How To Plan, Run Wires, & Setup a WIRED PoE Camera System! || Reolink 8CH 5MP System Review

[@carsonmtech]

Common questions: ANSWERED! [Open for Q&A's] Q1: Why did you not use the ethernet cables that came in the box? A1: Plain and simple: they were too short for my runs. If I was wiring a smaller building, I would have used them. They come with the camera kit. They work. Q2: How big of a hole did you drill and how? A2: You need at least a 1in hole. I used a regular hole saw. Q3: Shouldn't I worry about aluminum reacting with the steel? A3: No. With the way that I painted the metal piece, I am not worried about the two reacting. Q4: You didn't show how to setup the NVR and ethernet stuff enough. Could you make another video about this? A4: Yep! I already have. Check out my other security camera installation video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6O7cnWappuXZ80

[@eduardborukhov1928]

Where was the hole saw used ? I saw the drilling in the suffit. Did I miss the 1" hole saw?

[@nightfury0003]

Does the power also supplied by the Ethernet cable? 🤔 I noticed the other cable was just hanging when you installed the camera

[@eduardborukhov1928]

@@nightfury0003 cat 5 and cat 6 transger data and power

[@st1300a4]

Would be nice to see how you ran the cables from the attic to the basement.

[@bibianaflores7353]

@@nightfury0003 the other cable is for connect with the other cameras

[@kevinlittlejohn8831]

No fancy music, no excessive random off topic conversations, clear audio, no shaky camera, specific instructions. Probably the best instructional video ever made. Great job and thank you!

[@carsonmtech]

I very much appreciate that! Thank you! I’m glad I was able to help you out :)

[@Dougalthepit]

YES! I just wasted 20 minutes on this drum-beat-background idiocy that all but presumes you’re mounting cameras on one table. Turn the drums off and say something. Thank you, Carson and thank you Kevin for succinctly stating the problem with most ‘how-to’ vids... Jeez, what a relief!!!!!

[@paulavaldovinosvaldovinos1170]

Iadevai

[@traysgang]

@@carsonmtech I Agree Kevin, very nice video Carson

[@johnrasicci]

Yeahhh, not shaky...

[@JChaseFilms]

Good call on not including the actual unwrapping of boxes. That was a very considerate editing choice and is definitely appreciated :)

[@jesseanderson6603]

Thanks for the Video clip! Apologies for butting in, I would love your thoughts. Have you ever tried - Mahorrla Defence Wisdom Method (do a search on google)? It is a good exclusive guide for securing your home from danger without the normal expense. Ive heard some unbelievable things about it and my cousin at very last got astronomical success with it.

[@dantreview4698]

Unboxing videos are catastrophically overrated

[@bigbirdmusic8199]

He did let that curb meme play for about 10 seconds too long

[@steveofsd]

Finally after an hour of searching I finally got a useful video, thanks for get to the point and not beat around the bush. No wind noise, no annoying music just pure instructions. Thank you.

[@bobby6322]

totally agree

[@eckathewrecka]

I'm with others here in that it is refreshing to have a clear and precise video without the annoying music and gimmicks, well done Carson :)

[@49764tyler]

Direct, concise, with no frills, or wasted time. Probably one of the best instructional videos I've seen from someone without a production team. So well done and keep at it man, people appreciate the the style and format of the content👌🏻

[@poindexter1387]

Thank you for posting. I purchased a Swann 8 camera system. 5 years ago I am just now opening the box . I have been dreading running the wire but your video made me get off my LAZY procrastinating ass...... It's not as bad as I thought. Again thank you for posting a non b's video .......😊

[@alphahoss1947]

The aluminum Hillman mounting piece can be found at Lowe’s if anyone is wondering item # 215885 model # 11303

[@gurulee73]

Thank you!

[@sherlockholmes4700]

I fall asleep to this guy every night lol, something about his voice makes fall asleep easy

[@EpsilonFilms]

One thing to consider is that by mounting it up so high, you're less likely to be able to identify faces. Cameras can only identify within a certain distance, and by mounting high you are sacrificing some of that ID distance.

[@awsok1992]

Working in the industry and having seen some footage, this is a balancing act. If the camera is low enough, it is more likely to be noticed and vandalized as well.

[@chadh1199]

Not sure if someone has already said this but they have in fact released a firmware update moving it from flash to HTML5 on the NVR webpage.

