How to connect to someone else's camera? Viewing CCTV cameras via the Internet Web cameras with remote access

28.10.2023

The Internet gives us virtually limitless opportunities to communicate and search for information. Using the network and having a webcam, you can provide additional security to your home if you know how to connect to your laptop via the Internet. For this you will definitely need special software.

What you need to connect to a webcam remotely

To monitor your apartment through your laptop’s webcam while you’re away, you need to know the device’s IP, as well as find the right software, which you need to choose based on the functionality of the software you need.

You can quietly connect to the webcam of your PC or laptop via the Internet for different purposes:

If you leave children at home, you want to make sure everything is okay.
If you have hired contractors to carry out turnkey renovations, but want to monitor whether they are doing their job well.
If you want to first see how a housekeeper or children's nanny does her job.
If you just got a dog or cat, so you want to make sure everything is okay with your pet while you are at work.

Note that you can also connect to multiple webcams if needed, such as in a business or production environment. To connect all devices and gain remote access to them, it is best to contact a specialist. It is important that employees are aware of the surveillance, otherwise you may be sued.

Popular programs that provide remote connection to a webcam are DigiCams, Webcam XP PRO and others. In addition, you can use programs that allow you to connect to your webcam from your smartphone. This is convenient if you are away for a long time and just want to keep an eye on your apartment. An example of a utility for working with a webcam from a smartphone is GPPRemoteViewer.

Ivideon Server

Ivideon Server is a cloud video surveillance server that allows you to organize a secure video surveillance system of any scale. This software will allow you to both manage shooting from a webcam at home, in order, for example, to monitor your pet, and set up work with a network of webcams in large retail chains, etc.

We connect to the camera using Ivideon Server, using step-by-step instructions and useful tips:

Install the program.
In the video device properties, select “Stop broadcast” to configure the detectors.
Set the parameters of sound and motion detectors, set a “dead” zone in which movement will not be recorded by the camera (if necessary).

The higher the sensitivity of the detectors, the more clearly the camera will respond to any movements. If you set the sensitivity to high, the detectors will even respond to the movement of curtains, but with minimum sensitivity, the sensor will only work if there is a person in the room.

Ivideon Server allows you to flexibly configure the recording schedule. For example, using the software, you can turn on the camera at a clearly designated time, shoot every day at a certain time, or start recording only when the detectors are triggered.

In the settings, you can set the parameters so that Ivideon Server is turned on, even if you have not yet logged into the software. To do this, select the “Install as a service” option when you install the program. The utility itself will find the camera and microphone and prompt you to start using them.

After all the settings, you will be able to watch videos via the Internet in your personal account, and neither the server nor the Ivideon Server developers will have access to your personal videos unless you make them public. You can also watch video from a webcam from a smartphone; to do this, you need to download an additional utility directly from the Ivideon website.

Helpful advice! Never open emails with suspicious attachments or click on unverified links, because in this case, a webcam tracking program may be unnoticed on your PC. Also, select a suitable antivirus to immediately remove such programs.

You can choose any software that is suitable for its functionality to connect to your laptop and monitor your home in your absence. To do this, you only need Internet access and proven applications that you can use safely.

And so the task is to organize a remote connection to a webcam via the Internet installed near the computer. If there is only one camera, aimed at a specific place that needs to be monitored, then a regular webcam will do. If you need to monitor several places at the same time, then it is better to purchase IP cameras that connect either via twisted pair cable or wi-fi. IP cameras have their own IP address, through which you can access this camera simply by entering it in the browser line, but for this you must have your own static IP address, which you purchase from your provider; the service is not expensive. There are other solutions for obtaining a static IP address, you can read

We will consider the option of connecting a regular webcam without obtaining a static IP address. This can be organized using the convenient service ivideon.com. Services are provided free of charge, only the free plan is limited to 2 cameras per account.

You need to register on the site
Then download the application to your computer. Available for Windows Linux and MAC. Install app.
Launch the application on your computer.
Then go to the ivideon.com website from any computer and go to your personal account to view the recordings. The recordings are saved to the cloud server of this service, which can then be downloaded to your PC or even shared publicly.

1. Registering on the site is very simple, standard procedure. Then you will receive an email asking you to confirm your registration.

Enter the email you used during registration and select the camera location.

Then the program itself will detect your camera. If it doesn't find it, add it manually.

3. Next, the program starts automatically and starts recording whenever motion is detected in the camera’s field of view. In the camera settings, you can schedule the camera to turn on or leave it as default, recording when motion is detected.

The settings are opened by right-clicking on the camera and then select settings in the context menu.

By clicking on the edit button, a window for editing the schedule for turning on the camera opens, which is intuitive, you don’t even need to explain how to do it; you’ll figure it out yourself; in general, the settings are all very simple, even a schoolboy can figure it out =)

4. Then you need to start Ivideon Server, that is, click the start button. Open the website ru.ivideon.com and there, in the “my cameras” section, an image from your camera will appear.

5. You can also download and install the application on your adnroid or iOS phone. And receive notifications on your phone when the camera is turned on or motion is detected.

You can also set up a schedule so that notifications arrive strictly at a specific time. Or turn off notifications altogether.

The entire history of turning on the video surveillance recording can be viewed on the website by clicking on the camera image; below there will be a time line with marks about turning on the recording.

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Today we will talk about how to independently connect to the webcam of another computer via the Internet. We will also consider methods and programs for remotely connecting to webcams of PCs, laptops, tablets and phones

Advanced users also suggest the following option: install a terminal server on the computer with the camera (to spy on it unnoticed, i.e. if someone is working on the computer so that they don’t get kicked out), connect the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and use any program that works with the camera. An indicative list of programs is available on web-kamera.ru. However, no one bears responsibility for the possible maliciousness of the programs. Therefore, be vigilant, check sites on the online service trustvset.rf and do not neglect antiviruses.

A way to secretly monitor the situation through someone else's webcam is using Skype. Create a new account in the program, add this contact to your list on Skype. On the computer to which the camera is connected, log into Skype under this account, in the video settings, in the “Automatically receive video and share the screen for” field, select “only people from my contact list.”

