Table of Contents
Pre-Flight Checklist
This is what to have with you before you leave for a TetherX installation. It covers new installations and connections to existing systems.
The Unit
- The right model - a Pico for a handful of cameras, a rack unit where the count or the retention is higher. Hardware Specifications has the numbers.
- Activated to the right account - see activating a TetherBox. You can move a unit to another timeline after activation if you pick the wrong one.
- Storage sized for the retention the customer asked for - see Storage Hardware.
Credentials
A camera, recorder or alarm panel cannot be added without its password. Someone on site usually has them, but not always: they may be held by whoever installed the equipment, or by a facilities manager. Verify access before leaving for site.
- Usernames and passwords for every camera
- NVR / DVR logins
- Router or switch admin login, if you have it - useful for diagnosing a network problem, not needed to add cameras
- Alarm panel codes, where there is a panel
Tip: Log into one camera and the recorder from your own laptop before you leave, to confirm the credentials work.
Network
- A spare port on the same LAN as the cameras or recorder. Connect a single-NIC TetherBox to that LAN alongside the other equipment. With a model that has two LAN ports you can instead put the TetherBox between a camera network and the customer network, keeping the cameras on a separate subnet. Hardware Specifications lists which models have two ports.
- Upload speed: 2 Mbps minimum, 10 Mbps recommended, 20 Mbps or more where several cameras record to the cloud. Allow 2-4 Mbps per 1080p camera and 8-15 Mbps per 4K camera.
- PoE switch with a port for every camera, the TetherBox and the uplink. Allow a few unused ports for cameras added later.
- Cat5e or Cat6 patch leads in a few lengths, and cable ties.
Warning: A TetherBox records without an Internet connection, but you cannot set one up without it. A unit that has not yet connected to the platform cannot be activated on site.
Existing DVR or NVR
- The recorder must support ONVIF, RTSP or HTTP. Check Camera Compatibility, or ask us if the model is not listed.
- Note the manufacturer, model and firmware version before you go, and check the firmware is up to date.
- Get the supplier's contact details, in case we need access to the API or a firmware version that is not published on the manufacturer's website.
Power
- Enough headroom on the PoE budget for every camera, including the ones added later.
- A UPS for anything that must keep recording during a power cut. Size it for the switch, the TetherBox and the router, with at least two hours of runtime.
Before You Leave Site
Check each of these rather than assuming the installation is complete:
| Check | What good looks like |
|---|---|
| Local recording | Every camera has footage in the last few minutes |
| Cloud backup | Uploading, where cloud backup is enabled |
| Remote live view | Works from your phone, off the site WiFi |
| Motion detection | Configured, and you have seen it fire |
| Users | Created, and one of them has signed in |
| Native Apps | Signed in on the customer's own phone |
| Notifications | Configured, and you have received a test alert |
| Stability | 30 minutes with no reboot and no dropout |
Related Articles
- Camera Compatibility - supported cameras and recorders
- Troubleshooting Kit - what to carry in the van
- Tunnelling to Network Devices - reaching a device on the customer's LAN afterwards
- Hardware Specifications - sizing the unit and its storage
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