[@sj7601]

Another great tool to have for running cables through drywall is the Magnepull. It's a bit expensive but works pretty well! I've never ran cables before and it was fairly easy once I learned about fire blockers (horizontal studs) in the walls :/

[@LafDDlafcam99]

amazing video honestly this is one of the example for everyone that try to make a good youtube channel, listen and learn.

[@petermapp5988]

The part that covers the blind spots ...in order to determine if more are needed....how many...great tip...thank you

[@ExclusiveLM]

Important tip if installing a camera at an outside corner of a house or building you would need three cameras per corner to face in opposite directions and one in the middle to view from the very corner diagonally. Otherwise someone just needs to climb up on the blind spot area and spray or tape both of the sideways cameras unnoticed and unseen by the two vulnerable side cameras. I have three per corner on my house for a total of 12 cameras.

[@TheJustin99]

Still the best video on the internet explaining how to do this

[@honkie247]

Great video, one of the few without annoying music. However, you should use something to line the hole where your wire goes through the aluminum soffit to prevent abrasion. No need for that on vinyl soffits.

[@Trog1odyte]

If you’re replacing an existing wired system, the best fish-tape.... your old line. Plus, you can generally pull through the entire length.

[@EcoNeato]

12:30 edges of hole cut in aluminum flat bar should be smoothened or better yet have a grommet to prevent cutting the cable.

[@kazee123]

Nice. I liked seeing your method and I will incorporate parts into my installs. The metal strip that slides into the soffit is super smart.

[@internetcitycomputers9989]

Excellent job and video! I have a job this weekend where I will be running the cat5 outside the house under the siding. Thanks for producing this.

[@Alex-sc2rc]

Pro Tip: put the cable roll to either one of the destinations (camera or switch/receiver) and work your way from there. Otherwise you may end up using way to short or way too long.

[@katielyb]

He may have taken measurements prior to installation. But, overall, yes, there is less waste your way.

[@fazli.myusof]

Great video. I was hoping to see final installation at where the NVR is placed.

[@baldeagle242]

Great video. You’re one sub closer to that 100k play button. 😁👍

[@michaelkennedy2528]

I agree with the many that have mentioned the clean work you did on this video. There was no crazy music, no BS extra crap,but to the point. I have done hundreds of this type of cams, 32 just on my house, and you were spot on. As far as software, I really like Blueiris, it handles hundreds of different types of camers. Again, good video..

[@jackyzhao2252]

A'"

[@nino18654]

I wish you would spent more time on how to set up the receiver . I`m still having problem with my cell phone to set up with the the receiver . I have an NR31P8-8 . It`s working great except I don`t know how to set up my cell phone or my loptop . I don` t know who to call because the technician don`t want to deal because I did most of the work . Besides that you did a marvelous job on explaining all , specially to people like me. Great job young fellow .

[@coziii.1829]

Security for me is Probably about 10-15 cameras 3-4 on barn 2 on each side of road 4-5 around house 2 down driveway 3 in back yard 1 on flag pole 3-4 on and in garage And also motion sensor lights as well And chimes

[@rozymitchell1970]

What system have you used to have that amount of camera's?? Tia

[@CoreyStup]

The DIY soffit bracket is a great idea. Thanks!

[@ufchistorian13]

How do you feed the cable down through the walls or some other way to a centralized location where the NVR is?

[@resort2yourself]

Lots of hard work

[@gregorysmith3097]

Great video, I'll be using some of your "tricks" to install. I always prefer wired when possible.

[@chasetherocknroll5144]

Thanks for that Harry Potter stunt double 👍

[@timffoster]

Good video. One point of correction: Reolink's battery cameras - like most battery/solar powered cameras - work well for remote locations with no power. For $30 or so, you can add their solar panel and never have to worry about the battery dying. HOWEVER, they cannot record to an NVR and they do NOT record 24x7! They're triggered by motion and can record to a microSD card. The cameras are only only accessible via an app on your smartphone. (In fact, I don't think any of them support ONVIF or RTSM). This is not to be confused with their regular WiFi cameras. These require steady power, but will record 24x7 and support ONVIF / RTSM and will record to an NVR.

[@allanklay6051]

Great installation video. I was wondering what the night recording is like? Can you share some thoughts about how it does in the dark?

[@varrymacdonald3228]

Straight to the point, well done. Informative but not boring. A breath of fresh air. Keep up the good work kid.

[@maxshiraz3447]

The aluminium strip for the soffit is a genius idea!