To make it more convenient for you to watch videos from your tablet, phone, laptop or other computer, you can download the application. To do this, either add to your wishlist and install the Ivideon application, as shown in the screenshot, or exit the gadget to “google play” and find it through the search bar.

The Internet portal ru.ivideon.com optimally implements the ability to remotely connect from any device to web cameras, IP cameras and analog cameras. On the “Tariffs” tab, you can familiarize yourself with the characteristics of possible options for connecting to the service and select the appropriate one.

To register on the site, you only need your email address: enter it in the “Your email” field, create a password and click “Register”.

Video instructions for connecting to someone else's WEB camera:

YouTube Video

Click on the “Add camera or DVR” button, select the appropriate type of camera to connect, read the instructions in the next step and click “Continue”. Now you need to download and install the program on the computer to which the camera is connected; to do this, select your operating system. The standard installation will begin, just select your language and follow the installation wizard instructions
The setup wizard will start automatically. Click “Next”, then enter your e-mail that you specified during registration and select the camera location from the list. This formality is created for your convenience (if the list of cameras is large, these groups will be easier to navigate).

Make sure your camera is connected and working properly, click “Next”. If active cameras are detected, you will see a list of them, otherwise try to “reconnect” the working camera again and click “Repeat search”, if everything went well - “Next”. If you want the video to be saved in the archive, check the “Include in archive recording” checkbox; if you are only interested in online broadcasting of images from cameras, uncheck it. To prevent the program from starting automatically when you turn on the computer, uncheck “Start Ivideon Server when the OS starts,” and then click “Finish.”

If the “Log in to your Personal Account” checkbox remains active (by default), your page on the website ru.ivideon.com will automatically open in the browser. In the list on the right, select the active camera, marked in green, and you will immediately see the live broadcast.

iSpy is an updated version of a specialized tool that is very lightweight and not difficult to use, its main purpose is to monitor premises, for these tasks either web cameras or a regular microphone are used, or you can do all of them at once and second. The idea is simple, you connect the camera to your computer, launch the development, it instantly intercepts the image from it and displays it on the monitor, any movement in the camera’s field of action will be recorded on the hard drive, after which you can familiarize yourself with the recordings.

In addition, iSpy allows you to view live (real-time) or stored videos via the Internet or mobile devices. All data is compressed and saved in flash video format. It is possible to work on several computers simultaneously, as well as control the program remotely, protect it with a password, create groups or join existing groups (on the developer’s website) and give group members access to your web cameras and microphones

How to independently connect to a remote webcam via the Internet on other computers, video surveillance systems and smartphones. Methods and programs for remotely controlling webcams on a network and viewing through a remote someone else’s webcam. Sometimes users of personal computers of various classes may need to remotely connect to a webcam. The reason for this may be the desire to observe a certain point where the camera is installed and, accordingly, be aware of what is happening there.

You will need

Personal computer, webcam

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First of all, in order to connect to the webcam and view videos or photos, you need to create a local network connection. To do this you need to have a switch, i.e. a special network switch that allows you to create several connections at once, and at least two Ethernet cables. After this, connect all devices using Ethernet cables.

Now, using the installation program that is usually included in the initial package, determine the IP address for the camera. You will enter it into the address bar of your browser or other program. It is best to create a static IP address, as it is much more convenient for work. Then you need to open an Internet browser and type the IP address in the address bar. If you are using a modern browser, then no software will be downloaded, as it necessarily supports video streams.

This is how you connect a webcam to a computer, but if you want to connect to a camera located at a very long distance, then for this you need special programs, for example, WebCam Monitor 4.20 or Webcam Surveyor 1.7.0, in which you also need indicate the IP address and some other data. The process of setting up programs of this kind is extremely simple, since you only have to answer questions. But, despite their simplicity, they offer many important advantages, since you will be able to detect illegal entry into your home or other troubles in time. As you can see, connecting remotely to a webcam is not so difficult, and thanks to this you can always be aware of what is happening in the observed area.

To observe events taking place in a certain place, you need to have a camera installed there, connected to the Internet and a personal computer from which you can control it. By connecting to it, you will see everything that happens in real time.

You will need

Network switch.

Create a local network connection to connect to the remote camera. To do this, you will need a special network switch. It is needed in order to create several connections at once. Take two Ethernet cables and connect all your devices.

Use the installation program. As a rule, it is included in the basic package. If not, then download it from the Internet and install it on your personal computer. Using this program, determine the IP address of the remote camera. Subsequently, you will enter it into the address bar of your browser or any other program convenient for you.

Create a static IP address so that you can turn on the camera remotely later without any problems. Open your browser. Enter the IP address of the camera in the address bar. Use modern browsers that support video streaming to avoid the need for additional software. .

Use special programs if you want to connect to a camera located at a fairly large distance from you. To use a remote camera, install WebCam Monitor 4.20 or WebCam Survevor 1.7.0 on your personal computer. Using this program, specify the IP address of the camera you are interested in. What follows is a fairly simple setup procedure. You will only need to answer the questions that the program will ask.

The function of viewing a webcam via the Internet will help you always be aware of events both at home and at work. Remote online viewing will allow you not to worry about the baby, check the child’s perseverance while completing school assignments, and monitor the work activities of employees. Using a remote access program, you can always check whether your household is safe, their well-being, and the nuances of how your family spends time during rest or work. Of course, your employees should be notified about the possibility of monitoring.

Setting up a function in the remote access program

To be able to view webcams over the Internet, you need to connect the program to your account in the settings. Click the "Settings" button in the main program window, then select "View via Internet" and enter your NeoSpy account login and password. Connecting the program to an Internet account is similar to that described in the article “Viewing the screen via the Internet”. No additional configuration required.

Viewing pictures via the Internet

To view the camera remotely via the Internet, go to https://ru.neospy.net and log in to your account.

After this, you should open the “Your computers” menu and click on the selected computer. In the "Image sources" field, select your webcam or the "default webcam" item. After that, click the "Connect" button.

Do not forget that when using a webcam as a source of images for a remote access program, it will become unavailable for other user programs (for example, Skype) for the duration of shooting.

If your computer is already turned off or you want to view your photo history for the day, click

“View history”, then after selecting the required date and time for generating the report, click on the “View actions” link.

