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Imagine getting a pop-up alert on your smartphone whenever your IP camera or Network Video Recorder (NVR) detects motion. Wherever you are, iOS or Android device, on WiFi, 3G or 4G, it doesn’t matter. It could be an indoor IP camera that you are using as a baby monitor, an outdoor security camera monitoring your backyard, garage or your office or an NVR monitoring multiple cameras. Welcome to the world of Push Notifications and we will show you how to activate them on your security system.

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Alarm Push Notifications

A push notification occurs when an app running in the background on your smartphone alerts you in the form of a pop-up alert or a badge in the notification bar. Your phone does not have to check in periodically with the camera or NVR to receive this notification (this is called a pull request); rather the alert is pushed to your phone from the camera or NVR – hence the term push notification.

Motion detection alarm push notifications are a very useful feature as you get an instantaneous alert on your mobile device much faster than an email alert can usually reach you (especially if you have turned on snapshot attachments).

A push notification occurs when a background app on your phone alerts you through a pop-up alert or a badge.

If you use Gmail, Yahoo or a modern email client on your smartphone, you can set up push alarm email alerts whenever your IP cameras detect motion.

You can set up both alarm email alerts and alarm push notifications simultaneously on each of your IP cameras if you do not use an NVR. So when you receive a push notification, you can either check your email alert or log into the camera to view a live video steam.

For this how-to, we will assume that you want to set up push notifications for a few IP cameras without an NVR. The following steps apply if you are using an NVR also, wherever a camera is mentioned you would apply the same step to your NVR instead.

Port Forwarding or DDNS?

When your phone is connected to your WiFi network at home, it knows how to reach the IP camera which is in the same network because the app is configured with your camera’s local IP address (such as 192.168.1.50). But when you leave your home and use a different method to connect to the Internet, such as your office WiFi or a café’s public WiFi, your phone can no longer reach the camera back home. This is where you need to do 1 of 2 things to let your smartphone connect to the IP camera back home:

• Your router has an external public IP address assigned by your Internet Service Provider. Forward your camera’s ports to an external port on your router and these external ports are accessible from the Internet and thus from your smartphone. Now unless you have purchased a static IP from your ISP, your router’s public IP address will change ever few days or so.
  This means you will have to update the app on your phone accordingly each time – this is a hassle. Thankfully there is a way around this prickly problem, you can use a Dynamic DNS (DDNS) service to give your home network a friendly network name such as abcde.ddns.net which can be used to access your home network. We recommend the excellent free No-IP service.

OR

• Use EZVIZ/Hik-Connect Cloud P2P which does away with port forwarding by using P2P technology.

We will explore the second option today: Using the P2P method.

What you will need

• iVMS-4500 HD app (Android, iOS)
• A smartphone that supports the above app
• At least one Hikvision camera such as the popular new LTS/Hikvision DS-2CD2042WD-I. Also see my list of recommended IP Cameras, if you are undecided on which camera to get.

Step-by-step Process

We assume that you have performed the initial setup of the camera and that you are able to access it through your web browser or video surveillance software.

1. In each camera:

1. Log into the web admin page.
2. In each of your cameras’ motion alert settings pages, make sure ‘Notify Surveillance Centre’ is checked.
   For example, Basic Event > Motion Detection
   

   

3. Network > uPNP should also be enabled.
   

   

4. Also go to Network > NAT and make sure: ‘Enable Port mapping’ is checked.
   

   

5. Network > Platform access should be checked.
   

   

   
   NOTE: You do not need DDNS enabled.

3. On your smartphone:

1. Download and install the iVMS-4500 HD app from the Android Google Play Store or iOS App Store.
2. Adding your cameras to the app.Click on the settings tab and select ‘Devices’.

   

   Click the + button at the top right to start adding your camera.Fill in all the fields. Use the IP address and server ports that you have configured for your camera. The default server port is 8000, so unless you have changed it yourself, you should use 8000. Save your setting by touching the save button at the top right.

   

   When you have added the first camera, the screen should look like this:
   

   

   
   

   Add all your cameras one by one.

   
   

   

   
   
3. Go to the Push Notifications tab. You will see the cameras that you have added here with a toggle next to each one.
   

   

   Move each toggle to the right to activate alarm push notifications for each camera.

   

4. Test by setting off the motion detection.

5. You should see a notification like this within 1-5 seconds.

Congratulations, you have now set up alarm push notifications on your smartphone. Also, if you have set up the port forwarding rules correctly on your router, you should receive push notifications outside your local network as well, i.e on the Wide Area Network (WAN).

Troubleshooting

If you do not get push notifications when the motion alarm is set off, try the following:

• Make sure the account you are using to set up the camera in iVMS-4500 HD is an administrator account.
• Uninstall the iVMS-4500 HD app, re-install the app and then try the setup steps above.

If you face any problems or difficulties, please tell us through the comment field below. We love hearing from you!

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The latest version of this guide is now available separately for outdoor and indoor IP cameras!
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Yes I admit it, I am crazy about DIY home security. When I started researching home security and IP cameras, my goal was to find the best solutions to keep my family and home safe and secure. What started out as market research has turned into my passion and this blog!