[@docmacg6315]

Great video. Why are using cat6 wire instead of what came with the system?

[@carsonmtech]

Cat6 is overall a better option for PoE on longer runs. I had to run cable that was longer than the cables that came within the box. However, if you’re able to make the length of the cables that come in the box work in your scenario, do use them!

[@docmacg6315]

Thank you.

[@SteveV2023]

Love my wireless, records to micro SD card, no issues at all!!! The 56g card lasts a month, no fees!!

[@carsonmtech]

There are no fees with this system either and you don’t have to worry about a faulty SD card ruining your footage or just 30s clips of events! This allows for 24/7 surveillance which you can watch every moment of without missing a heartbeat

[@frankr2921]

Great video. How is the nighttime vision? Clear? Is it in color?

[@carsonmtech]

Nighttime vision is pretty great! It’s unfortunately B&W since it’s IR-based, but it still produces clear results. I would check out my more recent Reolink NVR install video because within that video I show a lot of nighttime footage for a similar Reolink system!

[@chrisg750]

Thanks I'm a new fan! Cant wait to watch this one! Small request! Could you do a video on upgrading from everything analog to everything POE and what that entails? All the challenges and the Do's and Dont's . Thank you

[@z33tanner]

Fish tape tool is genius, could use that in automotive running wires too!

[@Tang0Fox1]

One thing I like about the wired system it avoids atmospheric interference and drop outs.

[@Fenrir190]

Kudos to you for a clear and concise video on what looks like a daunting process. Going with a different set of cameras but at least I have a clearer plan of attack now

[@medicbabe2ID]

Also me. Not really worried about the installation part but that "super easy plug n play" part that always seems to get me 🙃 Fingers crossed

[@SpaceMiner007]

I'm glad he was able to set up his POE home security system. Sadly, the Replink brand I bought into has a very difficult set up, connection usin the QR code has no link to reolink POE camera setup. Endless problems. Your video was mainly outdoor setup.

[@manabefamily]

Appreciate the review! Can you install without a monitor hooked up and do the setup all on a desktop instead? Just don't have a smaller monitor handy to take to where we are installing the Hard Drive box.

[@carsonmtech]

Nope, no screen is necessary other than for initial setup. That could be done on a TV if you really wanted or needed. Hope this helps!

[@follerigedon421]

Best CCTV setup video I've seen. Thanks

[@yuegan1939]

Hope you could show your network cabinet because I don't have one and I'm not sure where is the best place to put the NVR

[@carsonmtech]

I will within the next month hopefully be showing a new camera system install from Reolink where I’ll show the networking rack!

[@Lp-ze1tg]

Instead of using a single piece of aluminium to hold the camera in place I used two pieces of aluminium. Mounted the camera on one piece of aluminium and insert it to the soffit. Insert the second piece of aluminium to hold the first piece of aluminium with camera in place. It will look like a X frames holding the camera. It almost never fall even during strong wind.

[@JohnDiMartino]

I see this system is no longer available on Amazon. Good job on the video .I know this is a year and a half old, Do you know if there’s a newer version of this system?

[@carsonmtech]

Yep! Here is the new version: amzn.to/2XVV4o2

[@mrobvious1100]

Nice video. Quick question once all the cameras are installed and all the cat 6 cables are run to APO a the POA then 1 cat 6 cable is running to the NVR is there a video or instructions on how to set it up for remote viewing on android? I know it will involve port forwarding. But I am trying to figure out how to tie in my NVR to my Wi-Fi router

[@carsonmtech]

Hey brian! Check out this newer video of mine where I show connecting the NVR to the Reolink app. The same process for iPhone applies to Android! How To Setup a WIRED PoE Camera System From Start-to-Finish! || Reolink RLK16-800D8 4K System Review kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6O7cnWappuXZ80

[@mrobvious1100]

@@carsonmtech many thanks

[@rdsii64]

While I'm watching this video, an amish dude strait up rode by your house.

[@carsonmtech]

Yep, that's a usual sight for me lol

[@frankenstein3163]

good video. Can you use it wen on vacation ? Notifications of proximity sensor ? Fees ?

[@carsonmtech]

Yes! As long as the NVR is connected to a network which is connected to the internet, you can access the system outside of your home or business with the Reolink App.

[@frankenstein3163]

@@carsonmtech k. ty :)

[@nooneeyeno]

My question is referring to the app. Do I have to pay a monthly subscription to access the NVR from anywhere away from my wifi? Do Apple products support flash player? Great video.