As a result, a report viewing window will open, in which you can go to the “Webcams” tab and view images for the desired period.

Enabling local saving of photos

Sometimes you need to save pictures to your local computer instead of viewing them over the Internet.

Let's take a closer look at how you can enable saving pictures from webcams to your local computer, in addition to Internet viewing.

The first method is if you have access to a PC

The standard method of activating a webcam setup through the NeoSpy program is described in detail in the article “Tracking via a webcam”.

The second way to set up is through an online account

To set up viewing webcams via the Internet, you need to log into your Internet account on the official website and go to the “Your computers” page

Then, click on the desired computer in order to see full information

To configure the function, click on the “Manage program settings” link. After this, the settings page will open (Fig. 3) on which you will be prompted to obtain program settings. Please note that in order for all changes to take effect and you to be able to open the program, you must have administrator rights.

After clicking on the “Get program settings” button, you should wait (from 10 to 30 seconds). During this time, the remote access program will download the settings. In this case, you should take into account 2 mandatory nuances: first, on the “Your Computers” web page, the required computer must have the data collection function activated (by default, the function is enabled), second, the NeoSpy spyware program must be launched in hidden mode. As a result, the settings will be loaded as text commands

In our case, the required line of code responsible for the function of viewing webcams via the Internet: “...WebCam=1;...”. The line is located in the (Tracking Settings) section. In this case, the program saves pictures from the webcam, but if the value is “...WebCam=0;...”, the pictures are not saved. The designation and functionality of the remaining lines can be studied by clicking on the link and reading the article “Remote installation of a spy”. After any changes, do not forget to save them by clicking on the “Apply settings” button located at the bottom of the website. s.

If the installed program is not Russified, download the Russifier, or use a translator to correctly configure the software. After this, you will be able to use the remote webcam, if this use is legal and the administrator of the computer to which this camera is connected will grant you the appropriate rights.

The setup wizard will start automatically. Click “Next”, then enter your e-mail that you specified during registration and select the camera location from the list. This formality is created for your convenience (if the list of cameras is large, these groups will be easier to navigate). Make sure your camera is connected and working properly, click “Next”. If active cameras are detected, you will see a list of them, otherwise try to “reconnect” the working camera again and click “Repeat search”, if everything went well - “Next”. If you want the video to be saved in the archive, check the “Include in archive recording” checkbox; if you are only interested in online broadcasting of images from cameras, uncheck it. To prevent the program from starting automatically when you turn on the computer, uncheck “Start Ivideon Server when the OS starts,” and then click “Finish.”

The second way to monitor the situation is using Skype. Create a new account in the program, add this contact to your list on Skype. On the computer to which the camera is connected, log into Skype under this account, in the video settings, in the “Automatically receive video and share the screen for” field, select “only people from my contact list.” Power supply for IP video cameras can be organized as follows: using separately installed power supplies, and using video cameras that support the PoE standard.

Network equipment that supplies power to video cameras using the PoE standard is divided into classes based on the amount of power supplied (Table 3).

To increase the length of the interval from the IP video camera to the switch, PoE injectors are used.

PoE injectors are designed to power IP video cameras via a standard UTP Cat.5e or 6 cable at speeds of no more than 10/100 Mbit/s. Gigabit networks do not have the ability to use PoE power mode.

NETWORK HARDWARE

Network equipment - devices that make up a network that combines information flows from IP video cameras.

There are two types of network equipment:

■ Active network equipment - equipment that is capable of processing or converting information transmitted over the network. Such equipment includes network cards, switches, routers.

■ Passive network equipment - equipment used to transmit signals at the physical level. These are network cables, connectors, repeaters and signal amplifiers. The main elements of active equipment used to build a network are switches and routers.

❖ SWITCH

One of the important characteristics of a switch is the number of ports. This determines how many network devices can be connected to it.

To determine what maximum speed a single switch port can provide, you need to find the “switch fabric bandwidth” parameter, say 32 Gbps, and divide it by the number of ports (16) multiplied by 2. For example: 32 / (2 x 16 ) = 1 Gbit/s.

Now in the menu on the left, activate the “Calls” item, click on the “Open additional settings” button located in the window on the right. In the “Receive calls” field, select “only from my contacts” and check the remaining boxes so that the video broadcast will automatically start as soon as you call your additional account. Advanced users also suggest the following option: install a terminal server on the computer with the camera (to peep unnoticed, i.e. if someone is working on the computer, so as not to be “thrown out”), connect the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and use any program that works with the camera. .

The simplest option for using “IP Webcam” from a computer is as follows: launch the browser and enter the IP address and port of the device in the address field. For example, on my home Wi-Fi network, the link looked like this: “http://192.168.4.6:8080/”, where 192.168.4.6 is the phone’s IP address, displayed on the display of the mobile device after starting the broadcast.

There are several possible ways to watch the broadcast. The simplest is to use a computer browser. While testing the application on my computer, it turned out that allowing the JAVA plugin to run was sufficient. Moreover, in the future you can allow the launch of this plugin without additional requests. If the plugin is missing, you can download it from the hyperlink displayed on the “Smartphone Camera Service” page. It also contains the settings necessary for watching video and listening to audio in any third-party application. The resulting network topology is presented in Figure 8. We see that with an estimated load created by video cameras on one port of 8.14 Mbit/s, the actual scheme allowed us to get exactly the same flow on one port - 8.14 Mbit/s.

In the considered example, ports for connecting servers, NAS drives and workstations of video surveillance post employees were not taken into account.

DEVELOPMENT OF PHYSICAL NETWORK TOPOLOGY

The physical topology of the network is strictly connected with the installation locations of video cameras and the routes for laying cable communications to the server room or monitor security post. In this regard, the physical topology of the network begins to be designed using a floor plan or a site plan, where the installation locations of video cameras are indicated.

The main problems that arise in the process of developing a physical topology are the following:

■ The length from the camera to the switch exceeds the permissible distances of 80-100 meters.

■ PoE is limited over long distances or the network does not support PoE.

If the length from the camera to the switch is more than 80-100 meters, first of all, you need to try to group the cameras according to the principle of the minimum distance to the active equipment locations or move the active equipment to another place, closer to the video cameras.

