Video surveillance systems have come a long way in recent years. In the past, these systems were mostly analog and required a lot of expensive hardware to operate. Today, digital video surveillance systems are much more common and can be operated with just a few pieces of inexpensive equipment. There are two major protocols used for digital video surveillance: IP (Internet Protocol) and CCTV (Closed Circuit Television).
IP cameras are the most common type of digital video camera. They connect to your network using an Ethernet cable and transmit their signal over the Internet. This makes them very easy to install and manage, as you can view and control them from anywhere in the world using your computer or smartphone. However, it also means that anyone with access to your network can potentially view your camera feed.
CCTV cameras are typically found in businesses and other public places. They connect directly to a DVR (digital video recorder) which records their footage. This footage can then be viewed locally on a monitor or remotely over the Internet. CCTV cameras tend to be more expensive than IP cameras, but they offer better security since their signal is not transmitted over the open Internet.