[@carsonmtech]

Nope! Reolink is 100% subscription free. All you need to do is have the free Reolink app downloaded (or reolink client app on Mac/PC), have a Reolink account, and have linked the NVR to your account already, and you’re set! You can access the NVR from anywhere in the world. I’ve been using the Reolink app with their other cameras for years and they have never sprung up any paid anything. It’s a really great app too!

[@michaelscoots]

@@carsonmtech Thanks - but you can’t view it on a mobile device bc of flash? This sort of defeats the purpose of the entire system, no? Any word on whether they plan on updating the software or not?

[@carsonmtech]

Michael, no, you CAN view cameras from a phone via the Reolink App, which is available for iOS and Android - and it works great too! You just can’t access the cameras via a web browser if you wish, unless your device supports Adobe Flash

[@michaelscoots]

@@carsonmtech thank you for clarifying

[@chadh1199]

They also have a pc (would guess mac as well) version of the software for viewing the cameras. They have also release a firmware that now has HTML5 instead of flash!

[@thecarso]

I was just watching random tech KZbin videos and stumbled upon this one. Finished the video then realized- My name is Carson Miller too :o

[@carsonmtech]

Woahhh

[@Evan-lg1xp]

Awesome video man. Very well made and very clear with every step of the way. Good work!

[@danielkofman4592]

You didnt show how to connect everything to the central hub. The most important part?

[@traysgang]

Dude C'mon that isn't the hard part lol .. splicing the Ethernet is lol

[@TekTalk88]

Your videos are amazing so through and you eliminate all the gibberish like most try to do. Thank you for sharing

[@juanjosellanos9742]

Why does this guy have 53.8 k subs he should have at least 1m subs

[@carsonmtech]

Why, thank you! I appreciate it :)

[@themusicianskk2805]

Well number one you are the KZbinr I watch every day and gives way too much info which I like

[@Dery1990]

Thanks for this video. I have question about remote access. Have you tried this also? For example, can you acces the camera feed from outside the local network?

[@carsonmtech]

Through the Reolink app or Reolink Client app if you’re logged into your Reolink account, yes! If you’re trying to remote into the IP address, that would be possible as well I would assume but that would require you setting up some form of VPN on your home network so you can access the device that way when you’re not home. I just use the Reolink app though.

[@rozymitchell1970]

It's probably a dumb question but here goes!! Given this CCTV you installed (thank you so much for not talking crap unnecessarily..) as mentioned by many... back to question .... so it's an 8 channel with 4 cameras? Why have 8 channels if only 4 📷 can be installed. I'm hoping that there is another way to add further 📷 options??? Or is that wishful thinking & I just need to buy an 8 camera system. 🤔

[@jesusisaliberal548]

You can buy 4 more cams and have a total of 8

[@mikmik9034]

You ALSO need to have cameras covering each other, so you will see who is fiddling around (trying to kill) the other camera(s).

[@Mayochup191]

Why? the camera would record whoever is messing with it

[@eckathewrecka]

Well done young fella, no rubbish just getting the job done :)

[@Valaran1]

Sweet video. I'm looking for a system without its own DVR, but rather recording to my own dedicated NAS. Do you have any tips/information for such a setup?

[@painterbob1]

Fantastic video! You’ve covered it all. Great job.

[@palladini9718]

My NVR is my computer room, I put up 2 shelves, drilled holes in them for cables access, the cables run through a hole in the wall, down to the basement, the out the side of window, and from there to the 11 cameras I have

[@ExclusiveLM]

If your basement floods you're done. Better to put your camera recorder on the second floor or higher than the basement.

[@fatpablo2381]

Liked simply for the well placed end scene when talking about powering w/out POE

[@markharriers4694]

Where do you store the nvr away from thieves if they were to break in? Also do need to ne plugged into a screen or can it be set up on a laptop?

[@jacustoms5830]

As a professional camera/ access control installer, this is a very solid video for most diy projects. There are a few things that diyers should note before getting started though. Right off the bat, camera placement is incredibly important, as much as what camera you buy. If one needs a place to start I will add a link to another well structured video. Plan where your nvr is going to be, common places are closets however unless you plan to leave it on a shelf with a monitor, it doesn't make much sense. We like to install them in home offices, with a living room TV, dens or similar. The easier it is to access your footage then the easier it is to protect your home. And as an unbiased note, I like reolink cameras, they're built well and everything is intuitive to use. kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4LRYq2sodmImZY

[@pauldup133]

Great video! I am about install security cameras on my house as well. How did you cut the metal bars and drill a hole through them?

