Will any PoE camera work with any NVR?
PoE or Power over Ethernet is a technology that allows IP cameras to receive power through the same cable that carries their data signal. This means that you can use a single Cat5e/6 cable to both power and connect your IP camera to an NVR (Network Video Recorder). The big advantage of this is that you only need to run a single cable to each camera instead of having to run both a power and data cable.
NVR’s come in all shapes and sizes these days. Many are purpose-built for home or small business surveillance while others are general-purpose computers with special software installed on them. But regardless of the type of NVR you have, the chances are good that it will work with any PoE camera.
The bottom line is that as long as your NVR has PoE ports on it, you can connect just about any PoE camera to it and it will work just fine.
Frequently Asked Question
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Will any PoE camera work with any NVR?
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Can you mix and match IP cameras?
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What does ONVIF stand for?
Actually, if you get a complete PoE IP camera system set, which means both PoE security cameras and NVR are from one manufacturer, then you can simply connect all cameras with the NVR directly via the 4, 8 or even 16 PoE ports on it. [1]
You can even mix and match cameras of different types on the same surveillance network, as long as they are all compatible with the recorder. [2]
A common term you may come across in the IP Video industry is ONVIF. ONVIF  an acronym standing for Open Network Video Interface Forum  is both a global forum and a global protocol that allows different surveillance and security devices from different manufacturers to operate together seamlessly.5 Aug 2019 [3]
Conclusion
As it turns out, the answer to this question is a resounding no. While there are some similarities between PoE cameras and NVRs, they are not compatible with one another. In order to ensure that your security system is up and running, you’ll need to purchase compatible equipment.
