Looking for K.I.S.S. cameras

[KK6GXG]

I am looking for a PnP, PoE IP camera that can be viewed directly by a web browser.

Application: I am a volunteer with several groups and we have a number of remote locations, mostly on mountaintops, and we would like to see the inside of our enclosures as well as outside. We are installing a private network from site to site to connect equipment and manage it from locations not as difficult to get to, particularly in inclement weather.

Over the last six months, I have purchased several cameras that claim to be accessible by DHCP address on port 80 and so far none of them have worked. I have used Chrome and Firefox, as well as some common Linux browsers, and no joy. All I really want is a camera with a bulletproof web server onboard that can stream video. No push feeds though, It shouldn't cause any extra network traffic when no one is connected via a web browser.

Would be nice, but not a deal breaker:

• PTZ
• IR night vision
• Inexpensive

I do NOT want anything that requires:

• Apps
• Software
• AVR
• Additional hardware
• Unnecessary network overhead

Any suggestions would be great, thank you!
~Jon

 

[wittaj]

Which cameras have you already tried and what is inexpensive dollar amount?

 

[looney2ns]

Indoors or out?

 

[DanDenver]

It shouldn't cause any extra network traffic when no one is connected via a web browser

You want a camera that you can log onto and then send a signal to turn it on and start broadcasting, then somehow turn it off and then log off?

 

[mat200]

I am looking for a PnP, PoE IP camera that can be viewed directly by a web browser.

Application: I am a volunteer with several groups and we have a number of remote locations, mostly on mountaintops, and we would like to see the inside of our enclosures as well as outside. We are installing a private network from site to site to connect equipment and manage it from locations not as difficult to get to, particularly in inclement weather.

Over the last six months, I have purchased several cameras that claim to be accessible by DHCP address on port 80 and so far none of them have worked. I have used Chrome and Firefox, as well as some common Linux browsers, and no joy. All I really want is a camera with a bulletproof web server onboard that can stream video. No push feeds though, It shouldn't cause any extra network traffic when no one is connected via a web browser.

Would be nice, but not a deal breaker:

• PTZ
• IR night vision
• Inexpensive

I do NOT want anything that requires:

• Apps
• Software
• AVR
• Additional hardware
• Unnecessary network overhead

Any suggestions would be great, thank you!
~Jon

Welcome @KK6GXG

"Over the last six months, I have purchased several cameras that claim to be accessible by DHCP address on port 80 and so far none of them have worked "

What are the models of the cameras you have tried so far ..

 

[KK6GXG]

Which cameras have you already tried and what is inexpensive dollar amount?

The cameras I have already tried are

• Security Camera Outdoor, Hosafe WiFi IP Camera Home Security System, Floodlight AI Motion Detection, Pan Tilt Auto Tracking, Two Way Audio, Color Night Vision, Waterproof Video Surveillance Camera amazon.com/gp/product/B08L3KS4FN/
• Amcrest UltraHD 5MP Outdoor POE Camera 2592 x 1944p Bullet IP Security Camera, Outdoor IP67 Waterproof, 103° Viewing Angle, 2.8mm Lens, 98.4ft Night Vision, 5-Megapixel, IP5M-B1186EW-28MM (White) amazon.com/gp/product/B08K1M34ZQ/
• Eversecu Security Camera H.265 1080P POE(Power Over Ethernet) IP Camera Outdoor, Home Security Surveillance Camera, 20Meter Night Vision, IP66 Waterproof, Stabler Than WiFi Cameras amazon.com/gp/product/B07GPGPV67/
• Jennov POE Security Camera 5MP(2592x1944) HD IP PTZ Security Camera CCTV Home Video & Audio Surveillance Outdoor Pan Tilt & 5X Zoom Night Vision Motion Detection Free Phone App Remote View amazon.com/gp/product/B07K9XXP69/

Inexpensive is $100 or less, doable is under $200

 

[KK6GXG]

Indoors or out?

Both. on most sites I have at least 1 inside and 1 outside. It varies from site to site.

 

[KK6GXG]

You want a camera that you can log onto and then send a signal to turn it on and start broadcasting, then somehow turn it off and then log off?

No. I am looking for a camera with an onboard web server listening on port 80 waiting for traffic.
What I don't want is a camera that's pushing metrics out over the network or trying to connect to another server at intervals.

