Firstly wireless has it’s place in the world but it really shouldn’t be for CCTV. Lets set some ground work and a average home/small business network . Most usually consist with a router with built in wifi and maybe a switch or just the NVR connected directly. most older routers are only 2.4Ghz but some also Support 5Ghz capable devices.
The coming of the wireless era will make war impossible, because it will make war ridiculous.
Guglielmo Marconi
The Woes!
Now when it comes to homes where there is one there are usually many! Which means interference of a wireless kind. yes this is one problem you will work into and the frustrating part is that its often intermittant in nature so can make diagnosics a little difficult. you see if your router is using the same channel as next door theh they will interfere massiviely
High Volume
Amount of users is next on the list, remember 2.4Ghz could handle up to 150 Mbps but here is the catch just because it could doesn’t mean it can. you see if a radio connected to your wifi or even tries on a lower rate all the connected devices will drop to the lower capable rate so that lovely 150 Mbps could drop right to 56Mbps or even less if your radio has been miss configured. now 5Ghz you say? basically the same problem yes it could do up to 1300 Mbps but 1 bad device and BAMM! you are back down to a slow speed.
The Hacker..
The hacker.. now don’t get me wrong if your router is configured with WPA2 PSK (pre-shared key) it’s pretty much bulletproof but anything lower light WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) or WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and you are open for someone to try and gain access to your network. which is a doorway into your CCTV network or to your NAS so on and so on. but in this case CCTV cameras.
Default failure
Really why would you leave a password as the default for any device you are quite literally asking for someone to mess about with your hardware I know conveniences but still best practice would be change it.
WPS A really bad idea!
WPS (Wireless Protected Setup) for the love of the gods disable it! one of the most stupidest ideas known to man, it quite literally bypasses your wireless security and could give someone access to your network with a push of a button. Oh and in some cases you din’t even need to push anything to trigger it.
Interference
One thing I have mentioned is interference but did you know a microwave could interfere with your WiFi devices? Some motors also can effect wireless another are some types of cookers but interference can be from a wide range of things even high voltage cables can be an issue TV’s.
Not all bad right?
Now don’t get me wrong there is a place for wireless CCTV but it’s not for a wide spread use across every open spectrum. like in the case of CCTV used via the councils across the UK, they use Licenced bands (if they are not then that would be a little conerning) they are usually wireless PtP (Point to Point) links and may have a reduntant link via another route plus they may pass the data within another tunnel for extra security like a IPSec Tunnel or atleast something to be sure just incase some.
So what’s all the fuss about?
So far we have only talked about wireless Bandwidth, Interferance, Enqurpytion but the problem is once someone has access to your network (wifi password) they have access to everything that’s connected a great example is our coffee shop hack example from our CCTV & Network Infrastructures introduction, it’s a fairly good example of what can happen.
All you are doing is scaremongering!
Nope I’m really not this sort of thing happens all the time. It really does, we know.. we have seen clients loose ton’s of data or even ended up having to start again because they hadn’t secured there network correctly.
Worth a read:
Read more: More than 100,000 wireless security cameras in the UK at risk of being hacked –
which?
to scaremonger would be to say its all doom and gloom about wireless cameras. If done correctly wireless cameras are the a ok option but they should only be used if and only needed.
Well our wifi internet thingy works totally fine!
It may do but if you know anything about networks or wifi youtube just seems to work. lets give you an example why you are seeing one thing but it could be another. usually when you are watching youtube you are in your house right? your are usually wrapped up warm but way youtube and nearly all streaming services they will buffer sections of video for you then to watch.
This means some videos will have downloaded when there is available thoughput so if your wireless in intermittent but works long enough for youtube to get video chunks you will not see the problem. Like with the graph below if any of the drops happen between the data spikes you would never really know and your connection looks totally fine!
For cameras stabliltiy is key and example would be a ring door bell you may only get the recordings and not the doorbell ring because the wireless drops regularly or you may find the camera being very choppy. We see often and not this is due to the range away from the wireless access point or the thinkness of the walls or there makeup.
The biggest headache for customers using wireless is often the lack of knowledge of how wireless works and what they can do about it.
Rhodri Ross,
Now are you starting to get a headache right?
You should be at this point going “ok I get what you are saying but..” but what? it’s your house/business would you want someone to just walk right in and see everything you have even down to what clients you have or someone knowing your every move when and where you are? I know I’m starting to sound like one of those foil hat wearing indurviduals but there is a element of truth to this. Nearly all the hacks that take place are by people who do it for the “laughs” but like in the The Hypothetical Scenario from CCTV & Network Infrastructures.
The biggest headache of all
The point being
Wireless is not the holy grail and actually it could be a nightmare waiting to happen, but with a little bit of knowlegde you can make it work safely again there are still risks. Making sure there are no others using the same channel as you and you also need to know there limitations, next are other types of interference like in the cases of motors and microwaves.