Internet and wi-fi Cameras
Internet cameras and wi-fi webcams in the UK explored by the FrequencyCast team. Details of wireless cameras that can be used to check up on your home while you're out.
Internet cameras?
We featured Internet cameras in Show #35.
They're a handy way of keeping an eye on your house while you're out. Perhaps you want to keep an eye on your pets while you're at work? Or perhaps you want the peace of mind of having some cheap home security in place.
Today's Internet cameras are pretty sophisticated - they can capture images when motion or heat is detected, take a snap, and sent you an email. You can also get them to store pictures online for later viewing.
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We featured Internet cameras in Show 35.
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Internet Cameras discussed in Show 35:
Basic indoor wireless IP camera
At the time of recording, this wireless camera was available for £70 from Maplin |
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Outdoor Internet CameraThis is a high-quality colour pictures and audio with a long night-vision range. It's suitable for monitoring open areas indoor and outdoor, day or night. Here are the specs:
At the time of recording, available for £99 from Maplin but last time we checked, just £60 |
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Camera with Pan, Zoom and TiltIn the show, we featured the Panasonic BL-C111 IP security camera. This has PTZ - pan, tilt and 10x digital zoom. It also has, motion and heat detection, plus a microphone. Specs:
Availability:
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We recommend networkwebcams.co.uk and Maplin |
Connecting and using an Internet camera
Using an Internet camera is fairly straightforward, but there are a couple of Gotchas you need to be aware of. Here's a quick summary:
Firewall:
If you get your Internet via Broadband, hopefully you have a firewall in place. These protect your computers from attack from the outside world. If you have an Internet router, such as the BT Home Hub, then this should have a wireless router in place to protect you from Internet attacks. If you have a webcam at home, you'll want to access it from outside your home system, which means you'll have to open up a safe 'hole' in your firewall.
For help on opening a 'hole', something known as "port forwarding" using a BT Home Hub, see our Home Hub FAQ
Dynamic IP address
If you're connecting to your home camera over the Internet, you'll need to know the IP address of your home router. However, IP addresses change each time you make a new connection to the Internet. To get around this, you'll need to have a static address - one that doesn't change, even when your home IP address does. The trick here is to use a DNS service. We recommend the free service offered at www.dyndns.com
Home Security systems
In Show 35, we also mentioned two systems that offer more complete home monitoring. Here's what we mentioned:
- Alertme - Kit includes motion detector, door entry, alarm detector, keyfobs, but no camera. Details at www.alertme.com
- Myhome247 - Including a Panasonic BL-C1 Network Camera and a Wireless Door / Window Sensor. This service allows you to log on from a PC or mobile phone to check on your home while you're out. Full details at www.myhome247.co.uk
Got a question on Internet cameras that we can answer in the next show? Call 020 8133 4567 or send us a message
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