From my experience of trying to make sense of it all, choosing the right security camera can seem very difficult. But it is something that we just can’t afford to get wrong, is it? So I strongly recommend taking the time to research and understand the various options you have before spending your hard earned money. I have taken all my notes and condensed it into this single buying guide which I hope you will find helpful.

My top 3 recommendations for outdoor security cameras are:

• View [easyazon_link identifier=”B01BN1FEQE” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-afold-bipc16-20″]Amcrest IP2M-842EB[/easyazon_link] on Amazon
• View [easyazon_link identifier=”B00PBXZVBE” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]Hikvision DS-2CD2132F-IWS[/easyazon_link] on Amazon, and
• View [easyazon_link identifier=”B00RL2FZF0″ locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]Hikvision DS-2CD2332-I[/easyazon_link] on Amazon.

View my top recommendation for an indoor security camera on Amazon: [easyazon_link identifier=”B0145OQTPG” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-afold-bipc16-20″]Amcrest IP2M-841B[/easyazon_link].

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Best Outdoor IP Camera 2016 Recommendations: Summary

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As part of a well-planned security system, outdoor security cameras are an effective deterrent against would-be intruders and, if God forbid the worst happens, immensely helpful in assisting the police tracking down troublemakers. Surveillance cameras are not just for companies and large organisations anymore. You can get yourself a good High Definition IP camera (also called a network camera) for not much money. Indeed, its never been better for those who are interested in home security without paying a monthly fee.

Many of these IP cameras work perfectly fine on their own without an NVR (Network Video Recorder) as they have built-in recording capabilities. They can also be easily integrated into either dedicated NVRs or PCs running surveillance software such as BlueIris.

How this list is structured

There are so many ways of categorising IP cameras – we have chosen form factor as we believe this is one of the first decisions to make while choosing an IP camera. Bullet style, dome style or mini-dome, this will depend primarily on the location of installation and how visible you want the camera to be.

Bullet style camera

The typical CCTV camera look which is not discreet and serves as a visible deterrent. Very flexible as it can be aimed after installation. However, it is not resistant to vandalism.

Best value: Amcrest IP2M-842E

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[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”300″ identifier=”B01BN1FEQE” locale=”US” src=”https://www.vueville.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/41eRFhB2BCyL.jpg” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-bipc16-20″ width=”300″]
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• 2MP (1080p) CMOS image sensor
• 72° Viewing Angle
• 30m (98 feet) IR range
• Ethernet port with Power over Ethernet (PoE)
• ONVIF and RTSP protocols supported
• IP67 weatherproof rating

[/wpsm_titlebox]

[/wpsm_column]

[wpsm_column size=”one-half”][wpsm_pros title=”PROS:”]

• Very good video quality with 1080p Full HD resolution
• SD card slot, PoE, WiFi optional
• Simply superb value

[/wpsm_pros][/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”][wpsm_cons title=”CONS:”]

• No audio/alarm connections

[/wpsm_cons][/wpsm_column]

[easyazon_link identifier=”B01BN1FEQE” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-bipc16-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

This excellent little IP camera from Amcrest is hands-down the best value IP camera we could find. Don’t waste your time, money, and sanity buying cheap knock-offs for a few dollars less than this camera. On the hardware front, this Amcrest camera seems to be a rebranded Dahua which is great because Dahua is one of the top security camera manufacturers in the world. It supports PoE and this is our recommended way of powering the camera and data communication (use a PoE switch like this one). Amcrest software is very professional, and simply works. The other strong reason to go with Amcrest is their extensive US and European support networks. Check out our Amcrest Camera Guide to learn more about who Amcrest are and why we love their cameras.

If you prefer having the Wifi option as well, the Amcrest IP2M-842B is also available.

Great value: Hikvision DS-2CD2032F-IW (Also re-branded as Swann)

[wpsm_column size=”one-half”][easyazon_image align=”center” height=”300″ identifier=”B017C53TI0″ tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″ locale=”US” src=”https://www.vueville.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Hikvision-DS-2CD2032-I-300p.jpg” width=”300″][/wpsm_column]

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• 3MP CMOS image sensor
• Up to 79° Viewing Angle
• 30m (98 feet) IR range
• Ethernet port with Power over Ethernet (PoE), Wi-Fi
• On-board storage (SD card)
• ONVIF and RTSP protocols supported
• IP66 weatherproof rating

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[wpsm_column size=”one-half”][wpsm_pros title=”PROS:”]

• 3MP, excellent image quality
• SD card slot & WiFi
• Superb value

[/wpsm_pros][/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”][wpsm_cons title=”CONS:”]

• No audio/alarm connections

[/wpsm_cons][/wpsm_column]

[easyazon_link identifier=”B017C53TI0″ locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

Hikvision is a manufacturer that many of us venturing into home security may not have heard of. However, rest assured this company has produced some brilliant cameras and this little bullet camera has been one of their best-selling ever. Have a look at our Hikvision product guide to learn more about their product range.

