Remote Wi-Fi Monitoring, Part 2

This is a continuation of the post, remote-wi-fi-monitoring-of-your-setup.  This entry will discuss accessing the video feed from the internet (not from your home network).

Once you have the system running per the first post instructions, you need to go and register with either www.no-ip.com or www.dyn.com.  I used no-ip.

Follow the instructions given here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHTxuYa3Kzo

After that, I had to update the firmware and web gui on my FosCAM in order to view the video on my smartphone (Android) via 3G while travelling.

I was able to use port 80 for the port forwarding in my router.  I did configure my router and the FOSCAM for my no-ip account (I will have to wait a month to see if doing both will cause a problem).

When accessing your remote host name -- the name you registered at no-ip.com and what you use on your browser to access the camera -- brings you directly to the camera.  Thus when you are asked for a username and password, that is the camera asking -- not your router, not no-ip.  Be careful here as there are different configuration pages, and if you don't keep it straight, then you will enter the wrong password and think your setup is not working.

So, in summary:

1. connect Foscam to ethernet and program it the first time
2. power off the camera, disconnect ethernet and power on again, and verify it connects to your wi-fi
3. create an account at a DDNS site (eg. www.no-ip.com) and register a host name
4. enter the config page of your wi-fi router and do the next router steps
5. [router] set the IP address of the Foscam to either static and one you choose or fixed at current
6. [router] set the port forwarding address to be TCP port 80 and the IP address of the Foscam
7. [router], optional, set the DDNS settings to your DDNS provider and account
8. [camera], set the DDNS settings on Foscam to your DDNS provider and account
9. [camera], optional, turn upnp on (should be supported and on at router also)
10. Wait up to 4 hours if you used no-ip for routing tables to be updated
11. Turn wi-fi off on your 3G smartphone, and go to your hostname.no-ip.biz in a browser
12. at this point you should get the login page of the Foscam.

View of Foscam access page from remote internet access (after login).

You can see the feed here:

http://wolfenhawke.no-ip.biz

username: visitor

password: marksgreenh

Remote Wi-Fi Monitoring of Your Setup

I have a rodent eating through the plastic on my auto feeder.  This plastic was the extension I attached and not a manufacturers accessory.  The caused a hole that forced an overfeed and a minor foiled water situation.  In order to get an appropriate trap I used the opportunity to configure a FOSCAM Fi8910W wireless camera I had. After seeing a small rat last night, I set some appropriate traps around the feeder and also covered the feed extension with a $5 aluminum vent pipe.

The system works well.  I am running 802.11b/g about 20m from my access point inside the house. Once I get the rodent taken care of, I will configure the angle of the camera so that I can view the condition of the fish tank water.  This way I can see if it is getting fouled.

The setup currently allows me to control (360 degree motion and up/down) the camera, record, and view from my desktop as well as simultaneously from a smartphone.  Setup was a breeze.  I recommend viewing the following for instruction:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xKu4uZtt3M

I use an Android, and the apps I use for viewing and controlling the camera are "IP Cam Remote" (free) and "IP Cam Viewer Basic" (free).

Using this instruction, you can view and control the camera from outside your local area network.  That is while travelling and through the internet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHTxuYa3Kzo

View of feeder through my phone and IP Cam Remote.

The FOSCAM camera is here:

See Part 2 of this blog entry here, remote-wi-fi-monitoring-part-2