I don't know much about issues related to video surveillance. But, there are simple, excellent, cloud IP cameras on the market, thanks to which almost everyone can organize surveillance of their home, apartment, office, shop, etc. We can say that video surveillance can be done by hand. You only have to buy a cloud IP camera.
In this article, I will talk about how you can monitor an apartment, house, and whatever else you want via the Internet from a mobile device (if necessary, you can also use a computer). This means that by installing a cloud camera in your home, for example, you can access it from any corner of the planet from your smartphone, tablet, or computer browser. I think this is what you need.
This is not an instruction on how to set up a complex video surveillance scheme from several dozen cameras, a video recorder, etc. I think this should be done by specialists.
But we can easily buy several cloud cameras (as many as you need), configure them, and at any time, via the Internet, access them from our mobile device.
In this way, you can observe anything. First of all, this is the observation of a house or apartment. Or, behind the person who is there (for the elderly, for example). Further, if you have a business: a shop, cafe, office, etc., then using this method, you can always see what is happening there. Wherever you are. You only need an internet connection on your phone or tablet. This is no longer a problem.
We monitor an apartment, house, office through a cloud IP camera
It is the cloud IP camera that gives us this opportunity. And the main word here is "cloudy". What it means: The camera connects to our Wi-Fi network. We set it up, register on the manufacturer's website, and add the camera to the application on the phone (tablet). The camera transmits video via the Internet to the server of the manufacturer's company, and the application on the smartphone receives this video from the server. That is, everything goes through the cloud. Therefore, it makes it possible to conduct video surveillance via the Internet, and from any place, wherever we are. Simply put, everything goes through a special website from the manufacturer's company. And at any time, in the application on your mobile device, you can start recording a video, or take a photo.
To be honest, I am still only familiar with cloud cameras from TP-Link. I had a TP-Link NC250. Now I use TP-Link NC220. The company has 6 cloud IP cameras in total. They all work according to the same principle, that is, the setup process is the same. They differ, as a rule, in the quality of the matrix itself (video quality) and other characteristics. There is the NC450 model, its feature is that it can turn and tilt.
As for the installation and configuration process, everything is very, very simple. If we consider the example of cameras from TP-Link. It looks like this:
- We connect power to the IP-camera.
- We register on the website tplinkcloud.com.
- Install the tpCamera application on your mobile device.
- We go into the application under our data from tplinkcloud.com.
- We configure the camera through the tpCamera application. Add a camera.
I described all this in great detail in the article Configuring the TP-LINK NC250 (NC200) IP Camera. Video surveillance via the Internet.
The camera itself is connected to your router via a Wi-Fi network. I included an extension cord for the power cable with the TP-Link NC220, and double-sided tape that can be used to fix the camera to a wall or ceiling.
How video surveillance works over the Internet
We bought a camera, installed it, set it up according to the instructions, the link to which I gave above.
Through the Internet, using the tpCamera application, or through the tplinkcloud.com website, we get access to the camera. Can watch live video, record video, photo. Also, you can see information on the camera, and make some settings. For example, turn off the LED indicators.
Thus, you can connect a large number of cameras to your account on tplinkcloud.com, in different places, and all of them will be available on your mobile device, in the application.
All you need is a camera, a Wi-Fi router, and a little time to set up.
Other features of these cloud cameras:
In addition to video surveillance, these cameras have many different, useful chips. For instance:
- The camera can act as a repeater. That is, to strengthen the Wi-Fi network to which it is connected.
- Night vision function. Moreover, the camera switches to night vision mode automatically. In the article on setup (I gave the link above), I showed how these cameras "see" at night.
- A very useful function for detecting sound, or motion. If the camera on which this function is configured detects some movement or sound, it will immediately send you a notification by email. Or, report it via FTP. I plan to write a separate instruction on how to configure this function in the near future.
- The ability to control cameras from a computer through the TP-LINK Camera Control software.
Now IP cameras are produced by different manufacturers: Xiaomi, Edimax, Alfa, etc. I don’t know how they have it all organized there, I will introduce surveillance via the Internet, but I liked the cameras from TP-Link.
It turns out that almost everyone can organize video surveillance with their own hands in their home, apartment, or office. At the same time, to get access to cameras via the Internet, and not to understand different IP-addresses, complex settings, etc. And all this thanks to the cloud. Well, the TP-Link company, which gives such an opportunity.
