PoE systems are reliable and have fewer problems as you compared to other types of surveillance systems.
However, in some cases, having one PoE switch for cameras is not enough for managing system cameras. Security system owners always seek for future and they need to increase the NVR channels and expand the system coverage.
In scenarios like this, it’s recommended to use a PoE switch but there’s a little issue which is How to connect 2 PoE Switches to NVR.
Well, to connect 2 PoE switches to NVR you don’t have to be a professional or hire an expert for this task, you can do this by
- Connect the 2 PoE switches to NVR directly.
- Use a home WiFi router to connect the PoE switches to NVR.
- Install WiFi adapters for PoE switches to link them to NVR wirelessly.
Obviously, your system after the connection is done successfully will be monitored from one single screen, as the switches are linked together and they are connected to the network video recorder.
Can I use 2 PoE switches together? Or Can I plug a PoE switch into another PoE switch?
The answer is YES, you can connect two PoE switches together, and you can plug a PoE switch into another PoE switch in 2 ways, you can do this through a wired ethernet connection, or wireless via any wireless bridge.
E.g if you have a 24-port POE switch and you decide to expand your security system, then you connect the small PoE switch (24 port) to the largest to a 48-port non-PoE switch or vice versa.
Can I connect the PoE switch directly to NVR?
All right, Yes, you can connect the PoE switch directly to NVR if your NVR has special ports for uplinking with other PoE devices such as routers, or NVRs.
There are high-quality PoE switches that have 1 or 2 ports for uplinking, and the other PoE ports are for connecting the PoE IP cameras, or for combining the PoE switch with another one.
Next,
How to Connect 2 Poe Switch to NVR in Both Wired and Wireless
The process of connecting 2 PoE switches to NVR is not limited to wired connections only, you can make it completely wireless to avoid wiring issues in the future.
In the below words, we mention the best 3 ways to connect 2 PoE switches to NVR.
Method 1. Connect the 2 PoE switches directly to the NVR
The first way to connect 2 PoE switches to NVR is a wired connection and it depends on using an Ethernet cable for linking the devices together.
This method is perfect for small places that have few surveillance cameras installed as it consumes short-length network cables. Here are the steps:
Step 1. Connect the two PoE switches, Take the ethernet cable from the uplink port of the 1st Poe switch to a normal PoE port in the 2nd switch.
Step 2. On the 2nd switch which it’s connected directly to the network video recorder, plug the first end of the ethernet cable into the 2nd PoE switch uplink port, then the second end of the cable into the NVR LAN port.
Step 3. Connect the PoE IP cameras to each PoE switch, then power on the devices.
Step 4. Hook an HDMI cable from the NVR to a single monitor to test and view the camera’s feed.
For more details, watch the next video to know How to Connect two (2) POE Switches to an NVR.
Resource: Tech Inside Out
Now, you’ve finished the necessary connections, you can add an external microphone or connect the NVR to the internet later if you want.
Note that, always measure the cable routes before you run any of the ethernet cables between the switches and the cameras. Doing this will allow you to save more money in the long term.
Also, while measuring ensure that the length between any 2 Poe devices does not exceed 100 m or 328 ft as the ethernet cable signal will start to weaken after this length unless you’re using another switch to strengthen the signal again.
Helpful Link: Best Security Cameras for Bad WiFi
Method 2. Use Home Router Connect 2 PoE switches to NVR
The 1st method for connecting 2 Poe switches to NVR has proven its strength for many years but it has a little issue.
Sometimes the interlink link connection between the 2 PoE switches becomes lossy which makes the 2 switches disconnect from each other.
Another issue concerning the uplink connection is when you need to change one of the PoE switches to another spot unfortunately you’ll be limited by this uplink connection length.
So, here in this way, we’ll connect 2 PoE switches to NVR without the need for this connection, and also to eliminate the wiring issues between the devices.
In this way, we’re going to connect the PoE switches directly to the router, and also we’ll link the NVR to the router. Let’s see the steps
Step 1. In the first PoE switch, bring an Ethernet cable and connect it from the switch uplink LAN port to the Router LAN port 1, then connect the PoE IP wired cameras to the switch.
