Reolink RLN16-410 16-channel PoE NVR: features, specs and who it suits

The Reolink RLN16-410-NHD is a 16-channel network video recorder (NVR) for Reolink PoE cameras: the box that powers, records and manages a wired home camera system. Up to 16 cameras can record at the same time, around the clock and with sound. It comes without hard drives, so here is what it does and what you'll need to add.

What 16 channels means

A channel is one camera stream, so this recorder can take up to 16 cameras recording simultaneously. That's room for a large property, outbuildings or several floors, and if you start with fewer cameras, the spare ports leave space to add more later.

The recorder can also run as a self-contained system. Its built-in DHCP function hands out network addresses to the cameras, so the recorder and cameras work together with or without the internet. Live view on a monitor connected to the recorder works offline; watching from your phone while you're away needs an internet connection.

One cable per camera

PoE stands for Power over Ethernet: one network cable carries both power and data. Each Reolink PoE camera connects to its own port on the back of the recorder with a single Ethernet cable of up to 330 feet (about 100 metres), which is the usual limit for a standard Ethernet run. Reolink describes the setup as plug and play.

Because the cable supplies power, no outlet is needed at each camera. With 16 cameras, though, running the cables is the main job, so plan each route through walls or attics and measure the path the cable will actually take, not the straight-line distance.

Two drive bays, up to 16TB in total

Inside there's room for two 3.5-inch hard drives of up to 8TB each, for up to 16TB in total. The drives are sold separately.

How many days of footage that holds depends on the number of cameras, their resolution and compression, and whether they record continuously or only on events. Sixteen cameras recording 24/7 fill a drive far faster than a few cameras recording on motion. Most NVRs can be set to overwrite the oldest footage once the drives are full. Many people choose drives designed for surveillance use, which are built for constant writing.

Smart detection, alerts and playback

With Reolink smart cameras, the recorder uses their person, vehicle and animal detection. It can alert you with a buzzer on the recorder, an app notification or an email. In playback, recordings can be filtered by what was detected, which saves scrolling through hours of footage.

The detection happens in the cameras, so what you get depends on the models you connect. Reolink also lists cameras with optical zoom, auto-tracking, two-way talk and motion-triggered spotlights that can join the system.

Watching at home and away

The back panel has the 16 camera ports plus HDMI and VGA outputs, so a monitor or TV can show live view and playback directly. The Reolink app and desktop client run on iOS, Android, Windows and Mac, for local and remote access from a phone or computer.

Who it suits

It suits homeowners building a larger wired system around Reolink PoE cameras, and anyone who wants spare channels to add cameras over time without replacing the recorder.

What to check before you buy

• Camera compatibility: it's made for Reolink PoE cameras. Reolink advises confirming that your camera models are compatible and updating the recorder's firmware before use.
• Hard drives: plan for one or two 3.5-inch drives of up to 8TB each; none are included.
• Cable runs: each camera needs its own Ethernet cable of up to 330 ft back to the recorder.
• Power for many cameras: PoE recorders share a total power limit across their ports, so if you plan several spotlight or PTZ cameras, check the recorder's PoE power figure.
• Screen and network: an HDMI or VGA monitor for local viewing, and a router connection for remote access.
• Local rules: check the rules where you live on recording audio and on cameras that see beyond your own property.

The short version

• A 16-channel PoE NVR for Reolink cameras: up to 16 record at once, 24/7 and with sound.
• One Ethernet cable per camera, up to 330 ft, carries both power and video.
• Two bays for 3.5-inch hard drives of up to 8TB each, sold separately.
• Person, vehicle and animal detection with Reolink smart cameras, with buzzer, app and email alerts and filtered playback.
• Runs with or without the internet; apps for iOS, Android, Windows and Mac; HDMI and VGA outputs.

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