Need help with POE?
Need help with POE?
I'm focusing on Ubiquiti gear for POE security cameras. The 2k Bullet Cameras and POE Doorbell look promising. I need a POE switch, but often additional equipment is mentioned. From a price view, I'm aiming for a rack-mounted switch with 12-24 ports—worth the investment. A recorder is also on the list, especially a compact 30-day model. I'm also thinking about a dream machine since it seems to cover most needs in one setup. I don't mind spending more if it saves time and effort.
For Unifi cameras—including doorbells—you require a Unifi NVR to enable recording or streaming. If these are the sole Unifi devices in use, you can purchase them as CloudKey+ or a dedicated NVR. To combine NVR functionality with routing, choose Dream Machine; for both NVR and routing capabilities, select Dream Machine Pro. If you need a router/PoE switch, Dream Machine Pro SE is ideal, while the Dream Wall supports up to 8 PoE ports and offers more. Selecting a lower-end option means adding a PoE Switch or PoE injectors accordingly. Unifi provides a capacity calculator to help you determine the right setup for your camera count and other tasks: https://ui.com/cloud-gateways/resource-calculator The Dream Machine Pro SE serves as a solid entry point into Unifi’s ecosystem, expandable as your needs grow. It includes built-in PoE, sufficient NVR space, and capacity for most home camera setups. You can expand the network with SFP+ modules when required, and it supports rack mounting for larger installations.
The UDM-PRO operates UniFi Protect and accommodates a few UniFi cameras. Exceeding a small number of cameras causes performance issues. Be aware that without storage redundancy on the UDM-PRO, using a separate NVR with RAID is necessary. The device can also manage UniFi Controller/Network, allowing you to control your PoE switch and router from one panel. When selecting a UniFi PoE switch, verify it supports the PoE type needed by your equipment.
You could mention 4 security cameras, cloud key integration, and that would cover your setup needs.