Security
How much bandwidth do IP cameras use on your network?
Mbps tables for H.265 and H.264 IP cameras, substreams, 100 Mbps or Gigabit links and a remote upload calculator.
Ten 4 MP cameras in H.265 produce approximately 30 Mbps of main-stream video. If each also delivers a 0.5 Mbps substream, the total becomes 35 Mbps. This traffic crosses the links carrying video to the recorder; it does not automatically equal internet usage.
These are typical-value estimates; results vary with scene, night vision, movement and settings. Use configured or measured bitrate to refine the estimate and account for other devices on your network.
Main stream, substream and phone viewing
The main stream preserves recording quality. The substream is an additional lower-bitrate feed useful for multi-camera layouts or phone viewing. We assume one main stream and one 0.5 Mbps substream per camera crossing the shared link simultaneously. Being available does not mean every device sends both continuously: check the actual configuration.
Viewing within the same local network can work without internet upload. Viewing from outside needs upload at the camera site and download at the phone. Multiple viewers or multiple open cameras multiply this demand when each receives its own copy.
Calculate traffic and upload
Adjust cameras, resolution, codec and FPS. Enter a known bitrate in Mbps to override the typical estimate. Include or exclude the substream, change its bitrate and specify simultaneous viewers, cameras per viewer and remote quality.
IP camera bandwidth calculator
Typical-value estimates; results vary with scene, night vision, movement and settings. Inputs assume cameras with the same configuration.
Approximate FPS adjustment: typical bitrate × FPS / 15. A known bitrate overrides this estimate: enter the value measured/configured at your chosen FPS.
Motion recording saves disk space; it does not reduce the live network traffic estimated here. Remote copies are added conservatively for a shared uplink; actual routing can differ.
Mbps tables for 4, 8, 10, 16 and 32 cameras
Reference: 15 FPS and a moderately active scene. H.265: 2 MP = 2 Mbps, 4 MP = 3 Mbps and 8 MP = 6 Mbps. H.264: 4, 6 and 12 Mbps respectively. The last column adds a 0.5 Mbps substream per camera. Tables exclude remote copies, audio and network overhead.
H.265
| Resolution | Cameras | Main (Mbps) | With substream (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 MP | 4 | 8 | 10 |
| 2 MP | 8 | 16 | 20 |
| 2 MP | 10 | 20 | 25 |
| 2 MP | 16 | 32 | 40 |
| 2 MP | 32 | 64 | 80 |
| 4 MP | 4 | 12 | 14 |
| 4 MP | 8 | 24 | 28 |
| 4 MP | 10 | 30 | 35 |
| 4 MP | 16 | 48 | 56 |
| 4 MP | 32 | 96 | 112 |
| 8 MP | 4 | 24 | 26 |
| 8 MP | 8 | 48 | 52 |
| 8 MP | 10 | 60 | 65 |
| 8 MP | 16 | 96 | 104 |
| 8 MP | 32 | 192 | 208 |
H.264
| Resolution | Cameras | Main (Mbps) | With substream (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 MP | 4 | 16 | 18 |
| 2 MP | 8 | 32 | 36 |
| 2 MP | 10 | 40 | 45 |
| 2 MP | 16 | 64 | 72 |
| 2 MP | 32 | 128 | 144 |
| 4 MP | 4 | 24 | 26 |
| 4 MP | 8 | 48 | 52 |
| 4 MP | 10 | 60 | 65 |
| 4 MP | 16 | 96 | 104 |
| 4 MP | 32 | 192 | 208 |
| 8 MP | 4 | 48 | 50 |
| 8 MP | 8 | 96 | 100 |
| 8 MP | 10 | 120 | 125 |
| 8 MP | 16 | 192 | 200 |
| 8 MP | 32 | 384 | 400 |
Formulas to check the results
Main Mbps = cameras × Mbps per camera. Mbps with substream = cameras × (Mbps per camera + 0.5).
- Ten 4 MP H.265 cameras: 10 × 3 = 30 Mbps; with substream, 10 × 3.5 = 35 Mbps.
- Thirty-two 8 MP H.264 cameras: 32 × 12 = 384 Mbps; with substream, 32 × 12.5 = 400 Mbps.
The FPS adjustment is approximate: typical bitrate × FPS / 15. It is not applied again when you enter a known bitrate, which should match the FPS in your configuration.
When is a 100 Mbps switch enough, and when do you need Gigabit?
As a practical planning budget, allow around 70 Mbps of video on a 100 Mbps link, leaving room for peaks, protocols and other traffic. This is a planning reference, not a guaranteed limit. Sixteen 4 MP H.265 cameras with substreams total 56 Mbps: they may fit if other traffic and peaks allow. Ten 8 MP H.264 cameras with substreams total 125 Mbps: they require a higher-capacity shared link, typically Gigabit.
The aggregate matters at the switch uplink, recorder port and any shared segment carrying those cameras. Each camera may fit its own 100 Mbps port while their combined traffic saturates a 100 Mbps uplink. If you exceed the 70 Mbps planning budget or need room to grow, size that segment for Gigabit. Also check switching capacity, recorder input limits and the PoE power budget; Mbps do not determine available electrical power.
How much upload do you need for phone viewing?
Video upload = simultaneous viewers × cameras open per viewer × remote stream Mbps. For planning, the calculator also shows that result × 1.3 for 30% headroom; add other internet loads and check actual peaks as well.
Two people each viewing four cameras through 0.5 Mbps substreams need about 4 Mbps upload for video, or 5.2 Mbps with that margin. If they watch those four cameras using the 4 MP H.265 main stream, that becomes 24 Mbps or 31.2 Mbps with margin. Your internet plan's download rate does not replace upload: check each separately.
The calculator also adds remote copies to base traffic for a conservative shared-uplink estimate. Actual routing depends on which device distributes the video. If you exclude substreams, remote viewing uses the main stream. Motion recording can save disk space but does not itself reduce the live traffic in these tables.
Complete your system estimate
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