Synology IP Camera License Pack for 4 (CLP4)

The NVR attached to our IP camera system died after about 8 years. Since we already have a Synology NAS with plenty of storage, I purchased Surveillance Station licenses instead of a replacement NVR.I got the licenses in two days, and they took all of 5 minutes to activate on my NAS. The licenses cost me as much as the NVR would have, but I get a lot more for my money. I have a lot more storage space out of the gate, and I can actually add more if I need to (I could not with the replacement NVR). The Surveillance Station software is much better than the NVR software that comes with my camera system. It's compatible with a lot more camera models, making it much easier to replace my cameras when they fail. It also does a much better job of motion detection and identifying events. The phone, tablet and web apps also work MUCH better, and are much more user friendly.The Surveillance Station software has been running for several weeks with absolutely no issues.Overall, I am extremely happy with this purchase.

I bought a Synology DS218J to act as a surveillance server. It wasn't until I got the NAS and read the instructions that I learned that it only allows you to install two surveillance cameras in their Surveillance Station software for free and then you have to purchase a One, Four, or Eight pack of camera licenses to add more cameras. These licenses are not cheap. They cost about $57 each or less in the multi-packs. I had to add a four pack to my NAS to be able to get decent coverage on my business with a total of six cameras. I will say this though, they are worth it. The DS218J performs flawlessly while recording 6 cameras at a time despite the server having only a Celeron CPU.

Instead of subscribing to yearly or monthly security software, Synology chooses to collect the money at once with camera licenses. Once you enter the code on a Synology NAS or Security Station, you are instantly granted additional licenses. The license is indefinite. Synology regularly updates the security software which adds another job a NAS can take on. There are instructions online about how to transfer a license to a new or replacement NAS so it truly is a one time purchase. Synology has a list of compatible cameras on their website. Basically, if you have an open source PoE or WiFi camera, it will work. Sometimes you have to tweak the settings on the camera's interface. Setting up security cameras is a lot of trial and error.Most security stations charge an annual fee for updates or even access. Either way, you are going to pay money to setup a personal security hub instead of using cloud based or other subscription based ones. Each method has its benefits and short comings. Make sure you do your research before you choose which way you go.I really only have one gripe. Synology has the ability to sell subscriptions and single payment purchases through their website. It seems really silly to require someone to wait until a card is delivered. In may case, it came late via USPS.One star to the new Synology medium to enterprise NAS units. Look out if you are making a new purchase if you aren't interested in purchasing only Synology drives, RAM, and cache drives. So far the consumer / prosumer grade models aren't pulling this yet.

If you have a synology NAS, you may have discovered that you can use it to run IP cameras on your network. The only thing you need is your cameras, a PoE switch (or injectors), and the NAS. In my case, I use the NAS as a backup but I don't even come close to fully utilizing it so it is doubling as a station for my cameras.Here's the issue with Synology. The units work on a licensing system for cameras. Most come with 2. If you only have 2 cameras, no big deal. You have everything you need right out of the box. If you want more, however, you have to buy licenses. This practice is really annoying. I did it because it's still cheaper than buying a dedicated unit (and adding NAS friendly hard drives, remember, they need to be surveillance or NAS rated, not standard hard drives and definitely not SSDs because of the constant read/write access).You get the code, you enter it, and a half a second later, you have the ability to add 4 new cameras. Purchasing your license in bulk saves you a little money over buying them individually. It doesn't save a lot however, so if you only need 3 licenses it's still cheaper to buy those individually. Realistically, I labelled this 5 stars because it is exactly what it is supposed to be. I just have a problem with Synology's practice of charging so much per camera.

The best thing about Synology, you get support and updates. Compared to those el-cheapo NVRs, this is the way to go. The license is easy to install [just add a camera that needs a license, the display will tell you that you need a license, and follow the prompts to enter the license]. The other thing I love about synology, if I purchase a larger/new synology, I can transfer the license for the low low fee of $0.00 USD.