Tutorials
How to Connect an IP Camera to an NVR (Step by Step)
Connect an IP camera to an NVR in three physical steps plus an on-screen add. Built-in PoE ports or a separate switch both work via ONVIF.
Published 2026-08-14
An NVR records and manages your cameras. With PoE, wiring one camera to it is three physical steps plus a quick on-screen add.
Option A — NVR with built-in PoE
Many NVRs have PoE ports on the back. Plug the camera's Cat6 straight into an NVR PoE port — the NVR powers it and finds it automatically. Our 8-Channel PoE NVR does exactly this for up to eight cameras.
Option B — Separate PoE switch
For more cameras or longer runs, connect cameras to a PoE switch and uplink the switch to the NVR's LAN port. The NVR discovers cameras over the network. Use this for 16+ cameras with the 16-channel NVR.
Cable
Run Cat6 from each camera to the switch or NVR, one cable per camera, under 100m.
Add the channel
On the NVR: go to Camera Management → Refresh / Auto-Add. The camera appears; set IP (DHCP or a fixed address) and enable the channel. Done — live view and recording start.
Multi-brand note
Third-party cameras join via ONVIF. See our brand-compatibility guide and port-sizing guide.
Frequently asked
Do I need a PoE switch if my NVR has PoE ports?
Only if you exceed the NVR’s built-in PoE port count or need longer runs. Plug spare cameras into an external PoE switch and uplink it to the NVR’s LAN port.
Why won’t my NVR find the new IP camera?
Usually the camera is on a non-PoE port, the cable isn’t fully terminated, or the NVR and camera are on different subnets. Run the camera on a PoE port and use Auto-Add / ONVIF discovery.
Are SurveilForge accessories compatible with Hikvision, Dahua and Axis cameras?
Yes — they follow open surveillance standards (IEEE 802.3af/at PoE, RJ45, BNC, DC 12V/24V) and work with any brand using those standards, including Hikvision, Dahua and Axis. SurveilForge is an independent brand, not affiliated with any camera OEM.
Can I buy a single unit, or only wholesale?
Standard products are sold as single units in our shop. Custom or OEM branding and volume pricing start at a minimum order of 300 pieces.
How long does shipping take?
We ship worldwide; lead time varies by destination and order size. Contact us for a quote on your region.
Products mentioned in this guide
8-Channel PoE NVR
Model: SF-NVR-8P
8×PoE ports, 4K decode, 2×SATA — plug 8 cameras in and record, no switch needed.
8-Port PoE Switch (802.3at)
Model: SF-POE-8P-AT
8-port 10/100 PoE switch, 48V, up to 30W per port for PTZ and high-power cameras.
Cat6 Cable 305m (Box)
Model: SF-CABLE-CAT6
305m box of Cat6 UTP for IP camera and PoE network backbone.
16-Channel PoE NVR
Model: SF-NVR-16P
16×PoE ports, 4K, 4×SATA — mid-size recorder for stores and warehouses.