Step 2. For the 2nd PoE switch, we will do the same, take a different power over ethernet cable and link it directly from the 2nd switch uplink LAN port to the router LAN port 2, then make the other connections.
Step 3. For the network video recorder, take the 3rd ethernet cable and connect it from the only LAN port of the NVR to router LAN port 3.
Step 4. Connect the devices to the nearest power source, and then turn them on.
Step 5. From your mobile or PC viewing software, test the system connections and check if the cameras are streaming what is monitored or not.
By applying the above steps your switches will be connected to both NVR and the router.
The first one is responsible for recording and storing the recorded videos, while the other device is responsible for enabling online features such as remote viewing and cloud recording.
Method 3. Get a WiFi adapter to connect 2 PoE switches to NVR wirelessly
If hate wiring problems and want to make your wired system completely wireless then this way is the best for you.
This method relies on the same concept used in the 2nd way to connect 2 Poe switches to NVR but without using wires, the connection between whether NVR or PoE switches will be done by using wireless devices.
The devices are called “WiFi adapters” and they are connected to wired devices to convert them to wireless.
These WiFi adapters are cheap and available in several models, there are USB WiFi adapters and Ethernet WiFi adapters.
In our situation, we’ll pick an ethernet to wifi adapter based on the PoE switches we have, and one for the NVR. Here are the steps:
Step 1. Pick one ethernet to wifi adapter from any seller, plug the power adapter, then turn it on.
Step 2. Before you connect the adapter to switches, you should configure it, hook up the device to a PC via an Ethernet cable, or join the adapter wifi signal from your mobile.
Step 3. Configure the ethernet to wifi adapter and link it to the router before you use it with any PoE device.
Step 4. Once configured, take off the ethernet to wifi adapter from the power, and put it near your PoE switches, or NVR.
Step 5. The last step is to link the PoE switch to the ethernet to the WiFi adapter by using an Ethernet cable.
Step 6. Power the devices on, and test each PoE switch separately to check if there’s any issue in connections.
Once connected you can use your system cameras whenever you want, and also you can access your system remotely as your router already has an internet connection.
This way is more beneficial than other mentioned methods because it allows you to connect more than 2 Poe switches to NVR.
So, if you have a Poe switch for outdoor surveillance cameras, a second switch for indoor cams, and a third for PoE cameras that monitor your garage, you can connect them all to the NVR for viewing and controlling.
Quick Link: Top cheap Security Cameras for Bedroom
How do I connect my 3 PoE switch to NVR?
Well, to connect 3 PoE switches to NVR, you have 2 different ways. The first one is to combine the PoE switches one by one until you make the 3 PoE switches as a single unit, then connect the main PoE switch that links the others to the NVR via Ethernet.
The 2nd option is to use a device that has LAN ports to link both NVR and the 3 PoE switches, and the best choice for this way is the home router.
Alternatively, you can connect the PoE switches to a 4-Port ethernet adapter and then link the device to the NVR if your video recorder has built-in antennas or supports using wifi.
How many PoE switches can be connected with NVR?
Generally, 2 to 4 PoE switches if you have an 8 ch NVR. The number of PoE switches that can be connected to an NVR depends on the NVR and the number of channels available.
Not only that but also the total number of PoE switches that can be connected to the NVR will depend on the available ports of the NVR as each NVR port provide Power Over Ethernet to a PoE device.
What I mean is if you have an 8ch NVR with 4 PoE ports, then your device can support up to 4 PoE switches connected directly to the NVR, and an additional 4 PoE IP cameras unless they are not affected by the bandwidth of the NVR’s Ethernet port.
Before you go…
I hope this article helped you understand how to connect two POE switches to NVR, all you have to do is decide how you want to get this thing done wired or wirelessly.
After that, you can take one of the mentioned steps above and apply it to your system to increase your video recorder IP cameras and cover more of your property without paying extra money for a new NVR.
Related Articles:
