CCTV Bandwidth Calculator
Every IP camera streams to the recorder, and every remote live view pulls a stream back over the internet. Enter your camera count, the per-camera bitrate and how many remote streams you watch at once to size the LAN load, the broadband upload you need, and the per-camera figure. Planning figures; runs in your browser.
- •Use a switch whose backplane comfortably exceeds this total record load.
- •Your broadband upload (not download) speed must exceed the remote figure for smooth remote viewing.
Planning estimate only — real bitrate varies with scene, motion and codec, and sub-streams for remote view use far less than the full stream, cutting the upload figure. Use it to size the switch, uplink and broadband plan, then confirm with the camera datasheet and a live test.
Plan the rest of the network
Related Guides — Deep-dive reading
Internet and Network Readiness for Home Security in India
Before you buy a single camera, plan the network under it: enough upload bandwidth for cloud and remote viewing, wired PoE for the cameras that matter, a segregated IoT network so a hacked gadget cannot reach your laptop, and secure remote access that never exposes your DVR to the open internet.
SecurityCCTV Network Switch and PoE Budget in India (2026): Sizing the Backbone
The switch is the spine of an IP CCTV system: PoE vs PoE+ vs PoE++ per port, the total watt budget against the switch's rated capacity, managed vs unmanaged, uplink to the NVR, and why the cameras belong on their own isolated VLAN.
SecurityCCTV Remote Access in India (2026): Watch From Your Phone, Safely
How to view your own cameras from anywhere without leaving the front door open to the internet — change the defaults, use strong credentials and 2FA, keep firmware current, prefer the vendor's secure cloud relay or a VPN, segment the camera network, and treat footage as personal data.
SecurityRelated Tools — You may also find these useful
Security Cabling & PoE Planner
Estimate cable length, drops, PoE power budget, the right switch, conduit and cost for a CCTV/security cabling plan.
Cabling PlannerNVR Channel Calculator
What size recorder a system needs with room to grow, plus a check on its incoming bandwidth.
NVR ChannelsPoE Power-Budget Calculator
Whether a PoE switch can power the connected cameras with cable-loss headroom, and how many devices it supports.
PoE Budget