Networked digital security system and methods

A digital security system comprising:

• at least one camera unit for capturing and transmitting frames of video and/or audio signals over a communication network, wherein said camera unit is programmable to perform at least one of the following:
• to transmit a snap shot, streaming video, or an event clip upon detecting a predefined event, to simultaneously transmit a snap shot, streaming video and an event clip or combinations thereof upon detecting a predefined event, and to detect different predefined events based on the time of day, the camera unit includes a network bandwidth controller that adjusts the signal transmission delay of the camera unit as a function of a network collision rate and priority of the camera unit;
• at least one customer server coupled to the camera unit via the communications network;
• at least one customer work station coupled to the customer server via the communications network;
• an administrator server coupled to the at least one customer server via the communications network, wherein the administrator server receives event packets and associated video and/or audio information, and intelligently routes the event packets and information to one or more administrator work stations;
• and
• authentication means at the administrator server for authenticating a customer at the at least one customer work station so as to allow the work station to receive the video and/or audio signals transmitted by the at least one camera unit.