Remote Webcam Suggestions

[RolexDivers]

Hello folks,

We have purchased a vacation cabin that is about 100 miles from our main residence.

My goal is to remotely view the insides of the cabin from our primary residence. I'll need to cameras, one in the living room and one in the kitchen.

So what I am envisioning is that from home or from work, on my laptop, I goto my cabin's website and then view what is happening in the cabin. THe cabin is vacant.

I am looking for a very simple setup--So what is the minimal setup I need to remotely view the insides of my cabin from a 100miles away, in Real-Time? In other words, looking for a home monitoring system, but at the most minimal level.

Thank you

[Rbdport]

I have tried several cameras to keep an eye on my condo when the housekeeper is there or the cat sitter when we're away. The best I've found so far is the dropcam (www.dropcam.com). About $150/ camera, wireless tie into wi-fi network, clear pictures with option to record, very easy setup and free app for iPhone/iPad viewing with event notification. All the other cameras I tried had unreliable connectivity or apps. I have two set up- one with a direct view of the door so I can see who enters and one that picks up the rest of the apartment.

[RolexDivers]

Originally Posted by Rbdport

I have tried several cameras to keep an eye on my condo when the housekeeper is there or the cat sitter when we're away. The best I've found so far is the dropcam (www.dropcam.com). About $150/ camera, wireless tie into wi-fi network, clear pictures with option to record, very easy setup and free app for iPhone/iPad viewing with event notification. All the other cameras I tried had unreliable connectivity or apps. I have two set up- one with a direct view of the door so I can see who enters and one that picks up the rest of the apartment.

Thank you ...
MY issue is that my cabin is in the mountains. There is no internet there.
So that makes life more difficult, doesn't it?

[pdoukas]

Does the cabin have a phone? You can dial into a modem and view contents from a web server on the same workstation .


Sent from a guy on mobile phone who could care less about spelling errors!

[RolexDivers]

Originally Posted by pdoukas

Does the cabin have a phone? You can dial into a modem and view contents from a web server on the same workstation .


Sent from a guy on mobile phone who could care less about spelling errors!

No, the cabin has no phone or land line. Everytime we visit it, we all have our cellphones. The city does provide a land line at a csot of $30/month but we deemed it a waste since nowdays, cell phones have over taken all....

[Brunotheboxer]

You're out of luck unless you train a skunk to use a camera.

[RolexDivers]

Originally Posted by Brunotheboxer

You're out of luck unless you train a skunk to use a camera.

You are correct. For me to view live on the internet, the images from the camera have to be streamed to the internet one way or another. So internet connectivity is a must.

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

You are correct. For me to view live on the internet, the images from the camera have to be streamed to the internet one way or another. So internet connectivity is a must.

Didn't you say you go to the cabins website?

[treeinthecity]

I have heard good things from http://steminnovation.com/section/iZON/24/ .

[ralpie]

Originally Posted by MonBK

Didn't you say you go to the cabins website?

I think it was part of the hypothetical.

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by ralpie

I think it was part of the hypothetical.

Aha

[Rbdport]

Originally Posted by treeinthecity

I have heard good things from http://steminnovation.com/section/iZON/24/ .

don't bother....that's one of the 3 other cameras I threw out. twitchy app, frequent connection interruptions and poor picture quality.

[ftgokie]

I have a hunting cabin that is about 7 miles from the nearest residence and there is no phone service whatesoever..even cell coverage.

I have 6 IR trail cams set up around the cabin to monitor activity...1 is set on the road comin in to the property and the other 5 are around the cabin. When I go to the cabin I take my laptop and take the sd card out of the trail cam and see what has been going on. This is just 250 acres that I have that is for hunting and fishing and luckily nobody has tried to come onto the land and break into my cabin. (knock on wood)

As far as remote viewing is concerned..unless there is a phone line for internet, your out of luck. If i had the option of getting phone service at y cabin for $30.00 a month, I would jump on that in a heartbeat!

[RolexDivers]

Originally Posted by MonBK

Didn't you say you go to the cabins website?

What I meant was that once the camera is all setup and working, all I would need to do would be to go to a website or IP address set by the camera and I can instantly see the view .... sorry for the confusion.

[East Bay Rider]

Couldn't you mount a satellite dish on the side of the house and gain Internet that way?

[Brunotheboxer]

Originally Posted by East Bay Rider

Couldn't you mount a satellite dish on the side of the house and gain Internet that way?

He could but it would be a lot more than $30/month.

[ftgokie]

Originally Posted by East Bay Rider

Couldn't you mount a satellite dish on the side of the house and gain Internet that way?

Then he is looking at paying much more than $30.00 a month...

[RolexDivers]

Originally Posted by East Bay Rider

Couldn't you mount a satellite dish on the side of the house and gain Internet that way?

Guys & Gals
I appreciate all your help. Thank you. Right at this moment I am sitting in my mountain cabin and making this post .... so you know what that means right? Yes I have internet!!! BUT not my connection ---- I have wireless networks showing up on my laptop!! These are from the neighbors ... so I have internet through them .....

