Designing a CCTV system is not just about cameras and storage — it’s about ensuring your network can reliably handle the load. The CCTV Bandwidth & Network Planner allows installers, consultants, and system designers to validate NVR throughput, switch uplink capacity, and remote viewing performance before installation.
Use this tool to calculate total internal recording bandwidth, assess remote viewing load, and identify potential bottlenecks in your network infrastructure.
CCTV Bandwidth & Network Planner
Why Bandwidth Planning Matters in CCTV Systems
Modern IP CCTV systems are fundamentally network-based. Every camera continuously streams compressed video across switches, into NVRs, and often out to the internet for remote viewing. Without proper bandwidth planning, systems may suffer from:
- Frame drops
- Recording gaps
- NVR overload
- Switch congestion
- Remote viewing lag
- Internet upload saturation
This planner helps eliminate those risks before deployment.
What This Tool Calculates
1. Total Internal Recording Load (Mbps)
This represents the combined bitrate of all cameras recording to your NVR. This value must be:
- Below the NVR’s maximum recording throughput
- Within the safe operating range of your switch infrastructure
If your total bitrate exceeds the NVR’s rated throughput, dropped frames and unstable recordings may occur.
2. Remote Viewing Bandwidth Impact
Remote viewing adds additional outbound traffic to your network. This tool models:
- Main stream viewing (full resolution)
- Sub stream viewing (low bandwidth monitoring)
It multiplies viewer count by stream bitrate to determine total internet upload requirement.
If your remote viewing demand exceeds available upload speed, users will experience buffering, delays, or failed connections.
3. Switch Uplink Capacity
Even if individual ports are fine, uplinks between switches (or between switch and NVR) can become bottlenecks.
The planner checks whether your total system load approaches:
- 1 Gbps uplink
- 2.5 Gbps uplink
- 10 Gbps uplink
Operating near 100% capacity leaves no headroom for spikes or future expansion.
4. NVR Throughput Validation
Each NVR has a maximum recording bandwidth specification (e.g., 160 Mbps, 256 Mbps, 320 Mbps).
This tool flags when your system exceeds that limit, helping prevent:
- Recording instability
- Overheated NVR processors
- System crashes under peak load
When Should You Use This Tool?
- Before quoting a system
- When upgrading cameras to higher resolution
- When increasing frame rates
- When adding additional remote users
- When diagnosing network congestion
- When designing large commercial deployments
Best Practices for CCTV Network Design
For stable long-term performance:
- Keep NVR load below 80% of rated throughput
- Keep switch uplink utilisation below 70–80%
- Use sub streams for mobile viewing where possible
- Ensure internet upload exceeds peak remote viewing demand
- Allow bandwidth headroom for motion spikes and firmware updates
Professional Tip
If you are unsure of your total camera bitrate, use the CCTV Storage Calculator first to determine accurate system Mbps, then enter that value here to validate network performance.
Designed for Installers & System Designers
Unlike simple vendor tools, this planner considers:
- Real-world network limitations
- Remote viewer impact
- Uplink capacity constraints
- Throughput bottlenecks
- Practical deployment safety margins
It is designed to support professional CCTV system design, not just theoretical calculations.