Do my cameras use bandwidth if they are connected to my network but I don't view them anywhere other than live from my home. I'm not streaming anything anywhere. But it says I've used 164 GB of data? I am new to this and confused? I know it's a dumb question but I don't know the answer. TYAIA
Yes, data is being sent over the network all the time through the switch, router, modem, NVR. Data increases when the camera is accessed whether by control, streaming, downloading.
Data consumption will be the lowest at night or where there is just a static image. You can reduce this to a degree by using the highest video compression if available such as H.265+.
You can also change the FPS, minimum / maximum Bitrate, and QOS.
Lastly, if the camera is 8MP and you drop it to 4-2MP you’ll see a larger drop as well.