If it is impossible to solve the problem in this way, you need to use special devices that allow you to increase the distance from the camera to the active equipment. Depending on the distance over which you want to increase the signal transmission, you can use fiber optic cable inserts and RF shielded cable inserts.

One of the viewing options is to use a video player that supports video streaming, for example, the free VLC player recommended by the authors. Moreover, everything is quite automated - when you click on the “view in external player” hyperlink, an m3u file will be downloaded to your computer, which can simply be opened with the player.

To connect an IP camera to Skype or other applications that work with web cameras, you will need to install the appropriate drivers on your computer. This operation is described in sufficient detail on the “Connect to a Windows computer for use with video chats” page (the link to it is on the “Smartphone Camera Service” start page). I would like to note that everything actually works quite correctly, but for compatibility with Skype 5.x I had to install the “IP Camera Adapter”. Also, using the appropriate links in the web interface, you can take a full-size photo and upload the current video frame as a picture. An interesting feature of “tinyCam Monitor” is viewing pictures from random public cameras. And it is convenient enough to evaluate the capabilities of the application. To configure the web cameras used, click the “Settings” button. Cameras" in the main program dialog box and select the desired camera. To change camera settings, press the button with a pencil icon located next to its name. Using “tinyCam Monitor” you can view both cameras with open access and those that require authorization using a login and password.

In the settings for recording images from the camera (available in the paid version) to a memory card, ftp or cloud services, you can set the frame rate and limit the maximum amount of space occupied (for an SD card). Another useful feature of the pro version is the ability to scan cameras available on the network. Recommendations for setting up “tinyCam Monitor” for using a software web camera created using “IP Webcam” are given on the start page of the web interface of the software camera. Consider an example of building an information network topology for 49 IP video cameras with a frame size of 1920x1080:

■ Set the frame rate and codecs used for each camera. Frame rate - 24 fps. Codec - H.264. We will assume that the selected parameters are the same for all cameras.

■ From Table 1 we find that for the given parameters the flow rate from one camera is 6.51 Mbit/s.

■ The total stream from 49 video cameras is 49 x 6.51 = 318.99 Mbit/s. Taking into account a 25% margin for unforeseen changes in traffic intensity in front of the video cameras, the total flow is 318.99 x 1.25 = 398.74 Mbit/s.

■ The switch port to which the video camera is connected must provide a flow rate of at least 398.74 Mbit/s / 49 = 8.14 Mbit/s.

■ We build the network on twisted pair cable UTP Cat.6 with a maximum speed of 1000 Mbit/s. Taking into account 80% of the network load from the maximum value, the permissible flow is 1000 Mbit/s 0.8 = 800 Mbit/s. The total stream from all cameras (398.74 Mbps) does not exceed the maximum speed in the UTP Cat.6 cable (800 Mbps). Consequently, the video surveillance system will operate on one physical network without creating additional subnets.

What is important is that the Ivideon service is free for personal use, and the minimum configuration required to work with it is a computer with Internet access, the Ivideon Server application installed and a web camera connected to it. Moreover, the service developers offer branded IP cameras, where Ivideon support is integrated into the software. The free version of the service is limited to 1 video server “Ivideon Server” with two connected cameras or 1 IP camera. A static external IP address is not required to use the service.

Registration with Ivideon is quite simple - just enter your email address and enter the desired password to access your personal account. After registration, the required instance of “Ivideon Server” (or an IP camera that supports the service) is “linked” to your personal account. At this point, the setup is complete and you can proceed to viewing the recording, and even the archive is recorded on the Ivideon servers.

The scope of mobile Internet use is becoming wider. At the dawn of the era of mobile Internet access, its capabilities were limited to working with email and wap sites, and the ability to view regular HTML sites from a mobile device seemed like a real breakthrough. Over the past time, the Internet on mobile devices has become faster and more accessible, so now you won’t surprise anyone with Internet radio or an online cinema with a huge catalog of legal videos.

The popularization of the use of mobile devices to work with IP cameras or in their role is not at all surprising - with a fast Internet channel (we are still talking, most often, about Wi-Fi), organizing a video broadcast from a mobile device is quite simple. However, as well as making a smartphone or tablet part of a video surveillance system that allows you to view what is happening in your home, country house or office from anywhere in the world. And it's really convenient. And as 4G networks develop, the popularity of this use of smartphones will only grow.

It all started in one of the computer laboratories in Cambridge back in the early 90s of the last century, when the Global Wide Web was just beginning its victorious march across the planet. A group of scientists, about 15-20 people, worked on a project in the field of network technologies. The working conditions were spartan - there was only one coffee maker for the entire team, which could not meet the needs of the entire team. The main work was carried out in the laboratory; the staff lived in the same building, but in a different part of it. To spur their thinking process with a cup of invigorating drink, participants in the scientific project were forced to frequently visit the corridor located on the floor above, where the coffee maker was located. Often such trips failed, since some colleagues had already managed to empty the coveted container. The situation required a non-standard solution, and it was found.

One of the computers in the laboratory had a frame grabber. A camera was connected to it, which was aimed at the object of observation. The same computer played the role of an IP server using specially written software. Those who wanted to know whether there was coffee had to run client software on their computer that connected to the server. As a result, a black and white image was displayed on the remote computer in a small window, updated three times a minute. A note about this interesting complex was published in Comm-Week magazine on January 27, 1992. Not much time has passed since the first prototypes of IP cameras appeared, but they have already turned into a fully formed, separate class of devices that make everyday life easier, more convenient and more fun.

How does an IP camera work?

It consists primarily of a sensor.
Very often, instead of standard CCD matrices, cheaper CMOS sensors are used for video surveillance. Although they have lower sensitivity and not very good color rendition, their use can greatly reduce the cost of the device, since these sensors are “all in one chip” with digital data output.
Next: the network camera includes a microprocessor for video compression and motion detection (or simply a compressor chip). The most popular is JPEG, as it is the simplest and cheapest; MPEG4 is also used quite often, MPEG2 is the rarest and most expensive. With the expiration of the arithmetic encoding patent, WaveLet gains popularity. Finally, the network camera includes a 10/100 Mbps network controller.

