School CCTV Installation Using TP-Link VIGI Cameras: Models, Placement and an Isolated Network

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School need cameras that cover many different places: open yards,corridors, student bicycles parking, gates, library, classroom and hall.One camera model rarely fits all of them.In this school cctv installation, we use 4 TPLINK VIGI camera models. One VIGI nvr and 4 Omada EG series switches, all on a network that is separated from the school’s normal network.Here is what i choose, where i place it and why.

Project Overview.

The site is a school in Malaysia, somewhere around Klang Valley.The goal were simple. Cover the entrances and exit, cover open area such as the hall and walkways, watch the student bicycles parking area and monitor indoor spaces such as classroom, library and the staff room within the school own privacy rules.We also wanted a system that is easy to manage and does not depend on the internet.

Why we choose VIGI and Omada product ?

VIGI C440 : Indoor type for classroom

The C440 is a 4MP colour turret camera. With the 2.8MM lens, it provides a wide field of view that is perfect for rooms in the school. The smart detection features mean that line crossing and area intrusion can be detected. It can also provide backup recording to the microSD card if you choose to use it. The audio features include a built in microphone and two way audio.This camera uses PoE.

VIGI C340 : Corridors and open outdoor areas.

The C340 series is an outdoor bullet camera. Our cameras have a weatherproof casing with rating of IP67. We used these cameras in corridor and open areas outside. The cameras have a wide field of view due to the 2.8mm lens, meaning less cameras are needed in long corridors. The smart detection means it can help detect people and movement on the recorder.

VIGI C240 : Student bicycle parking.

We used two dome cameras (C240). Dome cameras are less likely to be tilted or tampered with than bullet cameras. This is important as it is an area students walk through daily. The C240 is a 4MP colour dome camera. It has smart video enhancement and can classify between human and vehicles. Having two cameras means there is overlap in coverage across the bicycle parking area.

VIGI InSight S345ZI : Entrance and exit gates.

The hardest part was the two gates. We installed cameras (S345ZI) on the closest building and zoomed in on the gates. We had one for the entrance (with guard house) and one for the exit. The camera has a motorised varifocal lens (2.7-13.5mm lens) with 5x optical zoom. It also has IR night vision up to 60m. As it has a motorised zoom we could easily change the zoom level on the laptop. This made the setup process quicker. The camera is IP67 and IK10 rated. It can also classify between humans and vehicles. It uses PoE. The higher the zoom level the narrower the field of view is. We had to balance between getting enough detail on the gate and having enough coverage across the entire approach road.

VIGI NVR4064H : Recording and storage.

All of our cameras record locally onto the VIGI NVR4064H. The NVR can record up to 64 channels. It has 4 x SATA bays (max 16TB per bay). It uses H.265+ compression to save space. It has two Gigabit Ethernet ports. All of the recordings are stored locally. We have 2 hard drives meaning we can record for approximately 7 days. We use VIGI storage calculator for storage estimation.

Omada PoE switches (Agile Series) : For powering CCTV and local connectivity via network cables.

Each port can provide up to 30W of power.Up to 250m PoE transmission distance. However it is important to know the total budget. When setting up wired poe cameras/cctv, it is important to calculate how much power each camera will take on each switch. You should leave 20% spare to ensure your switch doesn’t run out of power on a cold start. These switches also have VLAN capabilities. They can isolate each port and prevent loops. They can also reset any frozen cameras using PoE recovery. This is really useful if the camera is mounted on a wall/pole.

Security

As CCTV is part of our network, it is important to secure it. Cameras and recorders are often targeted. Below are the security measures we implemented:

Private Network : The cameras, NVR and switches are all on their own [VLAN / network]. There is no way to reach the school office or student network.

Strong unique passwords : All default passwords were changed on cameras and NVR. Each user has their own account with only the necessary permissions.

Port Isolation : Cameras cannot communicate with each other. They can only communicate with the NVR.

Disabled Features : Any features we do not require have been disabled (UPnP).

Time & Updates : All devices use the same NTP time source. This means the time stamp on recordings will be consistent. Firmware is updated regularly.

Physical Security : The NVR and switches are in a locked network rack.

Privacy Policy : Cameras in rooms (classrooms, library & staff room) have a clear policy set in place. This includes who can view live/recordings, how long recordings are kept for.

Where to buy the equipment.

If you would like to create something similar then below are the products we used:

VIGI C440 (2.8mm)
VIGI C340 (2.8mm)
VIGI C240 (2.8mm)
VIGI InSight S345ZI
VIGI NVR4064H

Omada Switch Agile Series :
ES228GP
ES220GP
ES210GP

Need CCTV installed in Kuala Lumpur or Klang Valley? [Reach Us via Whatsapp]

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