 

[KK6GXG]

Welcome @KK6GXG

"Over the last six months, I have purchased several cameras that claim to be accessible by DHCP address on port 80 and so far none of them have worked "

What are the models of the cameras you have tried so far ..

The cameras I have already tried are

• Security Camera Outdoor, Hosafe WiFi IP Camera Home Security System, Floodlight AI Motion Detection, Pan Tilt Auto Tracking, Two Way Audio, Color Night Vision, Waterproof Video Surveillance Camera amazon.com/gp/product/B08L3KS4FN/
• Amcrest UltraHD 5MP Outdoor POE Camera 2592 x 1944p Bullet IP Security Camera, Outdoor IP67 Waterproof, 103° Viewing Angle, 2.8mm Lens, 98.4ft Night Vision, 5-Megapixel, IP5M-B1186EW-28MM (White) amazon.com/gp/product/B08K1M34ZQ/
• Eversecu Security Camera H.265 1080P POE(Power Over Ethernet) IP Camera Outdoor, Home Security Surveillance Camera, 20Meter Night Vision, IP66 Waterproof, Stabler Than WiFi Cameras amazon.com/gp/product/B07GPGPV67/
• Jennov POE Security Camera 5MP(2592x1944) HD IP PTZ Security Camera CCTV Home Video & Audio Surveillance Outdoor Pan Tilt & 5X Zoom Night Vision Motion Detection Free Phone App Remote View amazon.com/gp/product/B07K9XXP69/

 

[mat200]

The cameras I have already tried are

• Security Camera Outdoor, Hosafe WiFi IP Camera Home Security System, Floodlight AI Motion Detection, Pan Tilt Auto Tracking, Two Way Audio, Color Night Vision, Waterproof Video Surveillance Camera amazon.com/gp/product/B08L3KS4FN/
• Amcrest UltraHD 5MP Outdoor POE Camera 2592 x 1944p Bullet IP Security Camera, Outdoor IP67 Waterproof, 103° Viewing Angle, 2.8mm Lens, 98.4ft Night Vision, 5-Megapixel, IP5M-B1186EW-28MM (White) amazon.com/gp/product/B08K1M34ZQ/
• Eversecu Security Camera H.265 1080P POE(Power Over Ethernet) IP Camera Outdoor, Home Security Surveillance Camera, 20Meter Night Vision, IP66 Waterproof, Stabler Than WiFi Cameras amazon.com/gp/product/B07GPGPV67/
• Jennov POE Security Camera 5MP(2592x1944) HD IP PTZ Security Camera CCTV Home Video & Audio Surveillance Outdoor Pan Tilt & 5X Zoom Night Vision Motion Detection Free Phone App Remote View amazon.com/gp/product/B07K9XXP69/

Amcrest 5MP camera is a decent IP PoE camera .. I think more people know this camera compared to the others as it is a Dahua OEM camera

Can you better describe what the difference between your needs and what this provided?

 

[wittaj]

The Amcrest for sure would work. It comes as default address of 192.168.1.108 and you need to change it.

Most of these cameras will work best with Internet Explorer, so that could be why you were having trouble with other browsers.

And if you want it to be DHCP, then you are probably setting it up with P2P and UPnP and it will be sending stuff out.

I think you want one thing, but are not going to accomplish it the way you want. You can't have it both ways.

K.I.S.S usually means scanning a QR code, P2P, port-forward - all of which come with security risks and cameras sending stuff out whether you want it to or not.

You want to be able to easily access it via a port, which means you have either opened a port (port forwarding) or using the P2P of the camera, both of which will allow the camera to "phone home"

If that is your primary concern that the cameras could send stuff out when you are not using it, then you need to set up a VPN on your system so that they cannot phone home or touch the internet and the only way you access it is to VPN back into YOUR system. Don't mistake this for a paid VPN that is used to stream illegal videos and porn. This is a free VPN you host and many routers have OpenVPN native to the router.

How to Secure Your Network (Don't Get Hacked!)

