I want to set up some security cameras, but I don’t want anything that needs WiFi to work. Seems like CCTV is outdated now? I need something that can be completely offline—no internet needed, not even for setup. Are there any brands or models that fit this?
I don’t know much about security systems or cameras, so if I’m missing something obvious, explain it to me like I’m new to this.
You’re looking for PoE (Power over Ethernet) cameras. They get both power and connection from a single network cable, no WiFi needed. Reolink has some decent budget-friendly options for home use.
You can either record footage directly to a microSD card inside the camera, store it on a network video recorder (NVR), or use a self-hosted setup like Blue Iris.
I have a mix of PoE cameras and Reolink PoE doorbells. They all record to a Blue Iris server, and I can check the feed live on my home assistant dashboard. But that setup takes a little more work to configure.
CCTV, in the old-school sense of analog closed-loop systems, has pretty much evolved into IP cameras with dedicated security networks and NVRs. It’s basically the same concept—keeping video data on a private system, with access controlled through different security layers.
@Clyde
I’ve been looking this up all day. If I understand correctly, IP cameras connect to an NVR using PoE, and then you can plug a monitor into the NVR to see the footage? Do NVRs have a built-in interface for browsing saved videos?
@Rodolfo
Yeah, you’ve got it. An NVR is basically a dedicated computer for recording and managing video feeds. Most of them have an HDMI port for connecting a monitor, and they support a mouse or keyboard through USB.
You can watch live feeds and review saved footage directly on the NVR, or you can access it through a computer, app, or web browser if needed. Some models have more advanced software for managing recordings, while others are pretty basic.