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IP Camera Bandwidth & Storage Calculator

Calculate network bandwidth and storage requirements for IP surveillance systems

Total number of IP cameras on the network. Each camera generates a continuous stream requiring dedicated bandwidth.
cameras
Camera resolution affects bitrate significantly. 4K requires roughly 4x the bandwidth of 1080p.
Frames per second. 15 fps is adequate for general surveillance; 30 fps for high-detail areas like entrances.
fps
H.265 (HEVC) provides ~50% better compression than H.264 at equivalent quality, significantly reducing bandwidth and storage.
Percentage of time with motion in frame. More motion = higher bitrate due to more I-frames and less compression. Parking lots: 20-40%, lobbies: 50-70%.
%
Number of days to store recorded video. Compliance requirements vary: 30 days typical, 90 days for some industries.
days

Per-Camera Requirements

Estimated Bitrate per CameraMbps
Daily Storage per CameraGB

Total System Requirements

Total Bandwidth RequiredMbps
Daily StorageGB
Monthly StorageTB
Retention Period StorageTB

Network Recommendations

Recommended Switch Uplink
PoE Budget Estimate (per camera ~15W)W
Minimum NVR Recording ThroughputMbps
References: H.264 (AVC) and H.265 (HEVC) compression standards. Bitrate estimates based on resolution, frame rate, codec efficiency, and scene complexity. IEEE 802.3af/at (PoE/PoE+).