CCTV Bandwidth Calculator
Total network throughput for your camera streams, plus the switch uplink you need.
How to use this tool
Enter the camera count, main-stream bitrate and optional sub-stream bitrate. The tool sums the streams, adds 20% protocol/burst headroom, and tells you whether a 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps uplink is appropriate. Remember that live viewing multiplies traffic: each remote viewer pulls another copy of the stream.
Worked example
32 cameras × 4 Mbps main = 128 Mbps; with 20% headroom 154 Mbps. That exceeds a 100 Mbps link, so use a gigabit uplink to the NVR.
Frequently asked questions
What bitrate should I assume per camera?
4 MP H.264 is commonly 3–6 Mbps and H.265 2–4 Mbps, but always read the real value from the camera.
Is a 100 Mbps switch port enough for one camera?
Yes. The limit appears at the aggregation uplink where many cameras combine.
Do sub-streams matter?
They are small but count when many users watch live view on mobile.