Every network camera must have an IP address. Most cameras are configured to use (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) by default. When you plug the camera into your network switch, it asks the router for an available IP address. For permanent installations, a static IP is recommended so the address never changes.
| Aspect | Centralized (NVR-based) | Decentralized (Edge/Cloud) | |--------|------------------------|-----------------------------| | | All streams sent to a dedicated NVR server | Each camera records to onboard SD or cloud | | Management | VMS software on PC or appliance | Each camera managed individually or via cloud portal | | Reliability | Single point of failure (NVR) | Redundant, but management complexity higher | | Use case | 16+ cameras, retail, offices | 1–8 cameras, homes, small shops | network camera networkcamera work
That’s the complete workflow.