As our first IP camera purchase, we were surprised at how much camera you get for the money with the DS-2CD2032F-IW. With a 3MP Sony sensor, it has very good image quality, both during the day and at night. The full metal body is of solid construction and comes with a choice of lens sizes. The Sony image sensor contributes to stellar low light performance. Adding just a network storage location lets you use the built-in NVR feature if you are aiming at a single-camera setup initially. While it has POE and an SD card slot, it does not have audio or alarm features. Also available is the DS-2CD2032-I which is slightly cheaper at as it doesn’t have an SD card slot or WiFi. If you need higher resolution, there is a 4MP model available. See how you can set up motion detection alerts for any Hikvision camera.

Great value: Dahua IPC-HFW4300S (Also re-branded as Lorex)

[wpsm_column size=”one-half”][easyazon_image align=”center” height=”300″ identifier=”B00MUMRJMI” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″ src=”https://www.vueville.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Dahua-IPC-HFW4300S-300p.jpg” width=”300″][/wpsm_column]

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• 3MP CMOS image sensor
• Up to 97.6° Viewing Angle
• 30m (98 feet) IR range
• Ethernet port with Power over Ethernet (PoE)
• ONVIF and RTSP protocols supported
• IP66 weatherproof rating

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[wpsm_column size=”one-half”][wpsm_pros title=”PROS:”]

• 3MP, good image quality
• Good value

[/wpsm_pros][/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”][wpsm_cons title=”CONS:”]

• No audio/alarm connections
• No SD card slot

[/wpsm_cons][/wpsm_column]

[easyazon_link identifier=”B00MUMRJMI” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

Dahua is another respected manufacturer of high quality surveillance equipment. The 3MP Dahua IPC-HFW4300S is similar to the Hikvision DS-2CD2032-I above in technical specifications with POE and no audio or alarm connections, but is considerably longer in size. Even though it uses a different ‘Aptina’ sensor, image quality is very close too, with the Hikvision said to have the edge. The Dahua however has been reported to have slightly better low light performance. The eco-sensor lets the camera operate with just 5.5W of power vs. 7.5W of the Hikvision bullet. Both cameras have been reviewed highly favourably by users on the popular internet forums, so the buying decision can really be boiled down to the rest of your CCTV landscape and price. Also consider the IPC-HFW5300C which adds a 2.7-12mm varifocal lens, audio/alarm connections and an SD card slot.

Full-featured: Hikvision DS-2CD2632F-IS

[wpsm_column][easyazon_image align=”center” height=”300″ identifier=”B00GFFPFEU” locale=”US” src=”https://www.vueville.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Hikvision-DS-2CD2632F-IS-300p.jpg” width=”300″ tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″][/wpsm_column]

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• 3MP CMOS image sensor
• 2.8-12mm varifocal zoom lens
• 105.2°-31.9° Viewing Angle
• 30m (98 feet) IR range
• Ethernet port with Power over Ethernet (PoE)
• On-board storage (SD card)
• ONVIF and RTSP protocols supported
• IP66 weatherproof rating

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• 3MP, excellent image quality
• Varifocal lens
• Audio and alarm connections
• SD card slot

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• None

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[easyazon_link identifier=”B00GFFPFEU” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

This 3MP Hikvision model has a unique feature – it has variable focal lengths from 2.8mm to 12mm. While this gives you immense flexibility in camera placement and testing, it does however push the price up but the camera remains great value at current prices. POE, audio and alarm inputs and onboard storage are standard.

High-end: Vivotek IB8168

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• 2MP CMOS image sensor
• 97° Viewing Angle
• Ethernet port with Power over Ethernet (PoE)
• On-board storage (SD card)
• ONVIF and RTSP protocols supported
• IP66 weatherproof rating

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• Superior image quality
• SD card slot

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• No audio or alarm connections
• No InfraRed night vision

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[easyazon_link identifier=”B00LC7OLIW” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-bipc16-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

Vivotek is a Taiwanese brand and as such their cameras are priced higher than the Chinese manufacturers such as Hikvision or Dahua. There is a large range of cameras available from this high quality manufacturer. The Vivotek IB8168 is a 2MP model with POE and a built-in SD card slot. A 3MP version is also available, the Vivotek IP8371E model which boasts 30fps at 3MP resolution which is uncommon.

Also consider: Amcrest Qcam 3MP Bullet

[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”300″ identifier=”B014E995K8″ locale=”US” src=”https://www.vueville.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Amcrest-Qcam-3MP-Bullet-300p.jpg” width=”300″ tag=”vueville.com-eaz-bipc16-20″]

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• Good reviews from users
• Amcrest is on the Blueiris compatibility list

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• No audio or alarm connections
• No SD card slot

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[easyazon_link identifier=”B014E995K8″ locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-bipc16-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

Amcrest is an American company from the same team that founded the popular Foscam brand. So these guys are not exactly new to the CCTV game and are already creating a name for themselves with excellent customer service and support. The Amcrest Qcam 3MP bullet has very positive reviews on Amazon.

Dome style cameras

These cameras are designed to be vandal-proof and are also a good deterrent.