[@TheRegent187]

Bandsaw or hack saw (cheaper) for cut & hole saw for hole. Hole saw bits can be used with a regular drill.

[@mikegreene9215]

Outstanding video Carson! I was stumped on how to mount my cameras until you showed the bracket. Came to youtube to find the answers and you were the man that had them. Thanks for posting!

[@xiaolaoshu520]

hows your crv subwoofer lately love that video have a 2003 crv

[@jeffsav]

Carlson, great video. I have the same situation with the soffit with no backing. I was wondering how long you made the metal brackets for the soffit? Also did you use any screws to secure the brackets in place or just a pressure fit? I have the full set and am waiting for the winter to put them up. Its to hot down here in the Orlando area now.

[@carsonmtech]

Hey Jeff! I just measured the soffit depth and took about 1/4in off that measurement and cut the aluminum from there. Each soffit depth is different, even on our house I ended up cutting 3 totally different lengths since each location had a different depth. If you’re looking for an average though for purchasing reasons (so you could calculate how much length of aluminum you may need), I would say each soffit averaged around 16in. Obviously, your situation may be different, and I would recommend measuring soffit depth in each location you intend on mounting a camera to in order to calculate how much you need, and then add around 6in extra to the total of those measurements, just in case something comes up. The aluminum pieces were just pressure fit and I have had zero issues with these being mounted like this and it’s been a couple weeks now, with 2 notable storms coming through (one with 55mph+ winds!) Smart choice on waiting until winter for your install, it got pretty hot in our attic! If you have time in the evenings though if the temp gets below 70°F outside, then I would say you could do it then now if you want, I worked in our attic when it was 68°F outside a couple nights in a row. Hope this helps!

[@jeffsav]

@@carsonmtech Thanks Carson for the concise reply. Very informative! I had seen a video a while back on KZbin by another person who explained the same process of mounting. Your video was real precise on all aspects. I have been watching you since your Phantom 3 Standard videos. I have always enjoyed them. I to have several drones and really enjoy the hobby. Thanks again pal!

[@brianstevens7241]

Thanks for getting to the point, and thanks for teaching what a fish tape is.

[@Jeffersonajudainformatica]

You explain so well, I liked you.

[@carsonmtech]

Thanks and welcome!

[@Majidkashmiri885]

Very good information and way of narrating.

[@savagemate3273]

anyone wondering, no he doesn't just go out and buy this full price then make a video about it. He is sponsored by ReoLink, he gets these sent to him to review.

[@gauravkapadia17]

Finally one really good video

[@jiggalojonski]

It is better to just get two 4 camera setups and have them connected to a 4TB drive while being connected to a monitor at all times other wise if you want to monitor all 8 cameras you’ll need a good video card to handle the extra four cameras in stream mode

[@B_BlakeMusic]

Great video love the honesty bro 😂😂😂

[@martycurtis1981]

Well done video. Short, sweet, straight to the purpose!

[@PhuongHuynh-qm5th]

I love it when how to videos tell you to go watch another video on how to do something. If it’s so simple, why not just show how to do it?

[@sukinator9699]

Bc it would make the video too long and maybe he accounted for the fact that some people already know how to cap an ethernet cable.

[@Daveortiz693]

Great video, awesome attention to detail!

[@jetmartin9501]

Thanks for the video. Nice job...super helpful...I have few questions...maybe these (or some form of them could be added to your FAQ) for others who might also have some or all of the same questions: Per the video you indicated you already created a place for running your cables through to your basement via a closet. Can you elaborate on the techniques/process you would use if you were just looking to run the cables from the attic back into your house (e.g., technique for finding the location to run the cables...in an attic where there is tons of installation it can challenging to find the exact location where you intend to run the cabling ....maybe you can find it via studs that are visible? Do you drill through a stud for running the wires or simply make a hole in the dry wall? etc. etc.). If you want to run the wire behind a wall and have it come out at that bottom of the wall what is the best technique for doing that? How to get the wire to drop to the exact location? Do you drill a hole in the dry wall where you want the wire to come out and then use a fish tool to get the wire down to the floor level of the wall? Might there be horizontal studs in the wall that might block your path to the floor level exit of the wire. Maybe you use a stud finder to see if that is the case? If so is there are recommended Stud finder? Is there a special type of plate that you would use with drywall that could serve as an exit plate for the wires. Anyway...The last thing I want to do is is end up with a bunch of unneeded holes in my attic/wall so if you have some thoughts, techniques that we could use to avoid making a mess of thing it would be greatly appreciated.

