The purpose of the wireless network cameras, also referred to as wireless IP cameras, is to wirelessly transmit real-time video over the Internet. From a computer anywhere in the world, you can log into a wireless Internet camera and remotely view and monitor via a Wi-Fi Network.
These cameras are totally different from the wireless cameras using the 900MHz or 2.4 GHz frequencies that send the video signal to a receiver connected to a TV or a storage unit for recording up to 300 ft away.
How to set up a wireless Internet camera?
We will use the example of the TRENDnet TV-IP100W, one of our best sellers.
1- For the sake of this example, we assume that you already have an Internet connection and a configured wireless network
2- Make sure your computer meets the system requirements
3- If you plan to install more than one camera, your wireless router must have the ability to open several ports (see below). It is critical to check this out.
4- Connect the camera to your wireless network:
First recommendation: configure your camera from a wired computer (connected to the wireless router).
Connect the camera to the router and power it. Run the installation CD-ROM. Change the IP address of the camera to a static address that is in the same subnet as your network. For instance, if your default gateway is 192.168.0.1, change the last digits according to your router’s specification (from 2- 100, or 100-150, depending on the router). I.e., 192.168.0. 50.
Once the IP address is confirmed, you will access the camera’s web page. Enter the login and password (default is Admin/Admin). After logging in, click Network, then click Wireless to configure the settings according to your wireless networks’. If your network is encrypted, use the same key. Unplug the Ethernet cable from the router, power the camera off and on.
Now the camera is on your local area network (LAN). Access the camera by entering its IP address in the browser. In our example type: http://192.168.0.50 and enter login and password. You are now viewing what the camera is pointing at!
5- Now you need to access the camera from the Internet:
In order to access the camera via the internet, you need to perform something called port forwarding. This basically tells your router to forward the data it is receiving from a computer over the Internet to a computer (or here a camera) on the local area network. This will create rules to take data from an external port and send that data to an internal port. The rules will only work with this particular port.
Port forwarding could be a little tricky depending on the router.
You usually get to the port forwarding section by clicking on “Virtual Server”. Then you enter: a name for your camera, choose the protocol TCP, the port 8080 (or something else), enter the local IP address of the camera, and save. You are done…
If you are not sure how to access your router parameters go to PortForward.com, particularly this page: http://portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/routerindex.htm
The port forward site will also give you your external IP address, which you will need in the next step.
6- Ok, now that you have set up the port forwarding, you can access your camera on any remote computer. Ask someone on the outside to enter in a browser: ” your external IP address: the forwarded port”. Example: 75.xx.xx13:8080 and simply log in using login and password.
Remember that your External IP address, allocated by your Internet provider, may change as time passes by. So you need a Domain Name System (DNS)
7- What is a DNS?
It is, as DynDNS.com puts it, a “Internet system that translates human-understandable hostnames (like www.dyndns.com) into computer-understandable IP addresses (like 63.208.196.66) and back again”.
Get an account with DynDNS.com for free and a hostname like ‘mycamera. dnssomething.com” that will always connect to your camera, even if your external IP address changes.
Once your account is set up, go back to your router web page, find something like Dynamic DNS, pick up the server address from the list (here DynDNS.com), enter your hostname and password, and save. It’s over!!
Now ask someone to access your camera by typing in the browser : http://mycamera.dnssomething.com:8080, enter login and password, and they will be watching the video feed…