Everything is new for me here!

[securitycamquest]

Hi,

I have been doing some reading on this forum for couple of days and I am bit confused. To be frank, I do not understand few technicalities mentioned here and hence need your help!

We just moved in to a home and ours being a corner lot and there is construction going around us, so, I am concerned about few things:
1) Unauthorized access
2) Someone damaging or bumping into fence etc. as huge trucks come every day
3) There have been few incidents of robbery by people posing as from city departments for census or something

We already have network cable setup done by builder for one camera front and one in the backyard.
I am thinking of putting an IP camera along with a video doorbell to cover both sides from the front and an IP camera to keep an eye on backyard, though it will not cover garage entrance/door just the side yard entry and patio.

I need advice on following:
1) What are the options (not too expensive ones) for camera/door bell (are there systems that can integrate these three together?)
2) I am not willing to put money in NVR but do have a spare laptop which I can use for recording and all? Will these systems integrate and work with PC? If yes, what are the options and steps?
3) Though integrating with Google Home or Alexa is not a priority for me but it will be good if I can ask GHome or Alexa to show me any of those cameras. Are there any options?
4) To cover garage, either I need to draw a network cable or if there is any WiFi camera that I can integrate together with above as one system? suggestions please?
5) And lastly a silly question, I have a spare netgear switch. Can that be used to power cameras, or do I need a switch that specifically mentions PoE switch?

Thanks,

 

[mat200]

Hi,

I have been doing some reading on this forum for couple of days and I am bit confused. To be frank, I do not understand few technicalities mentioned here and hence need your help!

We just moved in to a home and ours being a corner lot and there is construction going around us, so, I am concerned about few things:
1) Unauthorized access
2) Someone damaging or bumping into fence etc. as huge trucks come every day
3) There have been few incidents of robbery by people posing as from city departments for census or something

We already have network cable setup done by builder for one camera front and one in the backyard.
I am thinking of putting an IP camera along with a video doorbell to cover both sides from the front and an IP camera to keep an eye on backyard, though it will not cover garage entrance/door just the side yard entry and patio.

I need advice on following:
1) What are the options (not too expensive ones) for camera/door bell (are there systems that can integrate these three together?)
2) I am not willing to put money in NVR but do have a spare laptop which I can use for recording and all? Will these systems integrate and work with PC? If yes, what are the options and steps?
3) Though integrating with Google Home or Alexa is not a priority for me but it will be good if I can ask GHome or Alexa to show me any of those cameras. Are there any options?
4) To cover garage, either I need to draw a network cable or if there is any WiFi camera that I can integrate together with above as one system? suggestions please?
5) And lastly a silly question, I have a spare netgear switch. Can that be used to power cameras, or do I need a switch that specifically mentions PoE switch?

Thanks,

Welcome Securitycamquester

The notes which giomania has assembled are your friend to those questions you have
IPCamTalk WiKi | IP Cam Talk

Also feel free to checkout the notes I have been keeping:
Looking for some advice and direction!

Q #5) And lastly a silly question, I have a spare netgear switch. Can that be used to power cameras, or do I need a switch that specifically mentions PoE switch?
A: A normal switch does not provide power, only transfer of data. You would need some PSE ( power sourcing equipment ) to power a IP PoE camera - typically most of us prefer PoE switches for that as well as the data flow.

 

[securitycamquest]

Thanks Mat200! Off to read those notes!

 

[trucams]

I need advice on following:
1) What are the options (not too expensive ones) for camera/door bell (are there systems that can integrate these three together?)
2) I am not willing to put money in NVR but do have a spare laptop which I can use for recording and all? Will these systems integrate and work with PC? If yes, what are the options and steps?
3) Though integrating with Google Home or Alexa is not a priority for me but it will be good if I can ask GHome or Alexa to show me any of those cameras. Are there any options?
4) To cover garage, either I need to draw a network cable or if there is any WiFi camera that I can integrate together with above as one system? suggestions please?
5) And lastly a silly question, I have a spare netgear switch. Can that be used to power cameras, or do I need a switch that specifically mentions PoE switch?

Most everything you are asking about is covered by Nest/Amazon/Ring systems, not ip camera systems. A laptop is not going to run BI. If you want to use a laptop, you are back to cloud based systems like those noted. A switch is not a poe switch. You could use the switch with you have but you would have to buy and install individual poe adapters. While you may be able to piece ip camera components together to do some of what you are asking about, if you are not willing to invest in an NVR, you will not be willing to properly invest in those other components either. Maybe look at some of those other systems for your needs?

 

[mat200]

Most everything you are asking about is covered by Nest/Amazon/Ring systems, not ip camera systems.... if you are not willing to invest in an NVR, you will not be willing to properly invest in those other components either. Maybe look at some of those other systems for your needs?

Note: Nest/Amazon/Ring systems, while ip cameras - they are closed systems - and the cost of running these cameras adds up significantly over the longer term. So not a good idea for someone attempting to save $.

 

[looney2ns]

Avoid anything that is wireless, depends on the cloud or P2P, such as Ring, Nest, Arlo, etc.