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🔔 Camera Guide

UniFi Protect camera (G4 / G5 series) — A Plain-English Guide

Published August 2026 · Last verified August 2026

Records at Home, Not the CloudThe cameras record to a box in your own home over a single PoE cable — not a paid cloud.CamerasG4 / G5PoE cableone wireUniFi controller + driverecords at homestoresNo monthly fees — the video stays on your controller's drive.Illustration — a schematic, not to scale. Your setup may differ.
One Cable Does BothPower and video ride the very same network cable — nothing else at the camera.Switch /recorderCameraONE network cablecarries power + videono separate power brickOne network cable carries both power and video — nothing else to plug in at the camera.Illustration — schematic only; your setup will vary.
A closer look at the cable itself: how PoE means one wire, no power brick.

UniFi Protect cameras are wired security cameras that record to a local UniFi Protect-capable controller (Dream Machine Pro/SE, UNVR, or the Cloud Key Gen2 Plus) — NOT to a subscription cloud. No monthly fees.

Bill Davis
Bill's Home Tech · Atwater, Ohio
Want the full deep-dive?
Download the printable UniFi Protect camera guide
PDF · plain English · no ads · made by Bill
Brand
Ubiquiti
Category
Cameras & Doorbells
Helpful App
UniFi Protect (iOS / Android)
Typical Price
$99 (G4 Instant) — $399+ (G5 Pro / AI Bullet)

UniFi Protect cameras are wired security cameras that record to a local UniFi Protect-capable controller (Dream Machine Pro/SE, UNVR, or the Cloud Key Gen2 Plus) — NOT to a subscription cloud. No monthly fees.

What's inside this guide

The printable PDF walks through 22 short chapters, in plain language. It also includes at-a-glance pictures.

  1. What UniFi Protect is, and why I picked it for you
  2. UniFi Protect vs. Ring, Nest, and Arlo
  3. The controller question - where the footage lives
  4. The camera lineup - G4 and G5, doorbell to dome
  5. Power over Ethernet - one cable does both jobs
  6. The cable run - getting Cat6 to the eaves
  7. Where to put a camera - the blind-spot map
  8. Mounting outdoor cameras and the doorbell
  9. Adoption: how the controller takes ownership
  10. Storage and the 1 TB drive math
  11. Recording modes - continuous, motion, hybrid
  12. AI smart detections - person, vehicle, package
  13. The UniFi Protect app and web console
  14. Timeline scrubbing and multi-camera sync
  15. Notifications - what pings you, what doesn't
  16. Activity zones and privacy zones
  17. Family sharing - giving the spouse and kids access
  18. Troubleshooting
  19. Maintenance - the drive replacement every 3-5 years
  20. When to call Bill (and the Ring-to-Protect switch)
  21. Warranty, contact, and your Support Plan
  22. Your camera install - notes from Bill

Get the printable guide

Everything above is a quick summary. The full, printable guide — the same words, laid out to read and keep by the computer — is a free PDF.

Download the printable PDF →

Last verified August 2026. Information accurate as of October 18, 2026.

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✍️ Every guide researched, written, and reviewed by Bill — your local Portage County tech.

Any prices or outside products mentioned in this guide can change over time — the details here were last checked August 2026 and this page is accurate as of October 18, 2026; please confirm current pricing before you buy. See how often we review our guides →