Standalone CCTV Network DHCP or not to DHCP

[Jaan]

Hi all,

 

Long story short, we have a CCTV network (totally standalone on its own hardware not connected to the school data network) where we've had a switch failure.

 

These are "managed switches" but we have no, zero, non, zip network documentation for them. Everything works, just need a replacement switch. Now that i've taken over the CCTV system, i feel it needs doing properly along with documentation.

 

I'm currently mapping the connected devices and everything has static ips. The switches and cameras.

 

We have about 200 cams. Would you recommend i just have Static IPs on the switches and have something running a DHCP service for the cams? Or should i just have everything static. and document every camera?

 

What would you recommend. How do you do it?

 

Cheers

[Davit2005]

DHCP with reservations will give more flexibility for the cameras. Def static IP addresses for the switches though.

 

If the cameras are Unifi i.e. it does not matter to the NVR/Controller what the IP is then there is prob no need but if the Controller/NVR relies on the IP as an identifier then you would be better to use reservations.

 

I'd still document the camera i.e. location, network MAC address, patch/wall panel port and switch port at the minimum

[dmj]

Set the DHCP as static if you need, but configs for everything should be centrally managed, esp network equipment like cctv.

[Roberto]

DHCP for all but switches. With reservations if you need to. It's like a magic self-documenting IP to device database.

[psydii]

DHCP for all but switches. With reservations if you need to. It's like a magic self-documenting IP to device database.

 

Shhhh. Stop spilling the secrets of a super geek.

 

One thing to check though would be how the cameras behave if they power up before the dhcp server. Likely they will either come up on their old address, or they will come up with an APIPA address. If the later, do they revert to the DHCP allocated address a while after the DHCP Server comes up? If they don't and they stick with APIP you might wish you had allocated static addresses.

 

FWIW I've been DHCP on cameras and Printers since 2009 and the occasional painful hour or two doesn't out strip the benefit of the magic self-documenting IP ->Device database.

[Davit2005]

Shhhh. Stop spilling the secrets of a super geek.

 

One thing to check though would be how the cameras behave if they power up before the dhcp server. Likely they will either come up on their old address, or they will come up with an APIPA address. If the later, do they revert to the DHCP allocated address a while after the DHCP Server comes up? If they don't and they stick with APIP you might wish you had allocated static addresses.

 

FWIW I've been DHCP on cameras and Printers since 2009 and the occasional painful hour or two doesn't out strip the benefit of the magic self-documenting IP ->Device database.

 

This is a good point, about how the camera reacts should there be a a power issue and the cameras are up before the DHCP issue. I have done both before now for printers as some of the old HPs I've had issues with the JetDirect interface losing settings.

Edited August 26, 2022 by Davit2005

[Jaan]

Ok so DHCP it is.

 

So, this CCTV network is physically standalone. I have a Unifi edge switch ES-8xp which is DHCP capable. What hardware are you guys running DHCP on for your CCTV networks? assuming it not on the same network as your DHCP servers

 

Cheers

[Chuckster]

All our cameras plug in to whatever the nearest switch is to their location.

 

I have a DHCP scope for CCTV, with the NVR having a static IP and the cameras receiving an allocated IP address from thr DHCP server. All switches are each set up with a static IP.

 

All of this is segregated from the rest of the network with a VLAN and ACL in place.

 

No need for a separate, dedicated switch purely for CCTV.

[psydii]

same as @Chuckster. Though some systems have dedicated switches in NVRs. Which is great for installation engineers, and dramatically less great when the Network Manager has to troubleshoot three years later.