Complete Reolink Setup Guide UK 2026

Reolink is the go-to brand for serious UK home CCTV in 2026 — and for good reason. The cameras are affordable, the image quality is excellent, the PoE support is rock solid, and Home Assistant integration works out of the box. But with so many models, a confusing NVR lineup, and PoE switches to factor in, building a Reolink system from scratch can feel overwhelming.

This guide covers everything: which cameras to buy, how to pick an NVR, which PoE switch to pair it with, and how to get the whole lot running in Home Assistant.

Why Reolink?

Before jumping into the setup, it's worth knowing why Reolink dominates the UK home security market right now:

  • Price vs performance — Reolink cameras routinely beat competitors twice the price on image quality
  • PoE-first — most of their range supports Power over Ethernet, meaning one cable for power and data
  • No mandatory subscription — local recording is fully supported with no cloud lock-in
  • Home Assistant integration — native RTSP streams and an official HA integration mean you can fully automate your system
  • UK availability — widely stocked on Amazon UK with fast delivery

Step 1: Choose Your Cameras

The right camera depends on your use case. Here's the Reolink lineup broken down for UK buyers:

Comparison Table: Reolink Cameras UK 2026

Camera Type Resolution FOV PoE Price (UK) Best For
Reolink Fisheye PoE 180° indoor 4K 180° Yes ~£150 Whole-room coverage
Reolink RLC-811A Bullet 4K (8MP) 31°–110° Yes ~£120 Zoomed detail
Reolink RLC-823A PTZ 4K 360° + 5x optical zoom Yes ~£300 Driveway/gate coverage
Reolink Doorbell Video doorbell 4K 160° Yes (via power kit) ~£120 Front door monitoring
Reolink TrackMix Dual-lens 4K + 6x zoom 360° Yes ~£200 Following subjects

Our recommendation: Start with the Reolink Fisheye PoE comparison for indoor monitoring, then add outdoor cameras as needed.

Step 2: Do You Need an NVR?

The NVR question trips up most buyers. Here's the straight answer:

Setup NVR? Best For
1–2 cameras, Home Assistant only No Simple monitoring, motion alerts
3+ cameras, 24/7 recording Yes Proper CCTV with backup
Mix of camera brands Yes Centralised recording
Remote viewing priority Maybe Reolink app works with or without NVR

Which Reolink NVR Should You Buy?

RLN36 (36-channel) — The serious choice for home labs

  • 36 camera inputs (overkill for most homes, but room to grow)
  • No built-in PoE (you need a separate switch)
  • 4 SATA bays for massive storage
  • Read our full Reolink RLN36 NVR breakdown for the full breakdown

RLN8-410 (8-channel) — The practical choice for most homes

  • Built-in 8-port PoE switch
  • 2 SATA bays
  • Enough for most home setups
  • Plug-and-play with Reolink cameras

RLN16-410 (16-channel) — The middle ground

  • Built-in 16-port PoE switch
  • 2 SATA bays
  • Good for larger properties or future expansion

Step 3: Choose Your PoE Switch

If you're going the NVR route (RLN36 or similar), you'll need a PoE switch. Here's what works:

Our Tested PoE Switch Recommendations

Switch Ports PoE Budget Price (UK) Notes
Yuanley 18-port PoE+ 16 PoE + 2 Uplink 250W ~£70 Quiet, reliable, excellent value
GigaPlus 2.5G PoE+ 8 PoE + 2 SFP 120W ~£85 2.5G support, good for high-res streams

Read our breakdowns: Yuanley 18-port switch guide | GigaPlus 2.5G switch guide

Key point: Reolink cameras use ~5–7W each. A 250W switch can handle 16 cameras easily with headroom.

Step 4: Home Assistant Integration

Reolink cameras work brilliantly with Home Assistant. Here's the quick setup:

Method 1: Reolink Integration (Easiest)

  1. Go to Settings → Devices & Services → Add Integration
  2. Search "Reolink"
  3. Enter your camera's IP address
  4. Provide username/password
  5. Done — you get entities for motion detection, AI person/vehicle/pet detection, and camera streams

Method 2: Generic Camera (If integration fails)

  1. Add the Generic Camera integration
  2. Use the RTSP URL: rtsp://[camera-ip]:554/h264Preview_01_main
  3. For substream: rtsp://[camera-ip]:554/h264Preview_01_sub

Motion alerts in Home Assistant: The Reolink integration exposes motion events as binary sensors. You can trigger automations like "When person detected on front camera, send notification to phone."

Step 5: Wiring & Installation Tips

Cable Choice

  • Cat5e — Minimum, fine for 1080p cameras
  • Cat6 — Recommended, better for 4K and future-proofing
  • Cat6a — Overkill for most homes but good for long runs

Maximum Cable Length

  • PoE cameras: up to 100m per cable run (standard Ethernet limit)
  • If your camera is further, add a PoE extender or run power separately

IP Addressing

Put cameras on a dedicated VLAN or subnet if possible. This keeps your CCTV traffic separate from your main network and adds a layer of security.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PoE?

Power over Ethernet (PoE) sends power and data down the same Ethernet cable. It means you only run one cable to each camera — no separate power supply needed.

Is Reolink worth it?

For home CCTV in the UK, yes. Reolink cameras offer excellent image quality, solid build quality, and great value. The lack of forced cloud subscriptions is a big plus over competitors like Ring or Nest.

Does Reolink work without internet?

Yes — local recording to an NVR or SD card works without internet. You'll need internet for remote viewing via the Reolink app, but the cameras continue recording locally if your connection drops.

What's the difference between Reolink NVR and cameras with SD cards?

SD cards in cameras store footage locally per camera. An NVR centralises all footage, offers more storage, and makes playback easier. For 2+ cameras, an NVR is worth it.

Can I use Reolink cameras with other brands?

Yes, if they support ONVIF. The RLN36 NVR supports ONVIF, so you can mix Reolink cameras with Hikvision, Annke, or other brands that follow the standard.

How does Reolink compare to Hikvision?

Reolink is cheaper and simpler; Hikvision has more advanced features and wider compatibility but costs more. Read our full Reolink vs Hikvision UK 2026 comparison for the detailed breakdown.

The Complete Reolink Shopping List

Building from scratch? Here's what we recommend:

Item Product Price
Indoor camera Reolink Fisheye PoE ~£150
NVR Reolink RLN36 ~£200
PoE switch Yuanley 18-port ~£70
Cable Cat6 Ethernet (100m reel) ~£40
Hard drive WD Purple 4TB ~£80

Total: ~£540 for a complete 4K home CCTV system with room to grow.

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Last updated: April 2026. Prices are estimates based on Amazon UK listings. This page contains affiliate links — we earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you.