Reolink RLN8-410 8-channel PoE NVR: features, specs and who it suits

The Reolink RLN8-410 is an eight-channel network video recorder (NVR), the box at the centre of a wired home security camera system. It records up to eight Reolink PoE cameras at once, around the clock and with sound, and keeps the footage on a hard drive inside your home. If you're planning a wired camera setup, here's what it does and what you'll need alongside it.

What an NVR does

An NVR receives the digital streams from network (IP) cameras, records them and lets you view them live or play them back. "Eight channels" means eight camera streams at the same time.

It can also run as its own self-contained system. Its DHCP function hands out network addresses to the cameras, so the recorder and cameras work together with or without an internet connection. Without internet you can still view and play back footage on a monitor connected to the recorder; remote viewing from your phone needs the system to be online.

One cable per camera: how PoE works

PoE stands for Power over Ethernet: a single network cable carries both power and data. Each camera plugs into one of the eight camera ports on the back of the recorder, so there's no need for a power adapter or outlet near every camera.

Reolink lists cable runs of up to 330 ft (about 100 m) per camera, which is the usual limit for a standard Ethernet run. Measure the route the cable will actually take, through walls and attics, rather than the straight-line distance.

Recording and hard drive space

Recordings go to a hard drive, which is not included. The recorder takes one internal drive of up to 8TB, and an eSATA port adds one external drive of up to 8TB.

How many days of footage that holds depends on the number of cameras, their resolution and bitrate, and whether they record continuously or only on events. Most NVRs can be set to overwrite the oldest footage once the drive is full. For a system that writes around the clock, many people choose a drive designed for surveillance use, which is built for constant recording.

Smart detection and alerts

Paired with Reolink's smart cameras, the system can tell people, vehicles and animals apart. It can alert you through push notifications in the app, by email or with a buzzer on the recorder itself. In playback, you can filter recordings by detection type, so you can find key moments without scrolling through hours of footage.

Detection comes from the cameras, so the features you get depend on which Reolink models you connect. Reolink cameras with optical zoom, auto-tracking, two-way talk or motion-triggered spotlights can be added to the system.

Viewing on a monitor, phone or computer

The Reolink app and desktop client run on iOS, Android, Windows and Mac, for live view and playback locally or remotely. Around the back are HDMI and VGA outputs for a monitor, audio out, USB, a network port and the eight camera ports. The recorder is about 260 mm wide and 41 mm tall (roughly 10 x 1.6 inches), so it fits on a shelf or in a cabinet near your router.

What to check before you buy

• Camera compatibility: it's designed for Reolink PoE cameras. Reolink advises confirming that your camera models work with the recorder and updating its firmware before use.
• Hard drive: plan for one internal drive (up to 8TB) and, if needed, an external eSATA drive (up to 8TB). Neither is included.
• Cable routes: each camera needs its own Ethernet run of up to 330 ft back to the recorder.
• Network and display: a free router port for remote access, and an HDMI or VGA monitor if you want a local screen.
• Local rules: check the rules where you live on recording audio and on cameras that see beyond your own property.

The short version

• An 8-channel PoE network video recorder that records up to eight Reolink cameras at once, 24/7 and with sound.
• One Ethernet cable per camera, up to 330 ft, carries power and video; it runs with or without the internet.
• Takes one internal drive and one eSATA drive, each up to 8TB, sold separately.
• People, vehicle and animal detection with Reolink smart cameras, with app, email and buzzer alerts.
• Apps for iOS, Android, Windows and Mac; HDMI and VGA outputs for a monitor.

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