VIGI
About VIGI.
VIGI is TP-Link’s professional video surveillance line: IP cameras, NVR recorders, PoE switches and accessories for shops, offices, warehouses, car parks and private property.
VIGI cameras use AI detection — they tell a person or a vehicle from a swaying branch or a passing cat, so you stop drowning in false alarms. Line-crossing, intrusion zones, abandoned object and loitering detection cover the scenarios security actually needs, and Smart Search splits the archive into Human, Vehicle and Event files so you find the right moment in seconds instead of hours.
Recording and detection run on your local network with no subscription fee; internet is only needed for remote viewing. Everything is managed free of charge from VIGI Security Manager on a PC or the VIGI app on a phone. We are the official TP-Link partner in Azerbaijan and can help you design a complete camera system for your site.
How to build a CCTV system — VIGI for business sites
Watching a home with one or two cameras and running surveillance on a site are different jobs. A shop, office, warehouse, apartment complex or production hall needs a set: cameras + an NVR recorder + a PoE switch + management software. That is exactly what the VIGI range is built for.
1. Tapo or VIGI?
| Tapo | VIGI | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Flat, house | Business site |
| Camera count | 1–4 | 4–64 and beyond |
| Recording | microSD card | NVR with a hard drive, continuous |
| Power | Mains socket | PoE — one cable carries data and power |
| Management | Tapo app | VIGI Security Manager, VMS, mobile app |
2. How many channels you need
An NVR channel is one camera. The rule: allow headroom above today's camera count — these systems almost always grow. Planning six cameras? Buy an eight-channel recorder; for twelve, a sixteen-channel one. The site carries 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64-channel models: NVR1004H, NVR1008H, NVR1016H, NVR2016H, NVR4016H, NVR4032H, NVR4064H.
The -4P / -8P / -16P suffix means the recorder has its own PoE ports — cameras plug straight into it and no separate switch is needed. For smaller sites that is the tidiest option.
3. Working out drive capacity
A practical planning figure: a 4 MP camera with H.265 compression and moderate activity uses roughly 10 GB a day. So eight cameras × 10 GB × 30 days ≈ 2.4 TB for a month of footage. The figure is an estimate and depends on three things: bitrate, frame rate and how much movement is in the scene. Recording only on motion stretches the archive two to three times. The drive is bought separately for the recorder — depending on the model there are one, two or more bays.
4. PoE budget and cabling
Each camera draws a certain wattage from the PoE switch. The switch's total PoE budget must exceed the sum of all cameras — especially with outdoor cameras that have heaters or spotlights. The VIGI line covers this with the PS20, PS30 and PS90 switches. Cabling is Cat5e/Cat6 with a single run up to 100 metres; anything further needs an intermediate switch or fibre.
5. Ready-made kit or separate parts
The site stocks complete kits (NK4P-T4425-2T, NK8P-B434I, NK8MP-T6425-2T) — recorder, cameras and drive in one box, compatibility guaranteed, installation faster. For a standard site that is the simplest route. If the cameras need to differ (some outdoor, some indoor, one for plate recognition), picking the components separately is the better approach.
6. Management software
There are three ways to watch: VIGI Security Manager on a computer, VIGI VMS for larger deployments, and the VIGI mobile app. All are free with no subscription. The AI features — telling people from vehicles, line crossing, intrusion zones — are explained on the VIGI AI detection page.
More on this in our blog
Frequently asked questions
Can it work without an NVR?
It can — VIGI cameras also record to microSD. But on a site with several cameras the recorder matters: footage is in one place, the archive survives if a camera is damaged, and searching by event is far easier.
Can I watch from my phone?
Yes, through the VIGI mobile app from anywhere — both live view and archive. No static IP is required.
Does recording stop if the internet goes down?
No. The NVR is a local device and keeps recording without internet. Only remote viewing is interrupted.
How many days of footage should be kept?
For most sites 15–30 days is enough. Banks, pharmacies and some sectors may face legal requirements — that has to be checked case by case.
Do you design and install?
Yes. In Baku we survey the site, plan camera positions, calculate channels and storage, run the cabling and install. Get in touch.
Need installation too?
Camera mounting, cabling and app setup — from 40 ₼. Free site visit and quote in Baku, six months warranty on the work.
Camera installation service →