18 IP cameras lagging - CAT5E??

[Sally2000]

The CAT 5a cables are good for 1Gb, unless damaged. The 100Mb switch should be adequate too.
How many camers are they altogether? You mentioned 18 into one AP and then 3 more.

I'm still learning towards the AP being overloaded by 18 camera links. I've done a lot of work with WiFi but not seen so many continuous links into one AP. A cheap WiFi router and laptop on its output would prove or disprove that.
Is there any difference in the amount of blocking between disconnecting the longest link or disconnecting the shortest link?

 

[Minime46]

I'm unsure what you mean by using a wifi router to test?

TP link receiver - POE switch - laptop?????? instead of to the NVR???

I'm not sure if you can download or see the image I just made?

All together there are 18 cameras. 2 are hard wired to the NVR, so 16 are being received by the office external TP link from various other buildings in the area.

Let me know if you can see the image, it makes it easier to explain

 

[Sally2000]

I was going from your first post "We have cat5e cable coming from the main office to 1 tp link which is receiving all 18 cameras."

Are the arrows on your diagram all wireless, including the ones into the central office?

 

[Minime46]

arrows are wireless bridges (tp-link cpe210)

yes I made a mistake in original as I forgot 2 cameras are in the office so hard wired.

In the diagram the sunshines are the TP links, arrow shows where that signal is going. If the quality goes up higher I then lose the top 4 cameras.

In the middle building that has 3 cameras, there is a 4 port POE switch with 1 uplink (100mbps), (3 ports for the 3 cameras and 2 tp links 1 in a port, 1 in an uplink). I was thinking of changing this to an 8 port poe and gigabit?

 

[Sally2000]

Well, you COULD replace every part in turn until you hit the jackpot, but that doesn't seem to be a logical way to proceed.

Most of the network should be capable of carrying the video streams, certainly the cables will be adequate unless damaged. The 100Mb switch could carry 20 cameras at 5 Mb each, which is more than your cameras require at the speeds they are running. If your upgrade the cameras in the future then a Gb switch would be a good choice.

That leads me to suspect the WiFi link carrying 16 cameras. I could be wrong of course, but I do have a lot of experience with WiFi networks.

Thinking again with better knowledge of your setup, the easiest check would be to make a temporary connection directly from the last AP to the NVR, either with a long ethernet patch cable (Cat 6 for preference) or if necessary by moving the NVR. This will split the system between the RF and wired parts and show you straight away which side the speed limitation occurs. If you do find the WiFi is OK you could then move the temporary connection along the system, perhaps after the 100Mb switch.

That's what I would do, but you may have other ideas or receive other suggestions. I'll leave it there for now.

 

[Minime46]

That makes good sense, thank you. I will try as soon as I get time. thank you for the time helping me. It's much appreciate

 

[Minime46]

Well, you COULD replace every part in turn until you hit the jackpot, but that doesn't seem to be a logical way to proceed.

Most of the network should be capable of carrying the video streams, certainly the cables will be adequate unless damaged. The 100Mb switch could carry 20 cameras at 5 Mb each, which is more than your cameras require at the speeds they are running. If your upgrade the cameras in the future then a Gb switch would be a good choice.

That leads me to suspect the WiFi link carrying 16 cameras. I could be wrong of course, but I do have a lot of experience with WiFi networks.

Thinking again with better knowledge of your setup, the easiest check would be to make a temporary connection directly from the last AP to the NVR, either with a long ethernet patch cable (Cat 6 for preference) or if necessary by moving the NVR. This will split the system between the RF and wired parts and show you straight away which side the speed limitation occurs. If you do find the WiFi is OK you could then move the temporary connection along the system, perhaps after the 100Mb switch.

That's what I would do, but you may have other ideas or receive other suggestions. I'll leave it there for now.

One more thing, in your experience, how many 4MP or 6MP cameras would you be happy to receive through 1 TP link AP?

 

[Sally2000]

Depends on so many variables that I wouldn't want to speculate. Probably only single figures. Also I'd want a better AP than TPlink. I use Draytek for preference.