Advice on what cam to buy- needs remote access, preferably wifi

[changetheworld]

I need to place an indoor camera on a wall about 8-10 feet away from an electric meter so that it can be viewed over the internet. I will run a network cable if necessary but would prefer wifi unless there's a major price different. This cam will simply be used to view the meter reading once a month. There is internet access onsite, but no static IP that I am aware of. I was told by a surveillance camera company that a 4Mp cam without zoom would work fine and that the image could be zoomed/blown up on the viewing computer and should have no problem discerning the digital meter reading.

Advice on what economical camera I need and how to set up remote access (DDNS?) without having to buy a DVR/NVR would be greatly appreciated.

 

[looney2ns]

Camera: ANNKE I61DR 2MP (Hikvision Cube Clone)

Remote access: VPN Primer for Noobs

The DDNS can be setup in either the camera or the on site router.

 

[bp2008]

There's something important the VPN primer only barely touches on: make sure you turn off UPnP (Universal Plug and Play). This is a setting in the camera's web interface, but it is also usually a setting in your router. To be safe, turn it off in both places. If UPnP is enabled, the camera will forward ports to itself without your knowledge, and then somewhere down the road the camera gets hacked even though you had set up a VPN.

Hopefully your electric meter has a big readout because at 8-10 feet you can expect only about 8-10 pixels per inch from that camera (at best, able to resolve details down to about 1/8th or 1/10th of an inch in size).

However I don't know of a better camera to recommend for such a low price, particularly if you need the wifi.

 

[changetheworld]

Thank you very much guys. Is there a cam with higher res that you would recommend that I wouldn't have to worry about the meter display possibly being too small? Maybe 3 or 4 Mp?

 

[fenderman]

Thank you very much guys. Is there a cam with higher res that you would recommend that I wouldn't have to worry about the meter display possibly being too small? Maybe 3 or 4 Mp?

no...just get a varifocal lens so you an adjust it precisely...or if you want to reduce costs look for a fixed camera 12mm lens....

 

[changetheworld]

Ok, and this just attaches to the front of the cam over the existing lens? Can you recommend particular lenses of those types?

 

[fenderman]

Ok, and this just attaches to the front of the cam over the existing lens? Can you recommend particular lenses of those types?

No...you buy the camera with a varifocal lens or a fixed 12mm lens.

 

[looney2ns]

Is this a digital lcd readout meter or does it have the individual dials.

 

[mat200]

Ok, and this just attaches to the front of the cam over the existing lens? Can you recommend particular lenses of those types?

FYI - you can replace the lens in the Hikvision Cube for a stronger one:

Quality of after-market M12 lenses? Swapping focal lengths...