Best NVR Backup Setup for your Reolink IP/PoE Camera System

Today, I'll show you how I added a second Reolink NVR that will act as a backup for my 5 year old Reolink unit. Its hard drive will eventually fail so I decided to go with using the same 8 channel Reolink NVR as a backup plus I will also setup a second monitor so that I will have 2 NVRs and 2 monitors streaming my Reolink Cameras around the house. This is the best NVR backup setup that you can do for your Reolink IP/PoE/Wired WIFI security cameras.

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00:00 Introduction
00:27 Reolink NVR
01:11 The Plan
01:59 Mokerlink PoE Switch
02:30 White Board
03:37 Setting up
06:05 Old Phone Jack Tip

#lifehackster #reolink #backupnvr

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[Deserttech-zbof]

You may want to change each camera ip address from DHCP to static when using a network switch. I've been working on my Reolink setup and purposely disconnected the NVR from my internet to see if it still worked. The last time I disconnected from the internet, recording to the NVR stopped on the cameras after about a half hour because for some reason it decided to changed the ip addresses of the cameras and the Reolink NVR then can't find them. This doesn't happen of course if your cameras are directly plugged into the NVR. Based on your reviews I went with the Reolink camera system. I had and still have a few ring cameras but my Ring setup kept getting hacked and I couldn't stop it from happening. Individuals would come on my property and somehow they would just turn off the Ring system. Thanks for your reviews. Keep up the good work.

[dave_mac]

The whiteboard drawing was sooo helpful. I can't visualize things without seeing it on paper. Great video!

[tdmdchannel]

Nice video! I have the reolink 16 channel NVR. The stock fan was noisy. You just need to replace the stock fan with a $15 Noctua NF-A4x10 FLX. Another advantage of the 16 channel over the 8 channel is that it can support 2 HDD for a total of 12TB instead of 6TB.

[marlonw]

THANK YOU for suggesting the phone jacks; I talked to my builder when I bought the house 11 years ago and he had no idea what CATV was, but, I just checked and it is there! No idea where it goes, but it's there!!!

[mvs]

I had no idea about security camera set up. After months of research I gravitated towards your channel and after that its only you I have been following. Seeking inspiration from you I created the exact setup with Mokerlink POE and Reolink NVR .

INFORMATION:
1. I Used brand new CAT 6 Cables
2. POE / NVE / CAMERA distance is less than 100 FEET
3, When cameras are connected directly to the NVR, they automatically connect
4. When connected cameras through the POE in close proximity on the working table indoors, the cameras connect, and images get displayed on the screen.
5. All the initial digits of the IP addresses (192.168.2. XXX) of the NVR and camera are same and the last digits are different
6. The connections and modems are working fine

PROBLEM:
When I practically set up (EXACTLY YOUR SETUP) the PVR / POE / CAMERAS at their original designated spaces outdoors, nothing is displaying on the screen and it says connection error.


I have all the Reolink cameras beautifully mounted outdoors ( thanks to your other videos) but are non functional.

I have tried everything but now reached a dead end. Please please help me solve this issue.

[chuckhowland]

This is a great approach to handling backup! This is what I am going to do, too. Actually going completely to POE switch also pulls the NVR bullet cameras into home network segment, set them as DHCP reserved addresses, and can monitor them with ping monitor. I have 14 cameras about half tied to 16 chnl NVR and others on POE switches. Another suggestion for a video is how to set up ethernet surge suppression - I had to learn this hard way on two separate outdoor POE cameras on posts 80' away from the house (two separate lightning strikes near the cameras and electric surge back to house network equipment).

[yuson]

An alternate way to backup is setting up FTP upload to your FTP server. Many router support FTP server, you can plug HDD into your router and turn on FTP, and setup FTP upload in your NVR.

[Cotay]

Thank you for suggesting this! I'd purchased the 16ch NVR and added a second 4TB hard drive last summer when we started building our house. I finally got around to starting the setup process and realized I needed the capacity of the RLN36 instead. I just ordered that and was just going to junk or sell the RLN16-410. Using it as a backup is a much better idea. I'll use it in my entertainment center and I'll have the RLN36 in my network cabinet. I'd already decided to use POE switches for my network instead of the NVR anyway.