Many camera networks are unsecure, even those installed by professionals. This guide gives basic instruction in how to secure a camera network from the most common types of attacks. Perhaps the most important rule of securing a computer network is to not forward ports to unsecure services...

ipcamtalk.com

VPN Primer for Noobs

The internet is a force of nature; no video surveillance system made was designed to be exposed to those forces.. NEVER FORWARD PORTS to your NVR or Cameras, doing such things not only exposes you to severe security problems, but everyone else on the internet too.. Hackers dont want your video...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[mat200]

FYI - some newer Dahua OEM firmware reported to work with newer browsers ..

Remember you DO want to protect the cameras from direct internet access .. ( that is DO not port forward ) and check the camera's firmware that the appropriate configuration is set

 

[wittaj]

FYI - some newer Dahua OEM firmware reported to work with newer browsers ..

Remember you DO want to protect the cameras from direct internet access .. ( that is DO not port forward ) and check the camera's firmware that the appropriate configuration is set

Dahua OEM reported to "work" has a lot of caveats LOL.

Quote from Wildcat "On The IE front, I am also doing some tests with Win 11 (VM based) running compatibility modes on a number of cams to see if that can get people there without having the overhead of IE etc while Dahua continue to refine the GUI which still needs work under different browsers. As I mentioned before and Wittaj points out, I would always use HEAVY quotes around people stating """""""WORKS""""""" in other browsers especially with Edge since while the onscreen application of a setting may look good, the final result is less than that and often times does NOT lead to settings or features (even upgrades) working as expected."

 

[KK6GXG]

Amcrest 5MP camera is a decent IP PoE camera .. I think more people know this camera compared to the others as it is a Dahua OEM camera

Can you better describe what the difference between your needs and what this provided?




View attachment 147535

It would not respond to an HTTP connection request from the browser.

 

[KK6GXG]

The Amcrest for sure would work. It comes as default address of 192.168.1.108 and you need to change it.

Most of these cameras will work best with Internet Explorer, so that could be why you were having trouble with other browsers.

And if you want it to be DHCP, then you are probably setting it up with P2P and UPnP and it will be sending stuff out.

I think you want one thing, but are not going to accomplish it the way you want. You can't have it both ways.

K.I.S.S usually means scanning a QR code, P2P, port-forward - all of which come with security risks and cameras sending stuff out whether you want it to or not.

You want to be able to easily access it via a port, which means you have either opened a port (port forwarding) or using the P2P of the camera, both of which will allow the camera to "phone home"

If that is your primary concern that the cameras could send stuff out when you are not using it, then you need to set up a VPN on your system so that they cannot phone home or touch the internet and the only way you access it is to VPN back into YOUR system. Don't mistake this for a paid VPN that is used to stream illegal videos and porn. This is a free VPN you host and many routers have OpenVPN native to the router.

How to Secure Your Network (Don't Get Hacked!)

Many camera networks are unsecure, even those installed by professionals. This guide gives basic instruction in how to secure a camera network from the most common types of attacks. Perhaps the most important rule of securing a computer network is to not forward ports to unsecure services...

ipcamtalk.com

VPN Primer for Noobs

The internet is a force of nature; no video surveillance system made was designed to be exposed to those forces.. NEVER FORWARD PORTS to your NVR or Cameras, doing such things not only exposes you to severe security problems, but everyone else on the internet too.. Hackers dont want your video...

ipcamtalk.com

Its on an air-gapped private network. Most of that is irrelivent.

 

[KK6GXG]

FYI - some newer Dahua OEM firmware reported to work with newer browsers ..

Remember you DO want to protect the cameras from direct internet access .. ( that is DO not port forward ) and check the camera's firmware that the appropriate configuration is set

it will be on an air-gapped private network.

 

[mat200]

It would not respond to an HTTP connection request from the browser.

I would drop Amcrest a line and inquire .. HTTP and HTTPS should work ..

Try it within the LAN first of course ..

 

[wittaj]

If it is truly air gapped it won't work and be able to stream to other devices unless all are on same network....

And if DHCP then the IP address is subject to change. Most of us make them static IPs.

Maybe a topology map would help in case there are different interpretations of what phrases and words mean

 

[Mike A.]

The Amcrest should respond on port 80 if you have a path to it. I have several of the same cam and can access them no problem. Unless I'm missing something about what you're wanting to do. It defaults to DHCP but you can change to a static address and/or reserve it by MAC at your router.