Design and principle of operation of the IP camera:

A modern IP camera is a digital device that captures video, digitizes, compresses and transmits video images over a computer network. Therefore, the IP camera includes the following components:
- CCD matrix
- lens
- optical filter
- video capture card
- video compression unit
- central processor and built-in IP server
- RAM
- flash memory
- network interface
- serial ports
- alarm inputs/outputs
As a photodetector, most IP cameras use a CCD matrix (CCD - charge-coupled device) - a rectangular light-sensitive semiconductor plate with an aspect ratio of 3: 4, which converts the light incident on it into an electrical signal. The CCD matrix consists of a large number of photosensitive cells. In order to increase the light sensitivity of a CCD matrix, a structure is often formed that creates a microlens in front of each of the cells. The technical parameters of an IP camera usually indicate the format of the CCD matrix (diagonal length of the matrix in inches), the number of effective pixels, scanning type (interlaced or interlaced) and sensitivity. A typical IP camera contains a lens, an optical filter, a CCD sensor, digital image processing circuitry, image compression circuitry, and an IP server for connecting to the network. Each network video camera has its own IP address, computing functions, and built-in software, allowing it to function as an IP server, FTP server, FTP client and e-mail client. Most modern network cameras also include many other attractive features such as motion detection, alarm input/output and e-mail support.

Advantages of a network (IP) camera over a PC-based camera

With a built-in IP server, the network camera does not need a direct connection to a computer or any other hardware or software to transmit the captured image over the network. T

Network camera

PC based camera

Flexibility

By placing the camera anywhere, you can connect it to the network using a modem, cell phone, or wireless adapter.

The attached PC camera must be within 3 meters of the computer.

Functionality

All video is quickly transmitted over the network without any delays or additional equipment.

In addition to the camera, you always need a computer and software.

Installation

You set only the IP address and the camera is ready to work

Installing drivers and software on a PC is complicated.

Easy to use

You can manage and view images using a standard IP browser on any PC.

You will need certain software and you will not have the ability to administer remotely.

Stability

The camera works without any additional components, giving greater stability.

In addition to the camera, its stability also depends on the stability of the computer and software.

Quality

High quality when using MJPEG.

The components used are not of high quality, hence the low resolution.

Price

The cost of a network camera is only the cost of a network camera.

Cost of solution = Total cost of camera + computer + software.

How to connect an IP camera over a local network.

You will need the following components: a computer, a switch, a network camera and an Ethernet local network. There are also wireless options

Example of organizing video surveillance in an Office behind the front door

Step 1: Identify your needs

Do you only want to use the camera indoors? Or for outdoor use?

Do you want a fixed-angle camera or a variable-angle camera that allows you to pan, tilt or zoom remotely?

Will you need additional options, such as motion detection, alarm notification, camera power via Ethernet, audio?

Do you want to simply observe or also record what is happening?

Do you need to protect your camera from external influences?

Determine how many cameras you will need for your needs.

Step 2: System Requirements

If your building does not yet have a local network installed, which allows you to simply connect the network camera to the network output, then you will need the following equipment:

A switch that will serve as the central connection point between your network camera and your local computer

At least two Ethernet cables: one to connect your network camera to the switch and another to connect the local switch to your computer.

Step 3: Installation.

Connect all devices to each other via a switcher

Step 4: Assign an IP address to the network camera.

You must assign an IP address to your network camera so that you can access it through an IP browser on your local computer. You can choose between automatic and static IP address. A static IP address is recommended because you won't have to look up the camera's IP address every time.

To set the IP address of the network camera. You can use the software that is on the CD that comes with the product, or can be downloaded from the manufacturer's website or using the IP address protocol or ping utility. In any case, you will find all the information in the installation manual for the network camera.

Step 5: Finish the network camera installation.

Once the IP address has been assigned, you can open the IP browser on your local computer and enter the IP address of the network camera in the address field. For new visitors using the Internet Explorer IP browser, the browser will ask if you want to download the camera software. This program is required in order to watch live video from a video server or video camera. It also provides control of MPEG-2, MPEG-4 formats, audio streams, motion detection and pan/tilt/zoom in the browser window. (Other IP browsers may have native support for video streaming and do not require additional components to be installed.)

Click the "Yes" button to install the program

How to access an IP camera over the Internet

Example: After you have already received an image from an IP camera on your computer, you decide that it would be nice to be able to access the camera wherever there is Internet. For example, as a store owner, you want to control the activities in the store from your home, instead of having to be present every minute at the workplace

Step 1: System Requirements

Scenario A)

If your building (where the camera should be located) is already connected via Ethernet to an ISP (Internet Service Provider), simply set up an account, plug the network camera into the switch via the network output, and you should have a dynamically assigned public IP for the network camera -address. Follow the installation commands for the network camera. Special software or utility for the IP camera will be useful in identifying the IP address.

Since the assigned IP address may be changed by your ISP (due to the limited supply of IP addresses shared among its clients), see Step 4 below for how you can assign cameras to a specific IP address.

Scenario B)

If your building is not equipped with Ethernet access, then in most cases you may need the following devices:

Broadband modem for connecting asymmetrical digital subscriber line (usually supplied by your Internet service provider) or cable television

Broadband Router, which may also be called an Internet Gateway, (A Broadband Router allows local network users to share a single Internet connection. It also serves as an interface between the Internet, the ISP and the Local Network.)

A switch that allows different devices on the network to communicate directly with each other and allows devices on the local network to have separate IP addresses),

NOTE: Most broadband routers have a built-in SWITCHER function, so no separate hardware is required

Network camera

Local computer

Computer for remote monitoring

Step 2: Assign an IP address to your camera p.

Since a broadband router typically assigns automatic, local IP addresses to devices on the local network, such IP addresses are subject to change. A static (permanent) IP address is recommended for the network camera. To assign a static IP address, find out the router's IP address range, which, for example, could be from 192.168.0.2 to 192.168.0.35. If you choose to use an out-of-range IP address, such as 192.168.0.100, as a static IP address for the camera, it is likely that you will not risk your device conflicting with other devices that receive automatic addresses.