Best value: Hikvision DS-2CD2132F-I(W)(S)

[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”300″ identifier=”B00QTMBIHM” locale=”US” src=”https://www.vueville.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Hikvision-DS-2CD2132F-IS-300p.jpg” width=”300″ tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]
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• 3MP, good image quality
• Audio & alarm connections
• Onboard storage

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• Image quality not as good as the Hikvision bullet
• IR bleed experienced by some users

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[easyazon_link identifier=”B00QTMBIHM” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

A dome camera is ideal for areas that may be vulnerable to vandals/damage. The DS-2CD2132F-IS dome comes in two flavours, with and without WiFi. However, we do not recommend using the optional WiFi as it is less reliable than a wired ethernet connection and prone to dropped frames. This camera has POE, onboard SD storage, audio and alarm inputs/outputs. Image quality is nearly as good as the Hikvision DS-2CD2032-I bullet above, but there is a noticeable difference. Some users had reported IR bleed in this model’s predecessor but our extensive testing reveals that this is no longer an issue. See how you can set up motion detection alerts for any Hikvision.

Great value: Dahua IPC-HDBW4300E

[easyazon_image align=”center” identifier=”B00KMDIEXK” locale=”US” src=”https://www.vueville.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Dahua-IPC-HDBW4300E-300p.jpg” tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]
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• 3MP, good image quality
• Audio & alarm connections
• Onboard storage
• Energy-efficient

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• Image quality reportedly not as good as the Hikvision dome

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[easyazon_link identifier=”B00KMDIEXK” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

This 3MP Dahua has good image quality and supports POE and audio/alarm connections. It also has a local storage option in the form of an SD card slot. It is also very efficient and consumes just 4W in operation vs. the 7.5W of the Hikvision dome. Also consider the Dahua IPC-HDBW5300 which has a 2.7-12mm varifocal lens.

Full-featured: Vivotek FD8167 SNV

[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”300″ identifier=”B00QR6RQGM” locale=”US” src=”https://www.vueville.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Vivotek-FD8167-300p.jpg” width=”300″ tag=”vueville.com-eaz-bipc16-20″]

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• Superior image quality
• PIR motion sensor
• Varifocal lens
• Audio & alarm connections
• 30m IR range
• Onboard storage

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• None

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[easyazon_link identifier=”B00QR6RQGM” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-bipc16-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

The 2MP Vivotek FD8167 has two very interesting features – firstly, it is an outdoor camera that has a built-in PIR sensor. This means you can avoid one of the biggest hassles with automatic motion detection – false positives. Using the PIR sensor should greatly reduce false notifications and thus make it likelier that you will pay attention to motion detection alerts. Of course you can modify any camera with an alarm input to achieve the same result but its just easier if it has this function out of the box. Secondly, it is varifocal (2.8mm – 12mm), greatly increasing the flexibility of installation location and it supports POE and audio/alarm connections as standard. The SNV models such as this one, have increased IR range of up to 30 metres.

High-end: Axis M3005-V

[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”300″ identifier=”B00BFCSDKG” locale=”US” src=”https://www.vueville.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Axis-M3005-V-300p.jpg” width=”300″ tag=”vueville.com-eaz-bipc16-20″]

[wpsm_column size=”one-half”][wpsm_pros title=”PROS:”]

• Superior image quality
• Audio alarm connections
• Onboard storage, supports edge recording

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• None

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[easyazon_link identifier=”B00BFCSDKG” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-bipc16-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

Axis is the Swedish company that invented the network camera in 1996. As it is a European company, you can expect prices to be higher but what sets Axis apart from the Asian manufacturers is the quality of their products and their global support network. The Axis M3005-V is a 2MP camera with a tiny footprint, POE and a built-in SD card for storage.

Turret/Mini-dome style cameras

The best of both worlds – easy to aim and set up, and somewhat resistant to vandalism.

Best value: Hikvision DS-2CD2332-I

[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”300″ identifier=”B00RL2FZF0″ locale=”US” src=”https://www.vueville.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Hikvision-DS-2CD2332-I-300p.jpg” width=”300″ tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]

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• Great image quality
• Bright EXIR LEDs

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• No audio/alarm features
• No onboard storage

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[easyazon_link identifier=”B00RL2FZF0″ locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

Turret or mini-dome style cameras have the advantage of being able to use EXIR LEDs instead of the classic ring style LEDs. EXIR LEDs last longer and are brighter thus contributing to the higher IR ranges on these models. This 3MP turret is a big favourite for its great value and small size. It supports POE but does not have audio, alarm connections or any on-board storage.

Great value: Dahua IPC-HDW4300C

[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”300″ identifier=”B00HG10XHQ” locale=”US” src=”https://www.vueville.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Dahua-IPC-HDW4300C-300p.jpg” width=”300″ tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]

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• Good image quality
• Bright EXIR LEDs
• Built-in microphone
• Low power consumption

[/wpsm_pros][/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”][wpsm_cons title=”CONS:”]

• No alarm features
• No onboard storage
• Max. bitrate only 8Mbps

[/wpsm_cons][/wpsm_column]

[easyazon_link identifier=”B00HG10XHQ” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

This 3MP Dahua is similar to the Hikvision DS-2CD2332-I turret above but has a built-in mic as well which is great if you need the audio feature. It also claims to use just 4.5W of power vs. the Hikvision’s 7.5W. However, it supports only a rather average maximum bitrate of 8Mbps vs. the 16Mbps of the Hikvision.

