The network your security stack actually runs on.

Questions buyers ask us

FAQ

Cisco Meraki, Ubiquiti UniFi, or Cisco Catalyst: which one fits us?

Meraki for cloud-managed simplicity at premium pricing, no on-prem controller, easy multi-site rollout. UniFi for the same cloud-managed shape at half the price with on-prem-or-cloud flexibility, but a smaller support footprint. Catalyst for stuck-at-on-prem environments, federal-touching deployments, and multi-thousand-port enterprise networks where IOS XE and CLI control are non-negotiable. We pick by use case, not by SPIFF.

Why does the security camera fleet need its own VLAN?

Two reasons. One: a compromised IP camera (and there have been many) should not have a path to the corporate file server. VLAN segmentation plus firewall rules between VLANs stop east-west traffic. Two: cameras generate constant background traffic, and isolating them keeps that load off the corporate switching path. Most modern compliance regimes (PCI, HIPAA, CMMC) effectively require it.

How much network bandwidth does an IP camera actually use?

Roughly 1 to 8 Mbps per camera in continuous record mode at 1080p, depending on codec (H.265 cuts the bandwidth roughly in half versus H.264) and motion content. 4K cameras run 4 to 16 Mbps. A 100-camera site can land anywhere from 100 Mbps to over 1 Gbps of constant internal traffic, which is why the camera VLAN needs its own gigabit uplink, not a corporate trunk.

Can you run cameras and access control on existing customer-owned switches?

Sometimes. We test the existing PoE budget, the firmware version, the VLAN capability, and the management posture. If the switches are managed (Layer 2+ or 3) and have PoE headroom, we can ride them. If they are 10-year-old unmanaged switches with mixed PoE, we recommend a forklift on the security VLAN before deploying cameras. The consultation answers this.

What drives the cost per network drop for a typical office build-out?

The all-in cost per active port covers the cable, the jack, the switch port allocation, the labor, the PoE budget, and the VLAN configuration. Wi-Fi access points are a separate line, driven by the platform and the mounting environment. Switches scale on port count and PoE class. The free consultation prices the port count and AP coverage your site needs.

Do you handle the VoIP and phone side too?

We design and install the network layer that VoIP runs on (QoS, voice VLAN, switch power for IP phones, SIP trunk handoff), and we partner with VoIP platforms like RingCentral, 8x8, and Microsoft Teams Phone for the PBX layer. We do not sell our own PBX. Customers who need a single point of accountability on the network and the phone system tend to land here.

How do cabling, network, and cameras fit together as one project?

They are three trades on the same building, in the same week, with the same scope. We run all three under one accountable project manager. That means one estimator, one project manager, one as-built record, one set of test reports. When something fails six months later, there is one number to call. Coordinating three different vendors across a single install is where most security projects go sideways in year two.

What is the right place for point-to-point wireless versus fiber?

Fiber wins on reliability, latency, and weather. P2P wireless wins on speed-of-deployment and on cost when the run is cross-property, over a road, or temporary. We use 60 GHz unlicensed P2P for sub-kilometer hops between buildings on the same campus. We push for fiber on any permanent link over 1 km or any link where weather (heavy rain, snow load) can break the radio path.