Setting the IP address for your camera can be done in three different ways, as indicated in the camera manual. Once the IP address is assigned, set the subnet, and gateway (this information can be obtained from the router), and configure the camera settings: password, registered users to ensure access restrictions to the camera.

Step 3: Port Forwarding

The broadband router, as mentioned earlier, provides the interface between the Internet, the ISP and the Local Network. The router obtains an external IP address from the Internet service provider and supplies internal (local) IP addresses to devices on the local network.

To access a network camera that resides on a local network, you must identify the external IP address of your router (see your router's manual), and configure your router so that the external IP address is directed to the static, local IP address of the network camera . This process is called opening a port; that is, when you type the router's external IP address from any network computer, the Internet locates your router, in turn forwarding your request to the local IP address that is assigned to the network camera.

Launch an IP browser and log into the router's built-in IP pages via Login to Router Configuration Pages.

Find the menu item "port forwarding" (or similar), with a table approximately as shown below:

Service name

Start port

End port

Server IP address

Not configured

HTTP (Network)

Since the camera sends its video over HTTP, you must configure the HTTP service like this:

Service name

Start port

End port

Server IP address

Not configured

HTTP (Network)

Unofficial port

192.168.0.10x

Save the configuration to the router and exit the configuration pages. The configuration is complete. Any requests reaching the router's external IP address on port 80 will now be sent to the camera's IP address: 192.168.0.100.

If you want to make more than one network camera accessible via the Internet, then you must use additional (unofficial) router ports, such as 80xx, and associate them with the network address of the IP camera.

Step 4: What can you do if your ISP frequently changes Dfi external IP address

Create an account in the DNS service that serves and registers domain names (for example www.nic.ru, etc.) and bind it to an external IP address. A domain name, such as www.IP-kamera.ru, is clear to the user, easy to remember, and you can assign each domain its own network device, i.e. its IP address. Whenever the router's IP address changes, it will be automatically registered by the DNS service to update your IP address so that you can access your network camera using the same address. With

Most broadband routers have native DNS support, such as www.dyndns.org.

Another alternative: You can buy or rent a static external IP address from your Internet service provider.

How to build a security system using IP cameras.

An effective way to expand security systems in a building, factory, hospital or university campus is to use existing infrastructure:

During the day, guards watch a monitor in the control room

At night and on weekends, monitoring can be performed remotely at a central monitoring station serving several companies

Built-in motion detector can trigger an alarm and start recording the alarm event

In the event of an alarm, the security manager can view the images on the computer closest to him or remotely via an Internet connection.

The images may be stored on a computer at the enterprise or on the server of the Internet service provider (ISP). Storing images in remote locations eliminates the risk of an attacker destroying evidence of crimes.

The cameras can also send images automatically to the host computer, or the host computer itself can retrieve images from the cameras. If your host computer is running Windows, you can use special software designed for network cameras. The program can display a picture in real time or work with archives. When the storage period for video images reaches, for example, two weeks, the program automatically erases them.

tinyCam Monitor

In addition to turning your smartphone into an IP camera, it can also be used to view images from existing cameras. In particular, the developers of the “IP Webcam” discussed above suggest using the “tinyCam Monitor” program, which exists in free and paid (about 125 rubles) versions. The functionality of this application includes:
Support for M-JPEG IP cameras/video servers and webcams from all well-known manufacturers, incl. Axis, FOSCAM, D-Link, Edimax, Panasonic, Pixord, TRENDnet, Mobotix, Vivotek, Beward. The full list is available on the official website;
Supports viewing up to 4 cameras simultaneously (16 maximum);
3 types of multi-screens;
Sequential mode;
The function of exchanging settings by email and importing/exporting them to a memory card or Dropbox;
Pan/Tilt/Zoom camera control;
Digital image enlargement;
Saving pictures to SD card.

Available in the paid pro version:
Additional multi-screens;
Loop video recording to SD/FTP/Dropbox;

Unlimited number of devices;
Sound (for devices from some manufacturers);
Search for cameras on the local network;
SSL support (https protocol);
Motion detection support (for some manufacturers);
Technical support for developers.

Remote viewing of CCTV cameras via the Internet.

Modern communication technologies allow a lot and bring into our lives such pleasant and useful opportunities as remote viewing of video cameras via the Internet. As a result of installing the system or minor modification of the existing video surveillance system, you can view the image from video cameras installed at work, at home or at the dacha in real time from almost anywhere in the world where the Internet is present - via a laptop, tablet or smartphone.

Simply put, the Internet is used instead of the wire that connects you to your system.

In this article p Let's look at how it works and how to independently organize remote viewing of your video cameras.

What is needed for this?

1. First of all, you need it yourself.

The system must have a LAN port and/or a USB connector supporting USB modems.

If the system is assembled on a video server (computer), then, as a rule, the software supports remote viewing, but it all depends on the specific software.

2. Needs to be organized Internet access where the video surveillance system is installed and preferably at good speed. We recommend an Internet channel bandwidth for video surveillance of at least 1 Mbit/s. It is also advisable that the Internet service provider (ISP) provide you with a fixed (static) IP address. Typically this is additionalservice, but it simplifies device setup and connection reliability.

About IP address:

If the subscriber’s IP address is not fixed, but floating (dynamic), then set up a video surveillance viewing and management program, incl. and transferring pictures to the owner is very, very problematic, even if the server (DVR) of the system has the DDNS function (which is popularly called a “web face”).

Finding out whether your IP address is fixed is not difficult: in the search bar of your browser, type “find out IP address” and go to the site based on the search results. You will be shown your current IP address, for example: 188.168.25.125 - write it down. Then you need to disconnect the Internet, connect it again (you can turn off and turn on the router) and determine your IP address again. If the address remains the same, then it is fixed.

If you plan to use a USB modem similar to a flash drive, then the default IP address of such a connection will be floating (dynamic). In this case, providers (mobile operators) can provide a fixed IP address as an additional service, but you need to find out about this in advance, because Modems are sold firmware for a specific mobile network, and then changing the operator without replacing the modem will be problematic. Besides,

3. When working with most DVRs, as well as to use the Internet not only for remote viewing but also directly for its intended purpose, it is necessary presence of a router.