So since I know the name of wirless networks is there anyway to tell a webcam to connect to that wirless network??

thanks!

[BarkMaster]

Work a deal out with the neighbor or it is theft of service.

[Rbdport]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

Guys & Gals
I appreciate all your help. Thank you. Right at this moment I am sitting in my mountain cabin and making this post .... so you know what that means right? Yes I have internet!!! BUT not my connection ---- I have wireless networks showing up on my laptop!! These are from the neighbors ... so I have internet through them .....

So since I know the name of wirless networks is there anyway to tell a webcam to connect to that wirless network??

thanks!

That would put views of your cabin and stuff on an open network for all to see (and possibly catalog for future taking). If your neighbors have wireless you now know its possible to get for your place. Why don't you just bite the bullet, do the right thing (instead of stealing from your neighbors) and sign up for wireless at your place.

[RolexDivers]

Originally Posted by BarkMaster

Work a deal out with the neighbor or it is theft of service.

I can definitely do that ..... but as far as mechanics are concerned, what's the next step? And again the neighbor's wireless might not be available 24/7, and that's ok .... all I care to see is once a day, or once every 2-3 days.... I mean this is just for fun .... like an experiment .... It would be nice to view the insides of my cabin from a 100miles away but if I can I can, if not it is not a bid deal at all...but I hope I can make it work somehow...

Thanks

[77T]

Do not use the neighbors wifi even if you can work something out. Too many chances of problems down the road.

The whole point of you surveilling the cabin is peace of mind, right?

So get a cellular data home alarm system including fire alarm. Your insurance company will reduce your rates, professionals will monitor it, and many offer in-home video cams for you to monitor.

This covers you 24x7 when you are there and away.

[ftgokie]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

Guys & Gals
I appreciate all your help. Thank you. Right at this moment I am sitting in my mountain cabin and making this post .... so you know what that means right? Yes I have internet!!! BUT not my connection ---- I have wireless networks showing up on my laptop!! These are from the neighbors ... so I have internet through them .....

So since I know the name of wirless networks is there anyway to tell a webcam to connect to that wirless network??

thanks!

I hope your neighbors are not downloading anything illegal because that is a huge headache for you, and its also theft on your part.

A person here locally was doing the same thing you are doing and the person he was "borrowing" the internet from was downloading child porn...the child porn person was caught and needless to say this man had many questions to answer as well since he was "borrowing" internet...needless to say, he had to hire a lawyer and much public embarassment and cost him a great deal even though all he was doing was "borrowing" internet.

I think the $30.00 is much cheaper than the thousands of dollars this man had to dish out to try and clear himself...

I would "borrow" internet like you are doing about as much as I would rob a bank..just my .02

[Grissom]

So many potential problems using your neighbors internet access, with permission or not (of course, MUCH worse without!). If you can afford a cabin in Big Bear or Arrowhead you can afford to get your own internet connection. Cameras sending video over the internet can use up a significant portion of ones upload capacity, and could become a real issue for your neighbor.

Bite the bullet and get your own secure connection, would be my recommendation, even if this will be, as you say, "just for fun .... like an experiment ...."

Just my worth......

[RolexDivers]

Looks like accessing internet via neighbor's account is a recipe for potential disaster ....I am gonna log off now and should be home tomorrow --- so I will resume reading the thread tomorrow using MY Internet connnection...:thumb sup:

[ftgokie]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

Looks like accessing internet via neighbor's account is a recipe for potential disaster ....I am gonna log off now and should be home tomorrow --- so I will resume reading the thread tomorrow using MY Internet connnection...:thumb sup:

I personally think that is a very smart move. Hate to see anyone get in touble when they could have just spent $30.00 and avoided all the potential problems!

[Brunotheboxer]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

Guys & Gals
I appreciate all your help. Thank you. Right at this moment I am sitting in my mountain cabin and making this post .... so you know what that means right? Yes I have internet!!! BUT not my connection ---- I have wireless networks showing up on my laptop!! These are from the neighbors ... so I have internet through them .....

So since I know the name of wirless networks is there anyway to tell a webcam to connect to that wirless network??

thanks!

So you want my help in doing something that's illegal?

[RolexDivers]

Originally Posted by Brunotheboxer

So you want my help in doing something that's illegal?

It is not ilegal to attach yourself to someone else's network, like the situation I put myself in. It is considered unethical by some to do so but not illegal to the best of my knowledge.

BUT to be on the safe side, the good news is I do have internet connection now in my cabin.

[Brunotheboxer]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

It is not ilegal to attach yourself to someone else's network, like the situation I put myself in. It is considered unethical by some to do so but not illegal to the best of my knowledge.

Your knowledge is lacking.



You were not "attaching yourself to someone else's network" you were stealing it.

Unless your neighbor is the public library or free wi-fi lounge at a hotel or coffee shop.

[james1787]

I'm not sure if it's illegal or not. If you are using it without their permission and you're not contributing towards their bill, it could be? Could that be theft of service? Chances are they probably don't even have a clue you're on there but I would think it's a bad idea.