Interested in extra security? Here’s what you need to know about deploying Ubiquiti surveillance cameras.
For many of you reading this, you may already be a fan boy or girl of the Unifi line of products. If so, you may need additional Ubiquiti IT support for adding on to your existing network environment.
Ubiquiti surveillance cameras support and implementation cannot occur until discovery is performed, usually by a cable management specialist. Unfortunately, not all cabling guys and gals are created equally. There are a couple of well-known individuals in San Diego and the San Francisco Bay Area; these cabling installers consider it an art and take serious pride in their work, and that’s why everyone that respects this craft knows them.
Bonus resources:
Just in case, we’ve added a couple of extra links with information that you may find relevant:
- Ubiquiti IT Support – Get the answers to all your Ubiqiuiti IT and basic networking related questions
- Ubiquiti Wi-fi Support – See our recommendations for Ubiquiti Wi-Fi products
- Best Ubiquiti Access Points for Your Business– How to choose and deploy your own Ubiquiti access point
- Network Installation Setup Guide – A guide and collection of resources for installing your own network
- Wifi Troubleshooting Support – Already have the Wi-Fi hardware? Get help on doing your own troubleshooting.
The Discovery
A walk-around will require a map of the building layout to mark up so that your IT team can be on the same page as the client who is making the Ubiquiti surveillance cameras support request. This can be requested by the facilities manager of the property on which you are performing the walk through. Below is an example of a digital version of the traditionally marked piece of paper.
Scoping out the project
You have only one chance to spec out the correct cameras, access points, and cabling drops. My advice is to allow for more cable drops in each location even if they are not used, because it’s not easy for the cable management specialist to lift ceiling tiles, crawl in crawl space, and climb ladders at the first go.
Basically, you get a lot more bang for your cabling buck if you account for everything during the original quote. Ubiquiti surveillance cameras support becomes more challenging if the organization skimps on runs and the hardware it runs on.
Hardware specs
There are many factors to consider when gathering hardware specs. You can get away with one type of access point and cameras for everything, but you start seeing the benefits immediately after deployment if you quote out hardware specific to each situation. We built an incredibly comprehensive list just on Ubiquit WiFi Access Point hardware alone. It’s nuts, check it out!
Network Hardware
- Dream Machine Pro or SE
- We need to consider Cloud Key-only setup in the future due to lack of SNMP integration
- (optional) Access Point Controller – https://store.ui.com/collections/unifi-accessories-cloud-key/products/unifi-cloudkey-plus
- Do not implement 16 GB drive on UDM Pro if using NVR
- Router – https://store.ui.com/collections/unifi-network-unifi-os-consoles/products/udm-pro
- We need to consider Cloud Key-only setup in the future due to lack of SNMP integration
- UDM 24 Port POE Switch x 2
- It’s good to offload many POE devices onto two separate POE switch
- 24 Port POE switch – https://store.ui.com/collections/unifi-network-switching/products/usw-24-poe
Network Storage Bay – NVR
- 4 Bay
- A video recorder with (4) 2.5/3.5″ HDD bays that can support up to 30 days’ worth of storage for (15) 4K cameras.
- 8 Bay
- A 2U-sized video recorder with (7) 2.5/3.5″ HDD bays that can provide up to 60 days’ worth of storage for (20) 4K cameras or (60) Full HD cameras.
Network Storage Drives
- UniFi – Storage Requirements and Compatibility (HDDs, SSDs, and SD Cards) – Ubiquiti Support and Help Center
- 8 TB HDD – Ubiquiti Inc. x 3 (RAID 5)
Cameras
- PTZ Cameras Indoor – G4 Bullet
- https://store.ui.com/collections/unifi-protect-cameras/products/uvc-g4-bullet
- 2 in each hallway. 100’ hallway
- PTZ Cameras Outdoor – G4 Bullet
- Dome
Access Points
- Reminder!! We built an incredibly comprehensive list on Ubiquiti Wi-Fi access point hardware alone.
- Outdoor (can mount indoor & good for outdoor) Access Point –
- Patch Cables
Compatibility
Did you spec out all Ubiquiti Unifi hardware? You will run into trouble if you are deploying, for example, edge switches instead of Unifi switches, or you neglect to purchase POE-managed switches for your Ubiquiti surveillance cameras support.
Jump Box – View Surveillance Footage
- We recommend installing flat screen with HDMI and wireless keyboard/mouse hookups.
Rack
- 8u – rack
- This is a typical recommendation for the setup involved.
VLAN network configuration
As you can see, there are many things to consider when deploying or providing Ubiquiti surveillance cameras support. You can’t miss anything, or you are in for one hell of a slog. Based on the illustration above, you have to document the quantity of everything. It’s not just 14 cameras, nine access points, and X number of wired drops for printers, computers, etc. – it’s how many hard drives for the NVR and what kind of RAID configuration.
This brings us to the question, what is a network configuration that secures the network against bad actors?
Default LAN should never be used.
Default – not used
- VLAN 15 Private
- VLAN 25 GUEST
- VLAN 35 MGMT
- VLAN 45 CAMERA
- VLAN 95 HONEYPOT
Ubiquiti Surveillance Cameras Support Summary
While this can be a DIY project, the amount of skill necessary to complete the job may dissuade you from attempting any Ubiquiti surveillance camera support. Hopefully, this post will at least get you going in the right direction.