[@TheEffectofMaverick]

Remember to Silicone/duct seal the hole to prevent moisture to leaking into your attic. Also you can use toggle bolts to mount camera and avoid using the aluminum strip altogether.

[@directlinkrexx4409]

No

[@TheEffectofMaverick]

@@directlinkrexx4409 woke up sad today?

[@Abraham117A]

Why silicone? The soffit is full of tiny little holes already for ventilation

[@leftysouthpawofdetttth7340]

For my store office, How do i make cameras cycle through different monitors?? What techniques or equipment is needed?? Thank you so much! 2🙏🙏 😁😁

[@carsonmtech]

You can turn on a consistently changing camera view that cycles through your cameras on the monitor that is attached to the NVR

[@raymond3722]

Very informative and well illustrated.

[@dlouis1830]

Great vid could you please include the size and type of drill bit you used in the description, big like! p.s. the ethernet toning tool link is broken

[@carsonmtech]

I believe I used a 1” drill bit! Sorry I don’t remember exactly. Also, thank you for letting me know that link was broken! I just fixed it. Hopefully it helps out. Glad you liked the video :)!

[@KingTiger10588]

Nice video. Where'd you get your glasses from? :S

[@Gstallion17]

hey Carson, would you suggest these for commercial use ? thank you

[@llamacebu216]

What type of wire do you suggest for the audio input/output and the alarm wires?

[@gilltim5711]

Hi, Carson. I have a question for you, if I may. On the security camera, what are all those little lenses that surround the main lens?

[@carsonmtech]

Those are IR LEDs that put out invisible light at night so then the night vision functionality works!

[@gilltim5711]

@@carsonmtech Thank you for the answer. I've been mystified as to what those were, and no ones been able to tell me. Kudos to you for knowing the right answer! Thanks a million.

[@mazpr2025]

Safety first, should have been the first tjing to cover when handling ladders. Plenty have died at the height he is working on. Besides that, is a great video! *practice splicing w some spare cable before jumping to location.

[@Guillotines_For_Globalists]

Hopefully you've gone back and redone it by now almost 2 years later but I believe you forgot the weatherproof shields where the RJ45 plugs into the cameras, which is the plastic cap, o-ring, and that rubbery/silicone thing that seals the cable where it enters the junction point.

[@LaJoBa1]

Have a hard wired Reolink system 4 cams and a dvr.....gooo stuff, cameras are 4 years old and no problems.

[@roma913]

Really useful, no nonsense video, thanks lad.

[@Masyukun]

It sounds like these safe code principles are converging with the functional programming paradigm. Strict scope and memory limits, limit on side effects (single purpose function), etc.

[@xejaisonjj]

Great video, keep going. Its cool to watch all the details you said, because i am a beginner 👌👌👍

[@shanemn123]

@15:25 in camera 1 did I see an Amish buggy haha Are you in Lancaster Pennsylvania lol Nice video!!

[@Ptpop]

Does the Ethernet cable power the cameras?

[@carsonmtech]

PoE = Power Over Ethernet, so, yes

[@nebulouz1]

Nice presentation, very articulate. I also liked the idea about using flat aluminum under the soffit.

[@anthonyimprogo6693]

Carson you're the best dude. I just subscribed to your channel. One question for ya: Can I run the mobile app on an iPad or Laptop all day? I have a home studio in my back yard and would love to live monitor my property during the day.

[@carsonmtech]

Yes, I dont see why not! The only problem will come if your WiFi ever disconnects in regards to the iPad because when that happens, the Reolink app has to try and disconnect which sometimes interrupts the feed, but you can simply click the "try again" in the middle of the screen and it will reload as soon as it is connected to the network again. The laptop could be a better option if it's connected via ethernet because then there is never any chance of the network connection being interrupted unless the cable is detached or the switch it's connected to goes down! One other option would be to get something like this HDMI and USB over ethernet converter which would allow you to connect the HDMI feed of the NVR up to that, then the converter to a dedicated ethernet line to the location you want to view the feed from, then plug the other converter in and you will be able to view the HDMI feed of the NVR there as well as use the mouse to control the NVR. That converter can be found here: amzn.to/3o9r94u