NAS Security System: Record IP Cameras to a NAS

A nas security system works by running surveillance software on a network storage box that connects to each camera over your local network, pulls its ONVIF or RTSP video stream, and writes it to the NAS drives. It only works with cameras that expose such a stream, and it only stays reliable if every camera keeps the same IP address and the NAS is sized for the footage you want to keep. If your cameras do not offer RTSP or ONVIF, or you just want a box that records with no setup, a dedicated NVR or the camera's own memory card is usually simpler.

This guide walks through how the recording actually happens, which cameras qualify, how to set it up in a sensible order, and how to tell when a NAS is the wrong tool.

How a NAS records cameras

A NAS (network attached storage) is a small always-on computer full of hard drives. On its own it just stores files. To record cameras, it needs a surveillance app installed on it, usually offered by the NAS maker as an add-on package.

That app does the same job as an NVR:

1. It finds the camera on the network, either by ONVIF discovery or because you type in the camera's IP address.
2. It logs in with the camera's device username and password.
3. It requests a stream using RTSP, the protocol that carries the live video.
4. It writes that stream to disk in chunks, continuously or only when motion is detected, and deletes the oldest footage when the space you gave it is full.

The key point: the camera does not "send" footage to the NAS. The NAS pulls it. That is why the camera must be reachable at a known address on the same network, and why anything that makes the camera drop off the network for a moment leaves a gap in the recording.

It also means the NAS records alongside the camera, not instead of it. The camera can still record to its own memory card and send push alerts through the app at the same time.

Step 1: check that your camera can stream to a NAS

Not every camera can be recorded by third-party software. Before you buy drives or licences, confirm three things for each camera:

• RTSP or ONVIF support. Look in the manual, on the box, or on the product listing for the words "ONVIF" or "RTSP". On some models, the Yoosee app's security settings also include a device password for NVR or ONVIF connections, which is a good sign a stream is available; menu names may differ slightly by app version. Some models simply do not offer a stream, and no NAS setting can change that.
• A working stream you can open yourself. The fastest real test is to open the camera in VLC on a computer on the same network. If VLC plays it, the NAS will very likely be able to record it, as long as its surveillance app supports the camera's video codec. Our guide to opening a Yoosee IP camera in VLC covers finding the IP address and building the RTSP address.
• The camera stays awake. Battery and many solar cameras sleep between events to save power. A NAS sees a sleeping camera as offline, so you get short clips at best. Mains-powered cameras are the normal choice. If you are considering solar, read whether an ONVIF solar camera can record 24/7 first.

If any camera fails these checks, keep it on its memory card and the app, and only add the ones that pass.

Step 2: give every camera a fixed IP address

The NAS remembers each camera by its IP address. Most home routers hand out addresses automatically and can give a different one after a power cut or router restart. When that happens, the NAS keeps trying the old address and silently stops recording that camera.

Fix it before you add anything:

1. Open your router's admin page and find the list of connected devices.
2. Identify each camera, usually by its name or by unplugging it and seeing which entry disappears.
3. Create a DHCP reservation (some routers call it "address reservation" or "static lease") so the router always gives that camera the same address.
4. Restart the camera and confirm it comes back on the reserved address.

Give the NAS itself a reserved address too, so you can always find its admin page.

Step 3: choose drives and estimate how much space you need

Video surveillance storage need depends on the bitrate of each stream, how many cameras you record, whether you record all the time or only on motion, and how many days you want to keep. None of these are fixed, so do the sum with your own numbers.

A worked example, with its assumptions stated: suppose one camera's main stream averages 2 megabits per second while recording around the clock. That is about 0.25 megabytes per second, which comes to roughly 21 gigabytes per day. Four such cameras kept for 14 days would need around 1.2 terabytes, before any space for the NAS system itself. Your camera may use a very different bitrate, so check the actual figure in the surveillance app after a day of recording and adjust.

Ways to cut the space needed:

• Record the sub stream (the lower-quality stream) for continuous recording, and the main stream only on motion, if your software allows it.
• Use motion-only recording where nothing happens most of the day, accepting that you may miss the first moments of an event.
• Set a retention limit in days or in storage size so the oldest footage is deleted automatically instead of the disk filling up.

On the hardware side, choose hard drives sold for NAS or surveillance use, since they are built for constant writing. Desktop drives can work but tend to wear faster under round-the-clock recording. If the NAS supports mirroring two drives, it protects you from a single drive failure, though it halves the usable space and is not a backup.

Step 4: check camera licences on the NAS

Many NAS surveillance apps include a small number of free camera licences and charge for extra cameras. The number of free licences and the price vary by NAS maker and model, so check the documentation for yours before planning a large system. Count every camera you plan to add, including future ones. If the licence cost for your camera count gets close to the price of a dedicated NVR, the NVR is often the better buy.

