We have found that a lot of people shopping for security cameras are under the impression that IP cameras require an internet connection to operate correctly, after all, it is right in the name. Though IP is an abbreviation for Internet Protocol, an IP camera system will work perfectly fine without an internet connection. You can view the cameras, record to a hard drive, and search through recorded footage using just a monitor and a mouse plugged directly into the NVR.
All you need is an NVR, some IP cameras, a mouse, and a monitor to operate an IP system.
With our Carbon Series NVRs, there is a POE switch built-in, so all you need to do is plug our IP cameras directly into the back of it. The cameras will “Plug-and-Play,” so you don’t even need to access the cameras on the network during initial setup.
When you use an IP camera system without internet, you are setting up what is referred to as Closed-circuit Television, or CCTV. This is a system that involves one or more cameras that are only able to be seen on a handful private monitors. This is different from a Broadcast Television system, which is widely transmitted to a virtually unlimited number of users.
No Internet Means Limited Remote Viewing
Keep in mind that if you do not have your system plugged into a router that is connected to the internet, you cannot view your system remotely from your smartphone or PC. It would still be possible to view the system using a tablet, laptop, or mobile device using WiFi on-site if you set up a local network using a WiFi router.