IP camera

An IP camera converts the image to digital data inside the camera itself and streams it over a standard network cable, usually powered through PoE. That sets it apart from an analog camera, which needs a separate coax cable running to a recorder. Because it holds its own IP address on the network, it can be configured, managed, and reached remotely like any other network device.

You can spot an IP camera by the network plug instead of a thick coax cable, and by the fact that it's set up through a web interface or recorder software rather than switches on the housing. Resolution, frame rate, and compression are all configurable, and they directly determine how much storage the footage needs. Many models also add a microphone, infrared night vision, or basic motion detection out of the box.

A common mistake is plugging the camera straight into the existing office network because it's the fastest way to get it running. That puts it in the same broadcast domain as workstations and printers, and a compromised camera can become an entry point into the rest of the network. Without its own network segment, an IP camera is just one more device sitting in the same network as everything else, often barely maintained.