Webcam presentation

Using Webcams for Surveillance
-- Locally and Over the Internet
Keeping an eye on
things when you’re
away.
John Coggi
November 16, 2006
Aerospace Macintosh Users Group
Two-phase Presentation
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1) Setting up a network camera for
remote viewing
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2) Using SecuritySpy to monitor your
network camera and/or iSight camera.
Setting up a Network WebCam
1 of 4
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What is a network camera?
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A network camera is combination videocam and webserver allin-one.
A network camera does not need to be connected to your
computer to function. In fact, your computer can be off and you
can still access the camera remotely via the web.
A network camera has its own IP address and connects to your
router.
• Network cameras can be “wired” or “wireless”. Wireless network
cameras use 802.11b/g to connect to your wireless router. The
camera can be placed anywhere inside or outside the house as
long as there is A/C power and a signal. This is very cool!
Psst…Want to try a webcam before you buy? This site has live demos of 8 cameras: http://www.securityideas.com/demos.html
Don’t be turned off by “Windows only” network camera instructions and software. Many network cameras can be set-up with a Mac.
Setting up a Network WebCam
2 of 4
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Initial camera set-up is performed with a direct ethernet connection
from Mac to camera.
You enter the camera’s default IP address in your web-browser and
set-up the camera via a webpage interface. (You will have to temporarily
change your Mac’s IP address to do this. See Appendix.)
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The webpage will allow you to choose an IP address for the camera.
Home networking tip: If your Mac is behind a
router (it is behind a router, right?!), set your
Network Preferences configuration option to
“Using DHCP with manual address”. This allows
you to choose static IP addresses for network
devices within your address space. Typically a
router is the first device (192.168.2.1 for
example). You then give your Mac 192.168.2.2,
your spouse’s Mac 192.168.2.3, etc. Give your
network camera an “out of the way” IP address
such as 192.168.2.255.
Setting up a Network WebCam
3 of 4
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Detailed instructions for setting-up the club’s Panasonic BL-C30A
are provided in the Appendix.
Be sure to choose an administrator username/password to
prevent prying eyes from watching you!
After setup, the camera is now accessible locally within your
internal network.
Accessing the Panasonic BLC30A network cam through its
web-browser interface. The
browser interface supports
camera panning and tilting.
Setting up a Network WebCam
4 of 4
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You can now access the network camera from
your home Mac, but what if you want to access
it from work?
Your dutiful router is blocking internet traffic to
the camera. But we will change that in the next
step.
Accessing the network camera
from the Internet (1 of 4)
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To allow internet traffic into your network you must open a “hole” in your router.
You do this by creating a virtual server via your router’s interface.
This maps internet traffic directed at your IP address/port to an IP address/port
within your network.
Inbound internet traffic coming
to my IP address at port 801 will
be directed to device
192.168.2.23 port 80 within my
network. This is the address of
my network camera.
Accessing the network camera
from the Internet (2 of 4)
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Congratulations. Your network camera is now accessible from
the internet.
There’s only one problem. You don’t know your URL.
Your URL is your IP address, but what is your IP address?
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Go to: http://whatismyipaddress.com/ to find out your IP address.
You can now access your camera from outside of your network
by typing in:
• http://aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd:801 (801 is the inbound port using the
example from the virtual server on the previous page)
• This address will not work from inside your network.
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If, like most people, you have a dynamic IP address (i.e.
DHCP), your address can change every time your router’s
power is cycled. This is a bummer, but there is a solution.
Accessing the network camera
from the Internet (3 of 4)
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You need to setup a domain name alias that points to your everychanging IP address.
There are websites that provide dynamic DNS services for free. I
use:
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http://www.dyndns.com/services/dns/dyndns
•
•
•
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Create an account
Enter your IP address for the dynamic DNS
Come up with a slick domain name
www.dyndns.com will map the domain name to your IP
• But what your IP address changes due to the miracle
of DHCP? How do you tell DynDNS to remap your
domain name to your new IP address?