A router is a device that organizes a local network at your site and is configured in such a way that, when requested from the Internet using certain (configured) parameters and a password, it connects the remote device to the DVR.

4. On the device from which you are going to view video cameras, you must install the appropriate software. It usually comes on a CD with the DVR. You can also download it on the Internet.

In the city, organizing remote access via the Internet is relatively simple: as a rule, there is already access to it. But it is quite problematic to extend the cable to the dacha, and it is quite easy to damage the extended wires. In fact, the only way to organize video surveillance via the Internet for a dacha is a 3G/4G modem or other mobile (terrestrial) Internet. However, such systems, to put it mildly, do not suffer from excess throughput regardless of any declared characteristics. And no provider will give it guarantees: the air is dependent on the weather, interference, conditions for the passage of radio waves. However, such systems are also functional, although less reliable.

Setting up the router.

So, first of all, in order for you to have access to the video surveillance system via remote access, you need to configure the router correctly. Let's consider the most common connection method: Internet - router - DVR.

To provide network access to your recorder, you need to correctly forward the ports from the router to the recorder. Only one IP address is visible on the Internet - this is the external IP address of the router, which does not depend on the number of devices connected to it. And since the request from the external network goes first to the router, and then to the registrar, you need to tell the router which internal (local) IP address and which port (HTTP port number) to redirect the request to.

Of all the actions, the most difficult for those uninitiated in the intricacies of computer networks is setting up a router. Moreover, the actions for routers from different manufacturers may differ. Below are examples for common routers:

The articles linked above describe the port forwarding process in general. When setting up a router yourself, you will need to specify the IP address of your DVR on the local network and the corresponding port number through which the DVR will transmit the video stream (usually port 34599). You can find out this data from the DVR settings, or set the values you need yourself.

Setting up a smartphone or tablet

The final stage is to install the program on the device from which you are going to view cameras.

To do this, you need to download one of the many free applications from the AppStore or Google Play, for example: vMEye, vMEyePro, vMEyeSuper and others like that. All of them are configured approximately the same. Let's look at the setup using an example program vMEye.

After downloading and launching the application, you will see this window.

To configure the application, you need to click the icon circled in red.

By clicking on the Add button you open a window for adding your recorder to the program, for which you need to fill in the following fields:

Device name- device name (arbitrary);

Address- IP address of your Internet connection;

Port- port specified in your DVR settings for Mobile Monitoring (default 34599);

User Name- account to log in to the DVR (admin by default)

Password- password for logging into your DVR under your account (for the admin user there is no password by default or also admin);

Max Channel- number of channels (cameras);

After setting all the parameters, click " OK"

After this you will return to the device selection menu. When you click on the device name, you will see the following tab.

When you click on a channel, video from this channel (camera) will open on the screen of your mobile device.

You can switch cameras by pressing a button with a number (the number corresponds to the camera number), or return to the device selection menu and select a channel there.

The program allows you to take photos from cameras; to do this, click on the button with the image of the camera.

With remote viewing function.

If you have difficulties with setting it up yourself, please contactContact our specialists!

Today in the video surveillance industry there is a trend of gradual transition from analog cameras to modern digital IP video capture devices. This fact is quite natural, since analog devices do not keep up with the development of modern technologies, when they offer the user much better image quality and ease of use of the video surveillance system as a whole for virtually the same amount. Plus, with the help of the latter, it is quite easy to organize remote control of an object, which in our time is also becoming an important point when creating a video surveillance system.

In connection with the widespread transition to IP cameras, more and more people began to be interested in the question of their correct connection and configuration. Of course, for a novice user this may seem like a difficult and insoluble task, but for those who have been familiar with computers for a long time, connecting and setting up IP cameras will not cause any particular difficulties. In this article, we tried to describe in as much detail as possible the process of connecting a digital IP camera to a computer, as well as setting the correct settings for the correct operation of the device.

Connecting the IP camera to the computer

Any IP camera connects directly to the computer's network card via. If there are several cameras, then to access the image from each of them you need to connect the IP cameras via a router.

All IP cameras have their own address by default, and before we start setting up the IP camera, we need to know it. To do this, you can use specialized software, which usually comes with devices, or download the necessary utility from the manufacturer’s website. In addition, the IP address of the camera is usually written in the user manual or on the device’s label.

If you try to access the camera interface through a browser the first time you connect, you will probably fail. This happens because the computer and the camera are configured to work on different subnets. After we have found out the IP address of the camera, we need to bring it into line with the one used on your local network.

Today, the creation of remote video surveillance is especially important. Surveillance via the Internet is quite easy to carry out using a router with a dedicated IP address. Online video surveillance can be implemented in 4 ways, which you can read about.
Creating remote video surveillance is becoming more and more accessible with the help of special ones. Moreover, when implementing cloud video surveillance, you do not need a dedicated IP address, and equipment settings are kept to a minimum.
For video surveillance at remote sites, GSM cameras may be useful to you. They will be convenient to use at the dacha, in the garage, or in a country house, because they can quickly warn you about the occurrence of various extraordinary events at the site by sending a message to your mobile phone. You can read about GSM cameras for video surveillance using this link.

To find out the IP of the local network, you need to go to the “Sharing and Network Control Center”, then in the “Connections” line, select “Ethernet” or “Via Local Network”. In the window that opens, click on the “Details” button, then a new tab opens, where we find out the IP address of the local network - look at the line “Default gateway IPv4”, in our case the computer works on the network 192.168.99.*. Let's say the IP address of your camera was something like this: 192.168.0.24, now our task is to replace it with 192.168.99.24 - for you it can be any other numbers, but the principle remains the same.

Find out the IP address of the local network

You can change the IP address of the camera using the same program through which you found it out. Hikvision, for example, calls it SADP; other cameras come with their own programs. After the camera’s IP address is brought into line with the local network address, the image from it will become available at the new IP address, in our case it is http://192.168.99.24.