Full-featured: Hikvision DS-2CD2532F-I(W)(S)

[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”300″ identifier=”B00XBJBRKE” locale=”US” src=”https://www.vueville.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Hikvision-DS-2CD2532F-IS-300p.jpg” width=”300″ tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]

[wpsm_column size=”one-half”][wpsm_pros title=”PROS:”]

• Extremely compact and discreet
• Very good low-light performance
• SD card slot

[/wpsm_pros][/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”][wpsm_cons title=”CONS:”]

• Weak IR LED illumination

[/wpsm_cons][/wpsm_column]

[easyazon_link identifier=”B00XBJBRKE” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

This 3MP camera has a very discreet look and very good low light performance. It is perfect for those locations where you don’t want your camera to stick out like a sore thumb. It supports POE and also has an SD card slot for internal storage.

High-end: Vivotek FD8166

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• Extremely small footprint
• Very good low-light performance
• Built-in microphone
• SD card slot

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• No alarm features
• No on-board IR LEDs

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[easyazon_link identifier=”B00E1SWMKS” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-bipc16-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

This Vivotek camera comes with a 2MP sensor and is highly rated for its low light performance. It is also difficult to spot due to its tiny footprint of just 90 millimetres. It supports POE, has an SD card slot for internal storage and even manages a built-in microphone!

Indoor security camera

These are designed to be used in indoor locations and may not be waterproof or weather-resistant. They also tend to have 2 way audio and PIR based motion detection.

Best Value: Amcrest ProHD 1080p Pan-Tilt Indoor Security Camera

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• Good image quality and 1080p resolution
• Very clear and loud two-way audio with mic and speaker built-in
• WiFi and RJ-45 Ethernet port
• IR Leds provide night vision capability
• 360 degree Pan-Tilt feature
• Support for SD card, NAS, NVR, FTP and Cloud storage locations
• Very good value for money

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• Doesn’t have Power over Ethernet feature
• Smartphone apps could be better – free Amcrest apps lack basic features such as push notifications

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[easyazon_link identifier=”B0145OQTPG” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-bipc16-20″]Check Price on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

The Amcrest IP2M-841B did very well in our hands-on review and I like it so much that it is now serving as our full-time baby monitor. It has a network port, WiFi, built-in InfraRed LEDs for very good night vision, loud and clear 2-way audio with mic and speaker, built-in SD card local storage, and very good low-light performance. A non-WiFi PoE-enabled IP2M-841EB version is also available.

Read our full review of this wonderful IP camera below:
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Great Value: Hikvision DS-2CD2432F-I(W)

[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”300″ identifier=”B00JWCV9CU” locale=”US” src=”https://www.vueville.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Hikvision-DS-2CD2432F-IW-300p.jpg” width=”300″ tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]

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• Great image quality
• Good low-light performance
• Bright EXIR LED
• Built-in microphone and speaker
• SD card slot
• PIR sensor
• Alarm In/Out connections
• True 2-way audio (full-duplex)

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• No Pan-Tilt-Zoom

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[easyazon_link identifier=”B00JWCV9CU” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-ref-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

This 3MP Hikvision cube is the best balance of image quality, features and price for an indoor IP camera. It has POE, WiFi, built-in EXIR LEDs for IR illumination, true 2-way audio with speaker, built-in SD storage, a PIR sensor for accurate motion detection, good low-light performance and looks good too. A non-WiFi enabled DS-2CD2432F-I version is also available in the US, but is only marginally cheaper.

Full-featured: Hikvision DS-2CD2432F-I(W)

The Hikvision DS-2CD2432F-I(W) above has all the features you will ever need for an indoor camera and so gets this title as well.

Also consider: Samsung SmartCam HD Pro / SNH-P6410BN

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• Good image quality
• Built-in microphone and speaker
• SD card slot
• 128 degree wide-angle lens
• Push notifications on mobile app

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• Default remote monitoring cloud based
• No PIR sensor
• Not POE enabled
• No alarm connections
• Audio is only one-way at a time (half-duplex)
• 11W power consumption is high

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[easyazon_link identifier=”B00J38NVHE” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-bipc16-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

This 2MP Samsung camera is the consumer electronics giant’s first foray into home security and in our opinion is one of the better mainstream options. It should have good daytime image quality based on the Sony 2MP sensor, and supports 2-way audio with a built-in mic and speaker just like the Hikvision. It has an SD card slot for local storage and built-in IR illumination, so night visibility should not be compromised. POE would have been a nice to have but is not critical considering it is an indoor camera. There is also no PIR sensor which the Hikvision has. It should be noted that the default remote monitoring website is set up on Samsung’s servers so is not great from a security and privacy standpoint. However, integration with 3rd party NVRs is possible and this camera is listed on BlueIris Software’s compatibility list.