Step 5: add the cameras to the NAS surveillance app

Menu names differ between NAS apps, but the order is similar:

1. Install the surveillance package from the NAS app store and choose which drive or folder it records to.
2. Add a camera. Pick ONVIF if the app offers it and let it search the network. If the camera does not appear, choose a generic or manual RTSP option and type in the full stream address you tested in VLC.
3. Enter the device username and password for the camera's stream, as set in the Yoosee app's security settings (check your manual for the username your model expects). A wrong password is the most common reason a camera shows as connected but with no picture.
4. Choose the stream. Assign the main stream for recording quality and the sub stream for live view on phones, if the app supports dual streams.
5. Set the recording schedule: continuous, motion-triggered, or a mix by time of day.
6. Set retention in days or storage size.
7. Check the timeline after an hour. Make sure the recording is continuous with no gaps, and that the time stamps match the real time. If the camera clock is wrong, correct it in the Yoosee app or let the NAS sync time where your camera allows it.

If you also use home automation software, you can usually point it at the same stream. Our Yoosee Home Assistant setup guide explains how. Every extra viewer pulls its own stream from the camera, so on weak WiFi use the sub stream for the extra viewers.

Step 6: make it reliable

A NAS system is only as good as its weakest link. Check these after the first week:

• WiFi signal at each camera. Gaps in the timeline usually mean the camera dropped off WiFi. Move the router or add an access point closer, or use a wired connection if your camera has a network port.
• Power for the NAS and router. If either loses power, recording stops. A small plug-in battery backup unit (UPS) keeps both running through short power cuts. Leave any changes to mains wiring to a qualified electrician.
• Disk health warnings. Turn on email or app notifications from the NAS so you hear about a failing drive before it dies.
• Camera firmware and passwords. Keep firmware up to date in the Yoosee app and use a strong device password. If you update firmware, check afterwards that the NAS still records, since a stream path can change.
• Remote access. Do not open the camera or the NAS to the internet with port forwarding. Use the Yoosee app for remote viewing, or a VPN into your home network if you need to reach the NAS from outside.

What the symptoms mean

• Camera shows "disconnected" after a power cut: its IP address probably changed. Check the router list and set a DHCP reservation.
• Connected, but black or grey picture: wrong stream path, wrong password, or a codec the NAS app cannot decode. Try the sub stream or the other stream path you tested in VLC.
• Recording in short bursts with gaps: weak WiFi or a camera that goes to sleep. Check signal strength and whether the camera is battery powered.
• Footage stops after a few days: the disk or share is full and retention is not set. Set a limit so old footage is overwritten.
• Wrong times on recordings: the camera clock or time zone is off. Fix it in the camera settings in the app.

When a dedicated NVR or memory card is simpler

A NAS makes sense if you already own one, you are comfortable with router and network settings, and your cameras expose a stream. It is less sensible when:

• You have one to three cameras and only need a few days of footage. A memory card in each camera is cheaper and needs no setup.
• You are buying from scratch. An NVR is built for recording only, often comes ready to go, and usually has no per-camera licence charges.
• Your cameras do not offer RTSP or ONVIF. Then neither a NAS nor a third-party NVR can record them.

For a side-by-side look at the simpler options, see NVR or SD card for a wireless camera. Among the security camera storage options, many homes end up mixing them: memory card as a local fallback, NAS or NVR as the main archive.

When to get help

Ask the seller or installer if your manual does not mention RTSP or ONVIF and you cannot open the stream in VLC. They can confirm whether your exact model and batch exposes a stream and which path it uses. Get help from whoever manages your network before changing router settings on a shared office network. If cameras need to be moved, rewired or mounted higher for a better signal, switch off power first, and leave mains wiring, ladders and roof work to a qualified electrician. If a camera could capture shared spaces or a neighbour's property, check local rules before recording.

Frequently asked questions

Can a NAS record cameras that only work through the Yoosee app?

No. The NAS needs a standard RTSP or ONVIF stream from the camera. If your model only connects through the app's own service, keep recording to the memory card and use the app for playback.

Will the camera still send motion alerts to my phone if a NAS is recording it?

Yes, on most models. The NAS only reads the video stream, so the app's push alerts and memory card recording keep working as before. You can also set up separate alerts in the NAS app if it supports motion detection.

Can I store camera footage in a shared folder on a NAS instead of using surveillance software?

Not directly. Cameras used with the Yoosee app do not usually write files to network folders on their own. You need surveillance software, either on the NAS or on a computer, to pull the stream and save it.

Is a NAS a backup of my camera footage?

Only partly. It keeps footage off the camera, so a stolen camera does not take the recordings with it. But if the NAS is stolen, damaged or a drive fails without mirroring, the footage is lost, so place the NAS somewhere hidden and consider copying important clips elsewhere.

Can I watch NAS recordings from my phone when I am away?

Usually yes, through the NAS maker's own phone app, provided remote access goes through the NAS maker's relay service or a VPN rather than port forwarding. For quick live view, the Yoosee app is still the easiest route.