Commercial security camera installation
IP camera systems for offices, warehouses, stores and multi-site businesses. We plan the camera layout, run the PoE cabling, mount and aim each camera, and set up recording and remote viewing before we leave.
- Cameras
- Fixed dome, bullet, multi-sensor, PTZ and license plate
- Recording
- On-site NVR, cloud platform or both
- Cabling
- Cat6 or Cat6A PoE, fiber for long outdoor runs
- Federal work
- NDAA-compliant camera lines available
Every camera gets one job
A wide camera that covers a parking lot will not identify a face at the door. We assign each camera one of four jobs from the international DORI standard, then choose the lens and mounting height to meet it.
| Job | What you can tell | Pixel density (IEC 62676-4) | Where we use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detect | A person or vehicle is there | 25 px/m, about 8 px/ft | Fence lines, open yards, roofs |
| Observe | What the person is doing | 62 px/m, about 19 px/ft | Aisles, sales floors, parking lots |
| Recognize | Whether it is someone you know | 125 px/m, about 38 px/ft | Hallways, lobbies, break rooms |
| Identify | Who the person is, beyond reasonable doubt | 250 px/m, about 76 px/ft | Entrances, registers, dock doors |
Camera placement by area
Where the cameras go in the buildings we work in most, and what each one is there to do.
Entrances and lobbies
An identify-level camera at each public door, mounted so faces are not lost against bright glass. Wide dynamic range models handle the backlight.
Parking lots and yards
Overview cameras for observation, license plate cameras at entry lanes, and infrared or white-light models where the lot is dark at night.
Warehouse aisles
Corridor-mode cameras that turn the image tall to fill the frame with the aisle, mounted above racking and clear of sprinkler heads.
Loading docks
One camera per door or pair of doors, aimed into the trailer so loading and unloading are on record.
Registers and cash rooms
Overhead cameras that show the transaction, the drawer and the person handling it.
Server and IT rooms
A camera on the door and the rack row, paired with card access so every opening has a name and a picture.
Recording: on site, in the cloud, or both
The right choice depends on how many sites you have, the upload bandwidth at each one, and who needs to watch the video.
On-site NVR
Video stays in the building. Storage is sized from camera count, resolution, frame rate, motion versus continuous recording and the number of days you keep footage. The recorder needs a secure room and battery backup.
Cloud platform
Video is stored offsite and viewed from a browser or phone. We check upload bandwidth at each site before recommending it, and fees are usually charged per camera each month.
Hybrid
Full-quality recording on site with cloud copies of events or a lower-quality stream. A common choice for multi-site businesses that want one login for every location.
H.265 compression can cut the storage each camera needs by up to half compared with H.264 at similar image quality. We set it wherever the cameras and the platform support it.
Power and cabling
Most IP cameras run on Power over Ethernet from the network switch, so each camera needs one tested Cat6 or Cat6A drop. Cameras with heaters, infrared or motorized zoom draw more power, and the switch has to supply it.
Copper PoE runs stop at 100 meters. Cameras on fence lines, light poles or far corners of a yard get fiber to an outdoor switch, or a PoE extender where the distance allows.
| PoE standard | Power at the camera | Typical camera |
|---|---|---|
| 802.3af (PoE) | 12.95 W | Fixed domes and bullets |
| 802.3at (PoE+) | 25.5 W | Cameras with infrared or heaters, small PTZ |
| 802.3bt Type 3 | 51 W | PTZ with heaters, multi-sensor cameras |
| 802.3bt Type 4 | 71.3 W | Large PTZ, cameras with heaters and blowers |
NDAA and federal contracts
Section 889 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act bars federal agencies, and companies that hold federal contracts, from using video equipment made by certain manufacturers, including Hikvision and Dahua. If you hold federal contracts or plan to bid on them, tell us and we will specify an NDAA-compliant camera line from the start.
Several states also license the companies that install cameras and access control. Texas, for example, regulates camera systems companies through the DPS Private Security Program. We confirm what your state requires when we scope the job.
Common questions
How many cameras do I need?
Count the places where something has to be seen, then the job each camera must do there. An office floor may need only entrance and hallway cameras, while a warehouse needs docks, aisles, the yard and the gate. The site assessment produces a camera schedule with the location, job and model for each one.
Can you reuse our existing cameras or cabling?
Often, yes. IP cameras on good Cat5e or Cat6 can stay, and we test the cable before relying on it. Old analog cameras on coax can be kept with encoders during a phased upgrade, though new Cat6 drops are usually the better long-term choice.
How long can we keep footage?
As long as the storage allows. Retention is set from your policy, any insurance or industry requirements, and the storage you are willing to pay for. We size the recorder or the cloud plan to that number of days.
Can we watch the cameras on a phone?
Yes. We set up the viewing app or web access for the people you name, with separate permissions for staff who should only see some cameras or some sites.
Request a camera installation quote
Send the address, building type and the areas you need covered. A floor plan with doors and parking marked lets us draft the camera layout before the site visit.