IP camera, sometimes called network Camera, is a type of standalone unit serving as surveillance device which can be controlled and monitored through standard protocol,such as HTTP, FTP and SMTP without computers involved.

There is usually an embedded web server running inside the camera to hanlde http request from open internet so that uses can access the camera through a web browser to monitor and control the camera.

Dividedly by how the camera lens and image processing unit constructed, IP Camera can be classified into 2 types: 

1. Integrated IP Camera, in which the image capture unit, like camera lens, is integrated with image processing unit. Those type ofcamera has only one lens, thus support only one channel.
2. Video server, which only has image processing unit and other units such as image transfer, networking module. There is no video capture unit inside it. Video server usually supports multi video input channels, 2 ,4 and up to 32 channels. The lower end video server support 2 or 4 input channels, however, only one channel can be set to active, thus only this channel can be monitored and responses to motion detection.

Dividedly by how video capture unit connected to video server, the video server can be classidied into 2 categories:

1. Corded camera, in which the camera is connected by cord. Corded camera provides good quality of video or image
2. Cordless camera, in which the camera is connected by radio signal or X10 adaptors.  Cordless is easy to deploy but with low quality of video
   

Dividedly by how IP Camera connected to internet, the IP Camera can be classified into 2 types:

1. Wired Camera, which is connected with a CAT 5 standard network cable through a RJ 45 jacket of ethernet . This type of camera provides most reliable connection and best bandwidth
2. Wireless Camera, which is connected to internet through WiFi, bluetooth or other connecting methods.