ssnapier

Yup, easy breezy... if you have never used a multi-meter before, I suggest watching a few youtube videos on the subject before getting started.

Honestly.... book a ticket to Chicago and attend the ASIS conference in a few weeks. You will have all of the equipment at your fingertips and you can make a much more informed decision.

No, it is a limitation of the power supply in the switch... more power = more heat... not good in a fanless unit.

He wanted fanless and the 16 port has two fans.

I really hate to suggest this, but maybe think about turning on uPnP just long enough to let all those ports talk to the router, and then turn it right back off. There is an option someplace in the GV software that will auto config the router as long as UPnP is turned on. I say this with great caution because UPnP is one of those nice things that comes with some touchy security risks. Here is an article on it in case you wanted to get smart before making that choice: https://www.grc.com/unpnp/unpnp.htm

Yup, a decent quality 8 channel DVR is going to run in the $300 range.

Ok, it sounds to me like you had someone with the skills required to get your VPN setup so why not ask that same person to help you sort out this firewall issue? I have never messed with a Dell Sonicwall, but a firewall is a firewall really. The tricky bit with Geovision is that they use multiple ports and you have to make sure they are all forwarded correctly. I think the last one I setup used 9 different ports or something crazy. GV-Box (192.168.2.2:9999) >>> Port on Router (9999 pointed to 192.168.2.2 for both TCP and UDP) >>>> Port out of Router (9999 pointed to public IP address) >>> Internet (Public IP address is something like: 75.25.126.178) >>> Your laptop (you type in 75.25.126.178:9999 to talk to the GV-Box)

I think the crazy markup might be on your medication dosage dude...

I have not had a chance to play with this and find the answer on my own, but it is driving me crazy so hopefully one of you wise gentlemen can help me out. When you are recording directly to a NAS, (I do realize that most cameras don't to this, but I use primarily Mobotix stuff so I do it almost every time) does the camera still manage the files and overwrite as needed or does it just record and record until the NAS gets full? On the one setup where this might matter, each camera is set with a 1.5Gig limit and is also set to only save 15 days of images. So is the camera smart enough do the file management on it's own or am i still going to need a script on the NAS to manage/delete the old files? I am using a QNAP TS-459-RU in case that matters in your answer.

This walks you thru it: http://portforward.com/help/doublerouterportforwarding.htm

No, there will be no issues. If you draw it out you still have a "flat" network as long as you keep all your IP's in the same range. Zyxel makes great stuff, I have been using them for more than ten years both at home and at work.

Where are you located?

Between the manufacturer's sites and youtube there is more than enough information out there to do it for free and relatively quickly as long as you can retain it all. I would also recommend making a small investment in some demo gear to play with and learn what you like and don't like about each product. Either that or plan a trip to the ASIS conference in Chicago in a few weeks and give yourself a chance to get hands on with a TON of gear all in one place. If you do go to ASIS, my only advice there is to remember... those guys are there to sell, so you need to put your marketing filter on and evaluate things based on your own criteria and what makes you feel comfortable. https://www.asisonline.org/Pages/default.aspx

My advice is learn everything you can about how a camera works, how the lenses affect things, what back spacing is, how the different sensors and compression methods affect performance and then learn it all again. You need to fully understand the camera's performance characteristics in order to really be good at this.

For an 8 channel systems at the low end of the spectrum (usually anything under $1200 for equipment) they are all pretty much the same in terms of quality and user interface. They may have one or two tiny features different between them, but I would not go overboard looking at specs unless you want something a little higher up the food chain.

So your DVR has wireless built in? What model is this? As for viewing thru a smart TV that is not really an option because 99% of smart TV's don't have a browser that is capable of handling active X or Java. Unless your DVR manufacturer makes an app specific to your TV that isn't an option without a computer attached to your TV (via HDMI). Now the audio, I am confused there. Are you getting audio from them now?

Ok, what is it you are trying to view? I don't want to lead you down the wrong path, so please tell us what it is you want to get views of.

There is a truck stop I frequent that has that exact system and the interface seemed pretty nice to me. I know them enough to ask if they would let me play with it for a few mintues and it seemed decent enough for any home or small business.

The camera part is easy, several IP cameras have good motion detection (Mobotix, Avigilon, Axis, etc.) but a wireless DVR??? I could see a wireless NVR maybe, but it would be fraught with potential peril and reliability issues.

How well protected or hidden was the DVR and the cabling?

The Foscam stuff works pretty well, you just need to be smart with the wireless part of it. If you need a wireless repeater (range extender) then get one. You want your signal strength to be -65 or better... closer to zero is stronger. You can download wifi analyzer apps on your phone to determine signal strength, but make sure you account for interference that may move in and out of the area.

what the heck did that do????

Unless they have a very advanced home network with a domain controller or something crazy just go un-managed.

I have built something like that on a Toyota Tacoma... it was fun.

I guess fired is the wrong word... mismanagement basically allowed the company to run out of money so they cannot make payroll and they terminated everyone on the spot. I have already had two interviews today and if things go well I will have a new job before my unemployment papers even arrive.