[ImaITman]

I'd have to argue for getting the 36 channel with a 4 TB NAS drive. It's ALMOST as cheap as the 8 channel, but has TONS more upgrade capacity. Now if you're going straight to NVR then 8 channel is a good option, there's just no reason to spend the money on the built in 8 port PoE switch if you're not goingt o use it on the NVR.

[mr.boniato]

I use Blue Iris as my NVR. Never going back to regular NVR's. You can use different camera models. It has motion detection and everything else you would EVER need.

[SBBUK]

Another method, rather than having 2x NVRs, is to enable the FTP option in the Reolink NVR and back up to a NAS hidden in another part of the house. The only disadvantage I can see of this method is you need to do something to clean up the old footage so the NAS doesn't fill up (either manually or use some kind of script) as currently the Reolink client FTP setting doesn't delete any old footage. There is also a small delay on the uploading but unless the intruder was extremely fast to get in, locate the NVR and then unplug it, I think you would still have a backup of the footage of them.

[superlight]

I presently try to set up a back up NVR, but it was not compatible with my Zmodo cameras even do it a Zmodo NVR, so I sent it back to the seller. I planning to do a computer base one too, so my sister get get her own save recording and replay.

[gbinman]

My house was built in 1991, telephone wiring is CAT2. Additionally, the way the cables are routes is willy-nilly (sorry to use jargon) rather than home runs. The might be useful as pull wires but at least with a couple I know they are stapled to the studs or secured some other way. One of the bad things about a two story house, I have three disconnected attics.

I have looked a number NVRs, sadly they all look very similar, implying single source but generally say the only support their brand of cameras. I will first experiment with my Synology NAS which has a surveillance app that support ONVIF which I believe Reolink also supports. I also hate the idea of a dedicated monitor, remote access is more appealing.

[MutzG]

Funny you should upload this, I am half way in the same process for a back-up hidden NVR. Just finished all wiring and power supply. I went with the 36ch for backup as I had few HDD lying around.
Also whilst my first NVR is set for 24/7 recording. I'm thinking of making this 1 motion events only to keep files for longer.

[curtisbme]

My 2000 house had cat 5 cable run for phone but it was run daisy chained, like you would normally do for a phone connection. So even if someone sees they have cat 5, they would need to validate it is a single run from the source to the wall, not to other jacks, if they wanted to use them for ethernet.

[LilBunni-ybmt]

Appreciate all the reviews you do, as it has definitely been helping me in deciding my home security setup since I do not want to pay. Also props to the Mark of Athena book, love that series.

[maomaocat]

Just installed-added a reolink door bell and 12mp camera to my setup but my old 8ch 410-E doesn't support them. I do want more storage so trying to decided on the upgrade. 1) Get a new 16ch that has 2 drive bays and stop using the old 8ch 2) Get a new 8ch 410 for newer cams and keep the 410-E for the old cams 3) Go for a 36ch with 3 drive bays and a 8 port POE switch

[markraciborski]

Dude, phone wire, we have a circa 1918 3 story house, I can assure you it ain't CAT 5. It's more like telegraph wire, on glass insulation. 😅

You can't even buy phone wire anymore around here, it's Cat 5 they now use in modern installs.

I have found it you need to run that outside like we do, the outer cover of Cat wire doesn't stand up to UV light, weather well.

Old real phone wire lasted 40 plus years, Cat 5 about 5, 6 years. It will crack right down to the copper.

[markraciborski]

Question: Is there any way to flag a video so as to not have it overwritten?

I'm guessing a workaround is to have a thumb USB drive installed on the DVR, moving the video there?

When the camera is plugged into the DVR, does the DVR override the camera setup, setting?

Understand that question by connecting the cameras into a switch into the network directly, not the back of the DVR, do you gain having different settings for the camera using an SD card like the sensitive settings to trigger an event and have a different setting in the DVR?

[dalewilton]

Question: Because I have an older version of NVR (which they say can't be upgraded and does not support smart camera functions), will this new POE switch now support the smart camera functions? I enjoy your videos and find them very useful in deciding which upgrades to make to my system, thanks.