High-end: Axis M1025

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• Excellent image quality
• Great low-light performance
• Built-in HDMI port
• SD card slot
• True 2-way audio (full-duplex)

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• No PIR sensor
• No alarm connections
• No on-board IR LEDs

[/wpsm_cons][/wpsm_column]

[easyazon_link identifier=”B00K8UIHW0″ locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-bipc16-20″]View on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

The Axis M1025 cube camera sports a 2MP sensor giving upto 1080p Full HD resolution and has an SD card slot as well. An interesting feature is the on-board mini HDMI port that lets you hook up the camera directly to your HDTV.

What about Dropcam/Nest etc.?

Dropcam, Arlo (a Netgear brand), Nest, Oco etc. are not our first choice because they are mostly designed to tie you into their monthly cloud recording/home monitoring plans. So while they may seem cheaper initially, the operating costs add up quickly. These devices may be simpler to set up and maintain as most of them run off the cloud, so may be the best solution for those who want a plug and play option. But if you are prepared for a slightly more hands-on experience, we think more robust, standalone, local-recording solutions that are in your full control and ensure total privacy are the way to go (anything you put on the cloud is open to hacking and potential misuse – remember the iCloud hack or the ransomware attacks?)

If you must however go for one of these mainstream solutions, make sure you go for one that offers the local storage option instead of a pure cloud storage approach. We echo the advice in the articles above.

Here is a quick overview of the most popular cloud based security cameras:

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Dropcam (now acquired by Nest):

Local storage: No, cloud storage only (Paid subscription required for video archives of any length)

Highest resolution: 1080p

Subscription: Paid subscription required per camera for video archives

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Oco:

Local storage: No, cloud storage only (Paid subscription required for video archives of any length)

Highest resolution: 720p

Subscription: Paid subscription required for video archives.

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[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”150″ identifier=”B0108N1Y2Q” locale=”US” src=”https://www.vueville.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Oco-Camera-150p.jpg” width=”150″ tag=”vueville.com-eaz-bipc16-20″]
View on Amazon
[/wpsm_column]

[/wpsm_box]

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Arlo (battery powered cameras from Netgear):

Local storage: No, cloud storage only (Paid subscription required for video archives)

Highest resolution: 720p

Subscription: Paid subscription required per camera for video archives.

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View on Amazon
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Belkin Netcam:

Local storage: No, cloud storage only (Paid subscription required for video archives)

Highest resolution: 720p

Subscription:Paid subscription required per camera for video archives.

[/wpsm_column]
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View on Amazon
[/wpsm_column]

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Choosing the best IP camera for your needs

The myriad of IP camera brands, models and jargon can trip up even the most determined shopper, but we are here to help. Your choice of a camera depends on the area you want to observe, the location of installation, and specific features required such as onboard storage, motion detection method, audio etc.

In any case the camera should produce video footage that is good enough to positively identify a suspect – the threshold for a positive identification required by the police and courts is much higher than what you might assume it to be.

There are a few minimum requirements for an IP camera if you want a good quality system that can easily identify a suspect:

• Minimum of 1080p Full HD resolution (2MP)
• Outdoor cameras must be Power over Ethernet(PoE) enabled
• Good image quality at both day and night (using InfraRed LEDs)
• Should be able to send email motion detection alerts or push notifications automatically

Why these particular IP Cameras?

We have deliberately avoided the hundreds of dodgy brands that make up the ‘most popular’ lists of Amazon and the like, for one simple reason – when you are spending your hard earned money on something to protect your family and your home, you want it to be rock solid when it comes to reliability and performance.

What you do not want is having to spend countless hours setting it up, or troubleshooting to get it up and running only to then experience unreliable performance. An IP camera should mostly be a set and forget item in your network. It needs to give you the confidence that it’s running in the background and will pay for itself, if God forbid, you need to provide video evidence to the police.

If you are currently using a generic IP camera, you have probably not yet experienced the incredible power and advanced features that quality IP cameras bring. Many of us have gone down that route, trying something cheap and cheerful only to find that for some things in life you get what you pay for.

So we recommend only reliable manufacturers with a track record of quality products. We have used some of these IP cameras, and our recommendations are backed up by the real life experience of thousands of users on the popular Internet forums.

Technical terms or IP Camera Jargon

Here’s a quick overview of the technical terms you will find in this article:

IP camera: Internet Protocol or network camera as opposed to an analog camera.

Megapixels (MP) : A measure of resolution, we recommend going for at least 2MP (1080p), and 3MP is quickly becoming very popular as prices are steadily falling. Even 4MP cameras are now available at affordable prices but we suggest 3MP as the optimum balance of detail and storage requirements.

Frames Per Second (FPS): The higher the FPS, smoother the motion will be. Most cameras offer 20fps at 3MP and 30fps at 2MP resolution. We recommend you set your cameras to record at a minimum of 10 fps to capture adequate detail.

POE-enabled: Power over Ethernet, the recommended way to provide power and data connection to the camera over a regular ethernet cable. The easiest way to achieve this is by using a POE enabled switch such as the highly recommended TP-Link TL-SG1008P 8-port gigabit switch we reviewed this year. This saves you having to run a separate power cable and thus improves reliability and troubleshooting.

Lens focal length (mm): The focal length of the lens which is expressed in millimetres (mm) affects the angle of the coverage area. For example the standard lens is 4mm, 2.8mm is great for wide-angle and 6mm onwards is great for a zoomed-in view. Of course some cameras have variable focal lengths (varifocal) and hence give the greatest flexibility but at added cost.