Changing the camera's IP address via its web interface

There is another way to get into the camera’s web interface, which involves changing the IP address of the local network. For example, the IP address of our camera is 192.168.0.24, and the local network of the computer is 192.168.99.22, but we need the computer and the camera to work in the same subnet (.99. or.0.). To do this, let’s bring the local network subnet in line with the camera address, for example, change it to 192.168.0.22. To do this, go to the “Sharing and Network Center”, then in the “Connections” line, select the “Ethernet” or “Via Local Network” item. A window should appear, as in the screenshot below. In this window, click on the “Properties” button, then select “IP Protocol version 4 IPv4”, call up its properties, and manually enter the IP address 192.168.0.22, and specify the address of our IP camera 192.168.0.24 as the gateway. Don't forget to save the settings.

Registering an IP address to access the camera. The picture is available for enlargement

Now, through any browser, go to the device’s web interface - enter the camera address 192.168.0.24 in the search bar. If you did everything correctly, a window should open to enter your username and password, which we take from the camera instructions. Usually by default they are admin/admin, admin/12345, admin/00000000, and other easy combinations. After entering the data, you will be able to view the image from the camera, as well as configure the camera.

In the camera's web interface, you need to match the camera's IP address with the local network address. Typically these settings are located on a tab called “Network”. For example, your router is located at the local network address 192.168.99.22, which means that for the camera we need to set an IP something like this: 192.168.99.24. We put a tick in the IP settings for “Fixed IP address” - we will need it to configure it, and enter the data:

IP address: 192.168.99.24;
Subnet mask: standard 255.255.255.0;
Gateway (IP address where our router is located): 192.168.99.22;
DNS IP Address: 192.168.99.22.

If you do not want to view your cameras via the Internet, then simply check the box next to Dynamic IP (DCHP).

Now you need to assign a port to your camera. By default, port “80” is open, so if your camera does not have such settings, you must use it. If this line is available, we enter the values manually for each camera. For the first, for example, let's set port 8081.

Scheme for connecting IP cameras to a computer via a router and creating access via the Internet

Save the settings, disconnect the camera’s network cable from the computer and insert it into a free port on the router. After this, we reset all the manual IP address settings that we previously made on the local network to connect to the camera’s web interface to automatic - we simply check the dots for obtaining the IP address and DNS addresses automatically, and connect the router to the computer’s network card. If necessary, log into the camera’s web interface through the router using the IP address assigned to it ( http://192.168.99.24), and set up a wireless connection via Wi-Fi. We make the same settings for each camera, and do not forget to assign different IP addresses and ports to all other devices, if this is permissible (on some cameras there is no provision for manually setting ports, for them it will be standard - “80”). For example, we will assign IP 192.168.99.25 to the second camera and port 8082, the third 192.168.99.26/8083, the fourth 192.168.99.27/8084, and so on.

For video surveillance using IP cameras via a computer, you may need special programs. They can be included with the equipment or downloaded separately from the Internet. You can read about them at.
In some cases, it is more appropriate to use IP cameras instead of IP cameras. For example, when a video surveillance system consists of only one camera.
You can organize video surveillance at your dacha using a regular 3G router and several IP cameras. At the same time, it is very important that there are no interruptions in the cellular network signal in your area. Read the article about how to implement country video surveillance using this method.

Setting up a router to view IP cameras via the Internet

After setting up the cameras, it’s the router’s turn:

We connect all configured cameras to the router via LAN network ports, or via Wi-Fi;
We connect the router to the computer via Wi-Fi or a network cable;
We go to its web interface and begin port forwarding so that the router, when accessing a specific address from the outside, knows which camera to issue from the internal network.

These settings can be located in sections called “Port Forwarding”, “Routing”, “WAN”, in the “Virtual Server” or “Virtual Server” tab. First, you need to check the box to activate the virtual server. Depending on the router model, you may come across similar settings:

Service name - enter manually, for example, “First camera”;
Port range - the port that we assigned in the settings of the first camera (8081);
Local IP address (IP camera address) - for example, we have it 192.168.99.24;
Local port - 8081, or 80 if the camera does not have port settings;
Protocol: TCP – the IP camera works with this protocol;
Protocol number: leave the field empty, or write any number, for example, 1.

Connecting and setting up an IP camera via a router

We prescribe the settings for each camera according to the above principle. Do not forget that each camera must have its own different IP address and port, if, of course, there is such a possibility.

To be able to connect to the cameras from any device with Internet access, you will need a static IP address. You can order it from your provider for a fee, or use the DynDNS service. Using this service, you can assign any domain name to your dynamic IP address, like http://your_unique_domain.ddns.ru. But first you need to activate this function in the router settings. In some routers, these settings are located in the “WAN” section on the “DDNS” tab. There you can specify the server (DynDNS, ASUS, NO-IP, etc.), your 3rd level domain name, and other necessary settings. Next, we register the domain name on the service (by the way, ASUS routers have their own free service for these needs), and register it in the router settings.

Checking functionality after setting up IP cameras

After setting up the IP cameras and router, let’s check their functionality. To do this, you need to open your browser and write the IP address of the camera and its port in the address bar in the following form: http://your_unique_domain.ddns.ru:8081, or http://your_static_IP_address:8081. When accessing the camera from your computer located on the same local network as the camera with a router, simply enter its unique IP address into the address bar.

If you have configured everything correctly, the system should work, and when you enter different ports in the address bar of your browser, you will see a picture from the corresponding camera.

So, we have looked at the question of how to connect an IP camera to a computer and configure it to work on a local network, as well as organize access to it via the Internet from any device. Remember that some nuances may vary on equipment from different manufacturers, but the basic principle of setup will always be the same.

21 comments

Hello, thank you for reading the article.
Question, can I connect any, roughly speaking, inexpensive IP camera to the laptop by “doing magic” with the IP address?

p.s. I need to shoot a video in the dark using a camera with IR illumination. For these purposes, will it be enough for me: an IP camera, software, a laptop?
Thank you

Hello, of course, you can connect any, even the cheapest, IP camera to your laptop. Everything you described will be enough to connect one IP camera to a laptop.
Are there IP cameras with wifi and the ability to directly connect to it without using a wifi router?
Those. I have a phone with Android and wifi, I have an IP camera with wifi in an open field 😉 how to make them friends?
1. Try using tinyCam Monitor to connect security cameras to Android. Using it, you can connect most IP cameras that have a WiFi access point to an Android gadget.

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