• Answer: Download and install DNSUpdate
http://mirror.macupdate.com/info.php/id/6999
• This software periodically sends your current IP
address to www.dyndns.com so your domain name is
always pointing to your IP address.
Accessing the network camera
from the Internet (4 of 4)
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Congratulations again! You now have a
“human readable” domain name mapped to
your IP address that always points to your
webcam.
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Ex: http://johnswebcam.dynalias.com:801
Using SecuritySpy for
Surveillance
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SecuritySpy is a multi-camera video surveillance application for
the Macintosh.
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Features include:
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http://securityspy.com.
Displays and captures video from multiple cameras simultaneously
Supports Macintosh compatible video and audio input devices
Supports network cameras and network video servers
Motion Detection and Timelapse capture features, with audio
Built-in web server for viewing of images and video over a network
Pan/Tilt/Zoom (PTZ) support for many network cameras
Email notification feature
Pre-capture buffer to capture video before the time of motion
Compatible with Panasonic BL-C30A network camera
$50 for one camera, $125 for up to four cameras.
Demo SecuritySpy surveillance site can be found here:
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http://benbird.homeip.net:8000/
Log in as user: guest, password: guest
Using SecuritySpy for
Surveillance
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Step 1: Identify your
video devices
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Devices can be local
(iSight) or remote
(network camera).
SecuritySpy is
familiar with the
commands for a
wide range of
network cameras.
Using SecuritySpy for
Surveillance
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Step 2: Setup each
camera
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Motion detection
Capture destination
Monitoring schedule
Etc.
Using SecuritySpy for
Surveillance
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Step 3: Continuous
capture options
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Timelapse
FTP upload
Etc.
Using SecuritySpy for
Surveillance
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Step 4: Motion capture
options
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Frame rate
Pre- and post- capture
times
FTP upload
Using SecuritySpy for
Surveillance
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Step 5: Actions when
motion detected
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Play sound
Run script
Send email
Using SecuritySpy for
Surveillance
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Step 6: Setup the
webserver
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Extremely simple to
setup.
Accounts and access
controls
Using SecuritySpy for
Surveillance
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Step 7: Access the
webserver remotely
via a browser.
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Extremely simple to
control.
Multiple methods of
video delivery.
Pan/Tilt/Zoom
controls accessible
THE END
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Questions?
Appendix
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Detailed instructions for Panasonic BL-C30A network camera wireless setup:
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1) Plug-in camera to AC and hold down the "reset" pin with a pen
2) Make sure camera switch is on "wired”
3) Connect the camera via Ethernet cable to Mac
4) Give the Mac the ethernet address 192.168.0.5 and subnet 255.255.255.0.
5) Connect to camera using Safari at 192.168.0.253 - you should be able to see the settings page now.
6) Click through the setup but say "Disable" when it asks if you want to go on the internet. This will make it try to find your router (which is not on the network).
7) Enter 192.168.0.253 again and it should take you to the Network Camera page. You should have access to the camera controls after you click the "Single"
tab.
8) Click the Setup tab.
9) Click Static IP
10) Enter an IP address in your wireless network. My network is 192.168.2.x so I gave my camera 192.168.2.253.
11) Enter your router's address in the Default Gateway field. Mine is 192.168.2.1. If you don't do this, your camera will not be accessible from outside your
network.
12) Uncheck the "Enable" checkbox
13) Click "Save" to restart camera. Wait, and then reconnect to camera w/the new IP address you entered. You will have to give your Mac the IP address
192.168.2.5 to do this.
14) Click the Wireless tab
15) For SSID enter the exact name of your network. This is the name you gave your wireless router.
16) If you have security, enter you WEP Key. Be sure to make the right selection for your wep key (ASCII, HEX, etc)
17) Click Save.
18) Edit other settings such as Date and Time
19) Disconnect the ethernet cable from the camera.
20) Flip the camera switch from Wired to Wireless
21) Unplug the camera power, replug camera power (to restart it)
22) The camera should now go through it's blinking light procedure and if all is well you'll get a solid green light.
23) Switch your computer back to using your wireless router.
24) You should now be able to access your camera at the address 192.168.2.253 wirelessly.
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