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    What is the difference between PoE IP cameras and analog cameras?

    PoE IP cameras send video and receive power over one Cat6 cable, deliver higher resolution, and support analytics such as line crossing and license plate capture. Analog cameras use coax with separate power and cap out lower. New installations should be IP; existing coax plants can often be reused with HD-over-coax cameras.

    Practical differences

    IP gives you one cable per camera, remote configuration, on-camera analytics and easy expansion. Analog is simpler and cheaper per camera but limits resolution, has no meaningful analytics, and requires separate power runs.

    • Cabling: single Cat6 (IP) vs coax plus power (analog)
    • Resolution: 4MP–12MP typical (IP) vs lower ceilings (analog)
    • Analytics: object detection, line crossing, LPR (IP only in practice)
    • Expansion: add a camera to a switch port vs pull a new coax run

    If you already have coax

    Do not assume a full re-cable. HD-over-coax cameras run high-definition video over your existing runs and can cut the cost of a refresh substantially. We survey the existing plant first and tell you honestly whether it is worth reusing.

    More on Security Cameras

    Last reviewed 2026-08-12 by the InCTRL Technology Team.