“I want to install a surveillance system for my company — how many cameras do I need, where should they go, what should I buy, and can I view them remotely on my phone?” Whether it’s a new office, a warehouse, a retail store or a factory site, video surveillance is close to standard equipment, but actually installing one takes real know-how. Too few cameras leave blind spots, too many waste money, and the wrong choice means blurry footage, insufficient storage and no way to view it. Today, based on the real needs of small and medium-sized businesses, we’ll explain clearly how to plan, select and install a surveillance system — so you don’t waste money and don’t leave security blind spots.
Step 1: First, be clear about “what you need to see”
Don’t rush to count cameras — first define your surveillance objectives: is it theft prevention, watching warehouse goods, managing attendance and entry/exit, or monitoring a production or service floor? Different objectives mean completely different camera positions and equipment choices. The core principle: control the key entrances and exits and the high-value areas, eliminate blind spots — don’t just pile on more cameras. First mark out the “places you must see clearly,” then lay out the camera positions.
Step 2: How to lay out camera positions
- Must-have locations: main gate/entrances and exits, reception, the door of the finance room, warehouse/storage, parking lot entrance and exit, checkout counter — these are key for theft prevention and dispute evidence.
- Cover corridors and corners: let the footage “hand off” from one camera to the next, so coverage continues wherever a person walks, with no blind spots along the route.
- Use angles that capture faces at entrances: mounted too high, a camera only records the tops of heads and is useless as evidence; facing the direction of travel at a suitable height is what lets you see faces and license plates clearly.
- Mind privacy boundaries: at office workstations, break areas, restrooms and similar places, avoid excessive surveillance in line with regulations — install cameras only where they belong.
Step 3: How to choose the equipment
| Component | How to choose |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 4 megapixels and up is the mainstream choice; for key positions where faces or license plates must be clearly visible, go higher |
| Camera type | Indoor domes, outdoor bullet cameras; use PTZ domes when you need to pan across a wide area |
| Night vision | Warehouses and outdoor locations must have infrared or full-color night vision so you can see clearly at night |
| Video storage (NVR) | Size the hard drive by the number of cameras and how many days you want to keep; 30 days is common |
| Power/wiring | A PoE switch delivers both power and data over a single network cable, making wiring much simpler |
Step 4: Don’t overlook “networking and remote viewing”
Today’s surveillance is no longer about “storing everything on a local hard drive” — business owners generally want to check in from their phones at any time. That brings networking into play: cameras networked through a PoE switch, the NVR connected to the company network, and remote access configured. One security pitfall deserves a warning here: to enable remote viewing, many people expose their surveillance devices directly to the public internet and keep the default password — this makes them extremely easy to compromise; at best someone else can watch your cameras, at worst they become a springboard for hackers into the internal network. The right approach is to change the default password and access remotely through a secure channel (such as zero trust/VPN) — don’t leave your cameras and NVR exposed on the public internet.
Step 5: Key points for installation and acceptance
- Proper cabling: run cables through conduit and label them clearly, so later maintenance and expansion are easy.
- Adjust each camera’s angle one by one: after installation, check every camera’s view to confirm coverage is complete, with no backlight problems or blind spots.
- Verify storage and playback: confirm recordings are stored properly and can be quickly retrieved for playback by time.
- Test remote access and power-loss recovery: check remote viewing from your phone, and make sure devices resume recording automatically after power is restored.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Roughly how many cameras does an office with a few dozen people need?
A: There’s no fixed number — it depends on the layout and your objectives. Covering key points such as the main gate, reception, the finance room door, corridors and the warehouse, a typical small or medium-sized office usually ends up with anywhere from a dozen to several dozen. Start from “key points plus eliminating blind spots,” and don’t blindly pile on more cameras.
Q: How long can recordings be kept? Do I need a very large hard drive?
A: It depends on the number of cameras, the resolution and how many days you want to keep. 30 days is common; calculate the total bitrate and match it with a hard drive of the corresponding capacity. NVRs also support automatically overwriting the oldest footage once full.
Q: Is remote viewing from a phone secure?
A: It can be secure, provided you don’t cut corners. Always change the default password and access through a secure channel — never expose devices directly to the public internet. There are countless cases of exposed surveillance systems being compromised.
Q: Should I buy the equipment myself and hire someone to install it, or find one company to handle everything?
A: Camera positioning, equipment selection, cabling, networking, and remote and security configuration form a single whole. Working with one company that handles everything from design to installation to after-sales means fewer pitfalls and easier maintenance later; piecing together equipment yourself and then finding someone to install it often leads to mismatched equipment, blind spots and insecure remote access.
Need surveillance installed for your company — done right the first time, with no blind spots and secure remote viewing?
Siwenlide provides Beijing and surrounding small and medium-sized businesses with end-to-end video surveillance and Low-Voltage & Cabling Projects: on-site surveys, camera positioning, equipment selection, cabling installation, and networking plus secure remote access configuration — all handled together — with cameras connected to a unified network and viewed remotely through a secure channel, never exposed on the public internet. Surveillance, networking and IT operations can also be bundled into a managed package. Visit siwenlide.com or call 400-686-2011 to talk through your site’s needs.
