Remote access to Wi-Fi security camera

[KenB888]

Thanks Keith

Looks like upgrades all round.

Isolated rural only broadband is 4g so better equipment will improve things all round.

Camera was cheap so lesson learnt.

Thanks for your time.

[rbz5416]

A TP-Link C110 would be worth a try. It doesn't pan/tilt but I can't see that being necessary in a small space. A bit easier to hide as well. Mine is set up to sound an alarm upon detecting movement, which hopefully would see anyone breaking in scarper. They do charge a subscription fee for cloud storage but I get by with just a SD card.

Give it a go with your existing setup, it might work unless @Keith_Beddoe knows otherwise?

[Keith_Beddoe]

@rbz5416 

Direct access to any camera contents connected to the router, is not going to be possible, but SD card contents uploaded to Cloud, should be fine.

I have a number of cheap IeGeek IP cameras which work fine, but they rely on the Blue Iris software running on my main PC, which is on all of the time anyway, as it handles multiple tasks which run 24/7

These support the ONVIF protocol, which makes them compatible with most video software.

They also have PTP support, but I have that disabled on all except a couple of important ones, to allow access if the PC loses connectivity.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@KenB888 

If you are not contracted to the BT 4G, then its worth looking at Three coverage in your locality.

This is the router I use https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/3g-4g-router/tl-mr6400/

[rbz5416]

@Keith_Beddoe 

I'm not sure that direct access is required as all viewing is done via the Tapo app.

@KenB888 

TP-Link's equivalent of what you have (Tapo C210) is £21.86 on Amazon just now. I'm not allowed to link but search for B08ZNTM1X1.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@rbz5416 

The app need to access the camera via the Internet if its not on the local network.

It does this by looking for the unique device ID which is a long alphanumeric string which is transmitted over the Internet to the P2P server.

The P2P server then tries to identify the public IP address of the camera, on the Internet, and allows the connection between the app and the camera. Its similar to what a DDNS service would do.

Because the 4G router does not have an unique public IP address, only a shared IP address, the link between the app and the camera cannot be established.

All the P2P server will see, is the IP address of the gateway router which a group of 4G devices would connect to, it cannot identify an individual 4G device.

[rbz5416]

@Keith_Beddoe 

Is that something peculiar to the BT MiFi device? Seems plenty here are using a variety of cameras with a variety of MiFi devices in @KenB888 exact scenario.

[Keith_Beddoe]

A proper 4G router with a SIM card which allows you to alter the APN to one which delivers a routable IP address, would work.

For example, Three Mobile has two APNs, three.co.uk which is CGNAT, and 3internet which gives a public IP address and is routable over the Internet.

Many basic MiFi units, usually without Ethernet ports, do not allow alternative APNs. I am sure the BT one is just a basic one, with no configuration options. 

I cannot add any more to this thread, than I have already said. Perhaps someone else can explain it more clearly?

By all means change the camera, but the result will be the same.

The P2P server only provides a link between two public IP addresses, it does not actually pass any traffic through it, as that would consume vast bandwidth, and present a security risk.

[Keith_Beddoe]

What @KenB888  is trying to view is the contents of the SD card, which is not possible for the reason I have explained.

Live viewing is possible because the app looks for the unique camera ID on the Internet, and then checks it to see if the stored user name and password are the same. It can then receive that video stream and display it on the app, and record it in the smartphone storage.

That is most likely what other users are doing.

There are issues with users not changing the default user name and password, therefore allowing anyone to access the video stream.

[KenB888]

Hi All

Never thought this post would cause so many discussions.

To clarify what l am trying to do is live viewing through my app when l am out and about, yes my camera does store data onto an SD card but that’s only so l have recordings if needed.

I visited family at the weekend and logged into the app to check all was ok in the Motorhome but it sits there saying establishing a secure channel, but it never does hence l can not view anything when away from home, as soon as l get home my phone connects to my router and all is ok.

My router is not one of the mini Wi-Fi units it is the BT home hub.

So unless l have misunderstood my BT router does not allow port forwarding so that’s why l can’t see live streams when using mobile data, TP Link router upgrade would sort this issue?