so:
• Plug in the base unit's power cable:
• The opposite side of the base unit takes an Ethernet cable that now carries both power and data. It's the cable in the middle with the pen on it here:
• That middle Ethernet cable with the pen on it could be really long and go anywhere in an office or home. The camera has power and Ethernet connectivity at the very end of the line:
• And here it is, ready for use:

Essentially, here's what's going on: The base unit takes power from the wall and data from an Ethernet cable (either a standard router or a computer with extra Ethernet ports). Then the router sends power through one Ethernet cable to the base unit. The base unit places power and data into one Ethernet line. Then the terminal adapter pulls the power off the Ethernet wire and sends it via a little bridge cable to the power connector on the camera device along with the final Ethernet data link. By using the PoE set-up, you deliver power to a location that has no local power outlet via Ethernet cabling.

The companies that make these cameras also carry harsh weather housings, blowers and heaters for outdoor cams. D-Link's accessories can be found here.

In the near-term, we can all expect to see cameras everywhere there's an IP connection. System builders should seriously consider mining this huge new market—as ease-of-installation, reasonably-priced equipment, and the ability to offer customers high-degrees of quality—can mean a healthy addition to your bottom line.

PHIL DUNN is a technology journalist and independent communications consultant for high-tech companies. He's been reviewing, testing, and reporting on products since 1995..