PIR sensor: Passive Infrared sensor (PIR) – a method of detecting changes in heat in a scene and thus detecting motion. The advantage is that it is far more accurate than image based motion detection, and thus cuts down the number of false alerts.

Network Video Recorder: A device that records IP camera streams usually to its build-in hard drive(s). The main advantage of using an NVR is that it enables you to record your cameras as well as bring all your cameras together in a single multi-channel live-view screen that you can access locally within your network or remotely.

Is there an alternative to cloud connected cameras that can still be accessed over the Internet?

Definitely and that’s precisely what we have at our home. We have a few Hikvision IP cameras hooked up to a TP-Link TL-SG1008P 8-port gigabit POE switch. These cameras are individually set up to send email alerts on motion detection. We also have a QNAP TS-231+ Network Attached Storage system running Surveillance Station that records these IP cameras 24/7 365 days a year.

For enhanced security, we remotely access our home network only over a VPN connection – the QNAP NAS acts as a VPN server. You can also set up a VPN server on your router (such as the Asus RT-AC68U) if it supports this function. When we are away from home, our Android phones, tablets and Windows laptops can connect to the QNAP over VPN and so access the entire home network including the Hikvisions. This lets me access a multi-channel live view of all our cameras (either via the QNAP’s Android app or any other Android IP camera app such as our personal choice tinyCamMonitor Pro). This system is secure and reliable. We can optionally back up the recordings to the cloud.

The NAS and VPN are optional, you could simply port forward your IP cameras to your router and achieve the same multi-channel view on your phone or computer. However anybody on the Internet could easily attempt a brute force hack attempt on your IP cameras. Our own IP cameras were attacked in this manner and that’s why we got the QNAP NAS with a view to securely remote access our home network and IP cameras. Read more about our DIY home security setup here.

We hope this IP camera roundup has helped you to choose the best IP security camera for your needs. If you have any questions at all, please leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you!

A quick note: Notice the lack of ads on our blog? This article contains links to Amazon instead. Reason is I don’t like ads and I’m sure you don’t either but we still have to pay the bills. Moreover linking to Amazon ensures a distraction-free experience for you, my dear reader. So if you click on one of these links and then purchase something from Amazon, I will receive a fee for referring you to Amazon. This goes towards the costs of hosting and running this website and does not affect you in any way, promise! Thanks for your understanding and I hope I have been of some help to you today!

June 2022 Update: The Gmail method for sending email notifications has stopped working, so I have fully updated & revised this article to use the free Outlook.com web mail service instead.

This tutorial will show you how to set up motion detection email alerts for your Hikvision cameras. You can use these settings even if you use the camera with a Hikvision NVR.

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Ensure your camera’s internet connection is setup correctly

Your camera needs some information so that it can connect to the internet and send the email alert out. If your camera is already set up on your network as per the Hikvision user manual, and you are able to live-view it from the mobile app, you can skip this section.

If you have DHCP ticked (see screenshot below), the camera will have already figured out all the required details. If so leave everything at the default values.

If you do not know your network’s IPv4 details, click here to learn how to obtain these details. I have highlighted the important bits in the screenshot below.

Ensure motion detection is turned on

With your favourite web browser (I recommend Chrome as it works well with Hikvision without installing any plug-ins), login to your camera using its IP address as the URL. Follow this how-to guide to set up your desired motion detection pages in your camera’s web interface.

Turn on email alerts

Step 1: Make sure email alerts are turned on in each of your motion detection settings pages (Motion Detection, Video Tampering, Face Detection, Line Crossing Detection or Intrusion Detection) as shown below:

Configure your email account from which the camera will send email notifications

We will use Microsoft’s free and unlimited Outlook.com as our mail server for the camera to use while sending email notifications.

After signing up for a new free account, follow the steps below to obtain the email server settings that we will need for the next section.

Step 2: Log in to your outlook account and click on the Settings icon (gear wheel) at the top right of the screen

Step 3: In the pane that slides out from the right, click on “View all Outlook settings”

Step 4: Then navigate to Mail >Sync Email and note the SMTP settings highlighted in the screenshot below

Configure your email settings in the camera

Next we need to configure the camera as the email ‘sender’- it will use the email account you configured above to send the email alert to a ‘receiver’ account. So the ‘sender’ is the camera and the receiver is the email address(es) that you want to receive the alerts on. Follow the steps below to configure your camera:

Step 5: Click on the configuration tab on the top menu bar.

Step 6: Then navigate to Network and click on ‘Advanced Settings‘ (older cameras have a slightly different menu structure but should have the same settings)

Step 7: Choose the email tab

Step 8: Refer to the screenshot above to fill out this section. Enter the login details of your Outlook account – this is the sender account. Enter the ‘receiver’ account details – this is where the email alerts will be received. I am using my personal Yahoo email address in the screenshot above. Tick ‘Attached Image’ if you would like snapshots of the motion detected as well.

Test your settings

Step 9: Click the Test button. You should see the “Testing Succeeded” message and receive a test email at the ‘receiver’ address(es).

