There are different ways to connect the PoE switch, router, and Reolink NVRs. The article lists three methods for your reference to connect these devices. 

Applies to: All Reolink PoE cameras and NVRs. 

Method 1. Plug the Reolink NVR and the PoE switch into the same router via an Ethernet cable. Then plug the PoE cameras into the PoE switch.

connect nvr and switch

In this case, the cameras plugged into the PoE switch will obtain an IP address from the router and can be added to the NVR via LAN. 

If your NVR is PoE NVR (RLN8-410/RLN16-410), you can choose to connect some of the cameras to the PoE ports of the NVR. And the cameras plugged into the PoE NVR will obtain an IP address from the NVR.

Please note: In this kind of connection, the cameras (except add-on cameras in the NVR kits) plugged into the PoE switch can be connected over the network as separate devices via Reolink Client/App, but the cameras plugged into NVR directly cannot be connected as separate devices.

 

Method 2. Plug the PoE switch into Reolink NVR, then plug the NVR LAN port into the router.

connect switch to nvr

In this case, the PoE switch can support a maximum of 8 cameras, which is limited by the bandwidth of the NVR Ethernet port. (The NVR LAN port is a Gigabit Ethernet port, the other ports are 100Mbps Ethernet ports).

And in this kind of connection, all the cameras will obtain IP addresses from the NVR, and can't be connected as separate devices.

For RLN36, to avoid the overload of the switch, do not connect all cameras to one switch. If you plan to add 36 cameras to the RLN36, it is suggested that you add 4 PoE switches to the NVR, and 9 cameras to each switch. 

 

Method 3. Plug the PoE switch into your router, then plug the NVR LAN port into your PoE switch.

connect nvr to switch

This kind of connection is the same as that in Method 1. Cameras plugged into the PoE switch will obtain an IP address from the router and can be accessed separately from the Reolink App/Client. 

Cameras plugged into PoE NVRs like RLN8-410/RLN16-410 will obtain an IP address from NVR and cannot be accessed as standalone devices on the App/Client.