Reolink RLN36 36-channel NVR: features, specs and who it suits

The Reolink RLN36 is a network video recorder (NVR) built for large camera systems: it manages up to 36 Reolink IP cameras at the same time. It works only with Reolink cameras, has no PoE ports of its own and comes without hard drives, so it is worth knowing exactly how a system around it fits together.

What 36 channels means

A channel is one camera stream, so the RLN36 can record and manage up to 36 cameras simultaneously. Reolink lists a long line of its own PoE models that work with it, including its 12MP, 4K, 5MP and 4MP cameras, the Trackmix PoE and Duo 2 PoE, its PoE doorbell and its E1 Outdoor cameras.

That capacity suits sites that are too big for a typical 8- or 16-channel recorder: warehouses, workshops, multi-storey buildings, farms or a large home with outbuildings. If you start with fewer cameras, the spare channels leave room to grow.

How the cameras connect: PoE switches

Many home recorders have PoE ports on the back that power each camera through its network cable. The RLN36 is different. It has no PoE ports and does not supply power to cameras. Instead, you connect up to four external PoE switches (not included) to its LAN ports and spread the 36 cameras across them. Each switch needs its own power supply.

In practice, this means planning the switches as part of the system. A PoE switch has a total power limit shared by its ports, so check that each switch has enough ports and enough power for the cameras you plan to hang on it, especially models with spotlights or motors. Reolink says the system can be accessed with or without an internet connection.

Storage: three bays, up to 48TB

Inside are three bays for hard drives of up to 16TB each, for up to 48TB in total. No drives are included. Reolink's own figure: with 36 cameras recording around the clock at 6Mbps each, 48TB lasts about 20 days. At 8Mbps per camera, Reolink's chart shows about 15 days. The recorder supports H.265 compression, which typically needs less space than older H.264 for similar image quality.

How long your footage lasts depends on how many cameras you run, their resolution and bitrate, and whether they record continuously or only on events. Fewer cameras or event recording stretch the same drives much further. Reolink publishes a list of recommended drives, and many people choose drives designed for surveillance use, which are built for constant writing.

Audio, backup and the back panel

The recorder has audio in and audio out. With an external microphone and speaker plugged in, you can listen and talk back through Reolink cameras that have two-way talk. RCA male-to-female converters are needed and not included.

A USB 3.0 port lets you copy important footage from the internal drives to a portable hard drive, and there's a second USB port on the front. The back panel also has HDMI and VGA outputs for a monitor, a network port, alarm inputs and outputs, and a power switch. The unit measures about 13 x 12.2 x 1.9 inches (roughly 33 x 31 x 4.8 cm) and weighs 7.1 lb.

Smart detection and playback

The RLN36 brings in the person and vehicle detection of Reolink smart cameras, along with detection-based playback, so recordings can be searched by what was spotted. The detection runs in the cameras, so what you get depends on the models you connect. Reolink cameras with optical zoom, auto-tracking, two-way talk and motion-triggered spotlights can also join the system.

Who it suits

It suits businesses and large properties that want one recorder for a big Reolink camera system, and owners who already use several Reolink PoE cameras and have outgrown a smaller recorder.

What to check before you buy

• Camera compatibility: it works only with Reolink IP cameras. Reolink advises confirming that your models are compatible and updating the firmware before use.
• PoE switches: plan for up to four external PoE switches with enough ports and power for your cameras.
• Hard drives: plan for up to three drives of up to 16TB each; none are included.
• Audio accessories: a microphone, a speaker and RCA converters for two-way talk.
• Screen and network: an HDMI or VGA monitor for local viewing and a network connection for remote access.
• Local rules: check the rules where you operate on recording audio and on cameras that see public or neighbouring spaces.

The short version

• A 36-channel NVR that manages up to 36 Reolink IP cameras at once.
• No built-in PoE ports: cameras connect through up to four external PoE switches.
• Three drive bays of up to 16TB each (48TB in total), drives not included; about 20 days at 6Mbps for 36 cameras, by Reolink's figure.
• Audio in and out for two-way talk, USB 3.0 backup, HDMI and VGA outputs.
• Brings in person and vehicle detection and playback from Reolink smart cameras.

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