Updated Home Connection
Updated Home Connection
Hello everyone, I’m relocating to a new home with Quantum Fiber installed. The fiber arrives in the garage, and there’s also a copper converter/modem there. I plan to install cameras inside—like baby monitors and a doorbell—to monitor the kids. Currently, I use Ring, but I’d like a PoE setup for better reliability without paying for a subscription. I’ve considered Ubiquiti, though it’s pricey. Tplink Omada seems suitable for the network, but it doesn’t integrate smoothly with their Tapo cameras. I’m looking for a mix of affordability and some DIY effort.
The main concern is how you handle it yourself. I manage a complete UniFi setup, but for cameras I keep things affordable. I use Hikvision, AMCrest, and Reolink PoE devices (though I thought mixing a few would be fun since they’re all budget-friendly), and the NVR runs on Frigate. Frigate is free and really convenient. It’s not a simple plug-and-play fix—it requires some setup. There are plenty of online tutorials, but that’s my approach and it functions well. I keep the video streams on an NFS mount in my TrueNAS array and host them on its own Intel NUC. All camera operations are isolated on a separate subnet (configured with VLANs).
Ubiquiti offers discounts on certain items for Black Friday. You can browse to find deals. Personally, I use Eufy cameras and consider them sufficient for simple home surveillance without extra costs. They likely offer PoE models, though all-in-one NVRs are probably available.
I usually enjoy making things myself, but now I’m busy and don’t have much time. I’m curious about setting up a DIY NAS or NVR just for a doorbell camera. I’d like to add more outdoor cameras later. The interior cameras aren’t needed to record, and I’d prefer baby cameras as part of the setup—though it wouldn’t be too bad.
UniFi seems like an excellent choice. It handles networking and NVR in one package, which is really convenient. For many years we used a pfSense firewall (also acting as router), and it performed well from security to configuration. I relied on UniFi equipment for switches and access points. Now that UniFi gateways are reliable, I’ve fully transitioned, along with my family. Everyone in my household uses UniFi since I manage their technology, and even some former pfSense users have switched over. Their solutions are top-notch, and I’m very satisfied. I don’t use their NVR because I handle everything myself, but I have no doubt it’s a worthwhile investment.