Best Windows PC and operating system to setup ip cameras

[tubac]

Hi,
i really need some help with this. I am a Mac user and unfamiliar with all things PC.
I need to replace my old Windows Vista laptop with a new Windows PC to setup and troubleshoot ONVIF ip cameras hooked up to the built in switch on my Elite 8 camera with 8 port built in POE switch I bought here.
One of my big problems has been getting tech support to be able to check my ip cameras attached to the built in poe switch on my Dahua 8 POE switch NVR with my current old PC running Vista. As you know, for Tech support to check an ONVIF camera plugged into the built in switch you have to run an Ethernet cable from the PC to the switch to check a camera plugged into the built in switch. To take advantage of your great tech support the PC has to be able to support wifi at the same time it is hardwired to the Poe switch via the RJ 45 port otherwise my computer cannot be accessed by tech support via logmein123.com. So a few questions:
1.So are all new Windows laptops capable of connecting to the Ethernet and wifi simultaneously?
If not, how can I tell from the specs which one is capable?
2. Intel or AMD processor, does it make any difference to camera setup?
3. Any particular version of Windows? Is 7 better than 10 for instance?

Thanks,
Tubac Tom

 

[Q™]

What is your budget?

 

[tubac]

What is your budget?

$400 tops. I am using it only for setting up and testing my ip cams

Best,
Tom

 

[fenderman]

$400 tops. I am using it only for setting up and testing my ip cams

Best,
Tom

Ive never tested this, but if windows 7/10 can do it, then vista can as well...you are wasting your money. It would be cheaper to simply by an external poe and be done with it.

 

[Brad_C]

Set up virtualpc, virtualbox or parallels on the Mac and install your windows OS on there. I've used a Win7 VM in conjunction with a number of "remote desktop" style apps to give remote techs access to cameras. No need to go as far as a separate PC. As long as your virtual instance network is bridged to your PC so you are on the wire, it's all good. I also like a VM because you can snapshot it, let them do whatever they are going to do and you can roll-back afterwards knowing you've undone anything they've installed or dicked with while they were in there. The other advantage is when Windows dies it's a 5 second restart and does not affect you getting on with real work on the machine.

I do most of my cam configuration stuff on an old XP instance with IE8. Small, light, fast.

 

[tubac]

Hi,
Thanks, but I tried a trial copy of VM awhile ago and could not get it to work properly on my iMac running Yosemite.
The tech at security camera King had difficulties with that setup so I figured I'd buy a cheap or refurbished Windows 7 machine and dedicate it to all things ip camera.

 

[tubac]

Hi,

i should have have mentioned that my PC running vista is on its last legs and keeps overheating and shutting down. All I need is a PC with wifi that has the ability to connect to the Internet when I am setting up an ONVIF camera that needs to be accessed via the pc's ethernet port while simultaneously connected to the Internet via wifi so I can get help via logmein123.com. So, to be clear, the camera gets plugged into one of the built in ports on my nvr. Next an Ethernet cable goes from my laptop to the built in Poe on my NVR . Next wifi must be working so a tech can access my computer and NVR and put me out of me misery

 

[Brad_C]

Sounds like you need to blow the dust bunnies out of the fan/heatsink to stop it overheating.

 

[tubac]

Ok I blew out the dust bunnies and Vista is good to go. How do I configure the PC so my Ethernet and wifi work at the same time?

 

[Brad_C]

You'll need to set your Ethernet interface up with a static ip and no default gateway so the wifi will route out to the world. I cant tell you how to do it though as I haven't done windows outside of a VM since 1998.