If not, you need to ensure that all settings such as TCP/IP and email settings are entered correctly as in the screenshots above.

Save your settings

Step 10: Finally save your settings by clicking the Save button.

Now test your email alerts by intentionally setting off the motion detection of your camera. You should get an email alert within 60 seconds.

Troubleshooting

You may occasionally find that you no longer receive alerts. This could be because of two reasons:

• Most email providers like Gmail/Yahoo may automatically mark the alerts as spam and move these emails to the Junk folder – it will treat the sender address as a suspicious sender due to repeated motion detection email alerts being sent day in and day out. Simply choose the option to treat the ‘sender’ address as a trusted email address and this behaviour should stop.
• A misconfiguration in your motion detection settings could trigger a large burst of notification emails in a very short span of time. While I have not experienced it personally, free email service providers may not like a barrage or incessant stream of notifications, and may temporarily stop accepting email relay requests from your camera. A premium service like Sendinblue that will not throttle or limit email delivery in this manner.

Network or IP security cameras

A network camera (often called an IP camera) is basically a CCTV or security camera that has a computer built-in. Most network cameras can independently monitor, detect and send (push) notifications to computers in a home network, or on the Internet, mobile phones, smart phones or any email address. Some can also record footage locally to SD cards or to Network Attached Storage (NAS) drives, upload snapshots to FTP and much more. In a sense they perform the function of a camera and Digital Video Recorder (DVR) or Network Video Recorder (NVR) combination.

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Hikvision – who are they?

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Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co. Ltd. popularly known as simply Hikvision, is a Chinese surveillance product company started in 2001. It is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. It claims to be the world’s largest supplier of video surveillance products and solutions including security cameras. Indeed, many of the popular security camera brands (such as Swann and older Lorex) are rebranded Hikvision products. Hikvision is a name that is quickly becoming popular in the home security and surveillance market owing mainly to their inexpensive but reliable and high performance network (or IP) security cameras and Network Video Recorders (NVR). In a crowded market with names such as Dahua and Foscam, Hikvision stands out as a great first choice for a network camera.

Network camera range

Hikvision divides their network cameras into three product lines, rather interestingly called 2-Line, 4-Line and 6-Line. Please note that these terms have nothing to do with the analog resolution term ‘lines’ (TVL). Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) camera models are not included in the scope of this guide, as they are more expensive and probably not of interest to the average homeowner.

What can these cameras do? As a standalone device, they do not need a computer to function. So if you are looking for an inexpensive, simple, energy bill friendly CCTV solution that you can monitor through email, FTP, or from your smartphone, without having to run a computer 24/7 the Hikvision cameras are perfect.

Model naming convention

The full Hikvision IP camera naming convention is:
‘DS-2CD’ ‘1234’ F/H/WD – I (A) (H) (P) (S) (W) (Z)

• A fixed prefix:
  • ‘DS-’, then
  • ‘2CD’, then
• 4 digits:
  • product line number 2,4,or 6
  • a digit from 0 to 5 representing the type of IP camera.
  • a digit representing the number of megapixels.
  • a digit representing – currently unknown.
• The next set of alphabets of F, H or WD indicate the presence of certain features:
  • F indicates Flash memory. This means that the model has the on-board flash storage option. Remember you will have to add a suitable SD-Card.
  • H indicates a built-in heater.
  • WD indicates Wide Dynamic Range (WDR).
• The suffices are:
  • I indicates a true IR cut filter with auto day/night switch.
  • A indicates Auto back focus.
  • H indicates HD resolution (1080p).
  • P indicates P-iris.
  • S indicates Sound or what Hikvision calls Smart Audio Detection – 2 way audio using either inputs or a mic and a built-in speaker as in some indoor models.
  • W indicates WiFi.
  • Z indicates a Motorized VF lens.
  • The last digit indicates the range of the camera infrared LEDs. Model specific details can be found below.

For the Hikvision NVR model naming convention, check our detailed NVR Buying Guide.

Product lines

We have grouped Hikvision’s network camera range so that you can easily find the model you are looking for.

2-Line

Fixed focus / Standard IR LED

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Fixed focus / EXIR LED

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As one of our readers pointed out, the last digit in the DS-2CD2T32-I3 / DS-2CD2T32-I5 / DS-2CD2T32-I8 models represents the claimed range of the infrared LEDs:
I3 = 30 metres
I5 = 50 metres
I8 = 80 metres

Variable focus / Standard IR LED

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4-Line

Box camera

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Bullet camera

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Indoor Dome / Standard IR LED

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Outdoor Dome / Standard IR LED

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6-Line

Ultra lowlight

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Where can I buy them?

Hikvision network cameras have good reviews on the Internet and we you can check out our reviews of the Hikvision 2CD-2132F-IS and the Hikvision 2CD-2542FWD-IS. The cameras are officially allowed to be sold via designated distributors only, however it is often cheaper to source them directly from China via AliExpress or via Amazon.

Amazon

[easyazon_link keywords=”hikvision” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-20″]Check price on your local Amazon site[/easyazon_link]

As always on an online marketplace, please ensure you are buying from a genuine seller.

More resources

Full product catalogue (PDF)
Hikvision Web catalogue