
A Wi Fi camera can simply connect to your Wi Fi router and thus be connected to the NVR. Do you intend to upgrade by adding more cameras later on?If you think you need only 2 cameras now, get a 4 channel system. If you think you need just 4 cameras right now, go for the 8 channel. Once you start enjoying the security provided by your spanking new CCTV system, you will enjoy the option to add more cameras. But if you want that luxury, plan ahead. Do you want automatic redundant storage?Most NVRs can record only to one hard disk. This means
data storage is not redundant – a hard disk failure or theft of the NVR would mean that you lose all your recorded footage. USB backup is supported on
most NVRs to mitigate against this risk but ideally the NVR should have at least 2 hard disk bays and automatically write a copy of the footage to the second hard drive. The other option to explore is whether the NVR can write the footage to a remote network location such as a NAS. To learn more about surveillance hard drives, check my latest guide. Best 4 channel NVR KitsBest Budget 4 ch NVR Kit: Amcrest 1080p 4 channel NVR Kit with 4 1080p PoE cameras and 1TB hard drive Amcrest NV2104E IP2M 852EB4 NVR Features4 channel recording @ 1080p supportedPoE enabled1TB hard drive included, max.
If you click on one of these links and then purchase something, we will receive affiliate income for referring you. This goes towards the costs of hosting and running this website and does not cost you anything extra. Thanks for understanding!MethodologyAs usual, we have grouped our recommendations by the best budget kit, the kit offering the best value, and the best high end kit system. Which DIY route – Easy DIY or Pro DIY?A home security camera system consists of the following essential parts:The heart of the system, the Network Video Recorder NVRBefore the advent of network cameras, the equivalent of the NVR would have been called a DVR which works
only with analogue security cameras. An NVR works only with network based cameras. So remember a DVR works with analogue cameras.

In order to separate themselves from the pack, the
SimpliSafe website highlights some major differences between them and some of the larger home security companies. One of the main differences is that SimpliSafe claims no hidden fees and requires no commitment or service contract. As highlighted in the New York Times articles on SimpliSafe,
many home security systems require up to a three year contract that can costthousandsof dollars, and often have add on fees that raise the actual cost of the service from what is stated as the monthly home security monitoring fee. SimpliSafe requires no such contract and no auto renewal fees. Another important difference between SimpliSafe and some of the more traditional home security systems is that SimpliSafe is 100% wireless. Not only does that mean a less expensive and difficult installation process, but more importantly the system cannot be shut down by a clever thief with wire cutters.