Most Australian homes need four to six security cameras, and businesses scale from there based on entry points and risk. The real question is not just "how many" but "where" — good coverage beats a big number. Here is a simple way to work it out, with genuine Hikvision gear from an authorised Hikvision reseller.
The quick guide by property type
| Property | Typical cameras | Cover first |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment / townhouse | 2–4 | Front door, balcony/garage, hallway |
| Standard home | 4–6 | Front door, driveway, back yard, side access |
| Large home | 6–8 | All entries, garage, perimeter corners |
| Small business / shop | 4–8 | Entrance, register, stockroom, blind spots |
| Warehouse / large site | 16+ | Gates, loading docks, aisles, perimeter |
How to work out your number
- List every entry and exit — doors, gates, garages. Each usually needs a camera.
- Add high-value and blind-spot areas — driveways, back yards, registers, stockrooms.
- Choose the right camera per spot — a long AcuSense bullet for driveways, a ColorVu camera at the door for full-colour night footage.
- Leave NVR headroom — pick a recorder with spare channels so you can add cameras later.
Shopping for Hikvision?
Authorised Hikvision reseller: genuine Australian stock, full warranty, competitive prices and price match available.
Match your cameras to a recorder
Once you know your camera count, choose an NVR with at least that many channels plus room to grow — our NVR channels & storage guide makes it easy. New to picking cameras? Start with the best Hikvision cameras for home security, and see what a full system includes in our CCTV kits guide.
Ready to buy?
Shop genuine Hikvision at ARC IP Networks
Authorised Hikvision reseller
Hikvision at ARC IP Networks
AcuSense, ColorVu and DeepinView cameras, NVRs and complete systems. Genuine Australian stock with the full manufacturer's warranty, competitive prices and price match available.
Frequently asked questions
Most homes are well covered by four to six cameras: the front door, driveway, back yard and side access points. Larger homes with more entry points may want six to eight.
It depends on the site. Map every entrance, till or register, stockroom and blind spot — a small shop may need four to eight, while a warehouse can need dozens. Plan by zones and risk.
Cover every entry and exit first, then high-value areas and blind spots. Mount cameras high enough to avoid tampering but angled to capture faces and plates, not just the tops of heads.
Yes. Choose an NVR with at least as many channels as cameras, with room to grow. See our NVR channels and storage guide to size it correctly.
A balance works best — use higher-resolution cameras to cover wide or critical areas, and add more cameras to remove blind spots. Coverage matters more than raw camera count.
Related Hikvision guides
- Farm security cameras: best picks for rural Australia
- Best Hikvision Cameras for Home Security
- Best Hikvision NVR: Channels & Storage
- Hikvision CCTV Kits: What's in a System
- ColorVu vs AcuSense: Which Do You Need?
- How to Install Hikvision CCTV Yourself (DIY Guide)
- How Much Does a CCTV System Cost in Australia? (2026)
- How to Choose a Security Camera: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Plan your camera coverage
ARC IP Networks is an authorised Hikvision reseller — tell us your property and we will recommend how many cameras and which models you need.
Shop Hikvision cameras →Get adviceCompare the options
Browse the ranges that go with this guide at ARC IP Networks:
- Security camera systems: complete systems from 2 to 16 cameras with a PoE NVR
- Read next: Home security camera system buying guide: 2, 4, 6 or 8 cameras?
Who we are
About ARC IP Networks
ARC IP Networks is an Australian supplier of security cameras and CCTV systems, based in Blackburn, Melbourne, Victoria. We work with homeowners, installers, integrators and businesses across Australia, supplying Hikvision, Ubiquiti UniFi Protect, Dahua and Jovision CCTV.
We are an authorised reseller for every brand we sell, and the national distributor of Jovision in Australia, so you get genuine Australian stock with the full manufacturer's warranty, never grey imports, at competitive prices. Our team can help you choose the right equipment, and trade customers get trade accounts and project pricing on larger jobs.
- Genuine Australian stock with the full manufacturer's warranty
- Competitive prices, price match available
- Trade accounts for installers, integrators and MSPs
- Australia-wide delivery; showroom in Blackburn, Mon–Fri 9–5 (demos by appointment)
Need help choosing?
Tell the ARC IP Networks team what you are trying to achieve and we will recommend the right equipment and quote it as one order.