Need help setting up port forwarding

[Homeuser66]

Hi, I'm new here and to port forwarding. I have 3 x SV3C IP Cameras. They are all set up on my home network. I can see them while I'm home (connected to my network), however, while outside my home (not connected to my wifi & on my AT&T data) I can't see my cameras. I heard I need to set up Port Forwarding. I've tried but it still don't work. But then again, I'm not good at networking stuff.

Is there a guide that helps set this up?
Are there certain settings in Tinycam, that I need to adjust?

My modem/router is a Netgear c7100v.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Maxgyver]

Hi, I'm new here and to port forwarding. I have 3 x SV3C IP Cameras. They are all set up on my home network. I can see them while I'm home (connected to my network), however, while outside my home (not connected to my wifi & on my AT&T data) I can't see my cameras. I heard I need to set up Port Forwarding. I've tried but it still don't work. But then again, I'm not good at networking stuff.

Is there a guide that helps set this up?
Are there certain settings in Tinycam, that I need to adjust?

My modem/router is a Netgear c7100v.

Thanks in advance!

While I'm not the best help you can get, if you go to the top left of the BI page and CLICK on the "?", there is tons of info in the manual to help you. Best guess would be start on Page 135 and TAKE YOUR TIME to read fully all the instructions.
~Wishing you Luck~

 

[Homeuser66]

if you go to the top left of the BI page and CLICK on the "?"

Thanks, but when you say BI page, where are you taking about?

Sorry for my stupidity, I'm very new here.

 

[sebastiantombs]

Don't forward ports for cameras. They are so full of security flaws they are easily used for botnet attacks, plus you leave them open to anyone to watch your video. Use an outbound VPN like OpenVPN. Extremely easy to set up if you have an Asus or other router, that supports it and quite secure. When away it allows you to connect to your local network directly, as if you are on your home WiFi, even though you're on a mobile connection.

VPN Primer

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

 

[Homeuser66]

Don't forward ports for cameras. They are so full of security flaws they are easily used for botnet attacks, plus you leave them open to anyone to watch your video. Use an outbound VPN like OpenVPN. Extremely easy to set up if you have an Asus or other router, that supports it and quite secure. When away it allows you to connect to your local network directly, as if you are on your home WiFi, even though you're on a mobile connection.

VPN Primer

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

I have a express VPN, can I use that? If so, is there a guide?

 

[sebastiantombs]

Express VPN, which I wouldn't use to surf the web with...they're located in Panama and there are many questions about them monitoring your activities, is an inbound VPN service designed to hide your surfing on the internet. What is required for viewing cameras securely is an outbound service that connects your local network securely to the internet to allow you to use your phone to access it, not vice versa.

 

[samplenhold]

Thanks, but when you say BI page, where are you taking about?

He assumed you were using Blue Iris, which BI is short for.

 

[Homeuser66]

He assumed you were using Blue Iris, which BI is short for.

Gotcha.

 

[Homeuser66]

Express VPN, which I wouldn't use to surf the web with...they're located in Panama and there are many questions about them monitoring your activities, is an inbound VPN service designed to hide your surfing on the internet. What is required for viewing cameras securely is an inbound service that connects your local network securely to the internet to allow you to use your phone to access it, not vice versa.

Thanks.. I'll look into open VPN. I only use Express VPN, to connect to wireless outside my home

 

[bp2008]

@sebastiantombs I think you have the terms inbound and outbound mixed up.

@Homeuser66 Most guides for setting up your own VPN server (or for port forwarding) assume that your home router has a publicly routable IPv4 address, which may or may not be the case. So a good first step might be to check on that. The easiest way to check is to look here Open Port Checker to see what your public IPv4 address is. Then see if that matches what your router has in its web interface for its public IPv4 address. If it does not match, then you won't be able to do port forwarding or run your own VPN server, at least not the usual way.

 

[Homeuser66]

@sebastiantombs I think you have the terms inbound and outbound mixed up.

@Homeuser66 Most guides for setting up your own VPN server (or for port forwarding) assume that your home router has a publicly routable IPv4 address, which may or may not be the case. So a good first step might be to check on that. The easiest way to check is to look here Open Port Checker to see what your public IPv4 address is. Then see if that matches what your router has in its web interface for its public IPv4 address. If it does not match, then you won't be able to do port forwarding or run your own VPN server, at least not the usual way.

Thank you! I'm clueless when it comes to networking..

 

[sebastiantombs]

@sebastiantombs I think you have the terms inbound and outbound mixed up.

@Homeuser66 Most guides for setting up your own VPN server (or for port forwarding) assume that your home router has a publicly routable IPv4 address, which may or may not be the case. So a good first step might be to check on that. The easiest way to check is to look here Open Port Checker to see what your public IPv4 address is. Then see if that matches what your router has in its web interface for its public IPv4 address. If it does not match, then you won't be able to do port forwarding or run your own VPN server, at least not the usual way.

Duhhh (I'm the guy under the hammer)

I plead just getting off the elliptical and not having coffee before posting.

 

[Homeuser66]

@sebastiantombs, so I'm guessing Express VPN you still don't recommend? I just signed up for another year..

 

[SouthernYankee]

My general VPN post
There are two types of VPN, do not get them confused.
The type depends on where the traffic conversation (traffic) originates

1) origination: local home network, destination the internet.
This type of VPN is purpose to hides your activity from the internet, it is outbound, it normally costs a monthly fee to use. Direction is from your home PC to the internet, going to your bank, google, porn sites,,,, this not what you want. This VPN uses a VPN server that is in the middle of your communications.

2) Origination: the internet world wide web, destination: your home network.
This VPN type is used to provide a secure connection onto your local network, in bound to your local home network, from your office computer, your cell phone in your car, tablet at the coffee shop.. This is what you want, it does not have a monthly fee and is normally completely free. OpenVPN is this type of VPN.

If you home internet provider is a cellular network, then DDNS (dynamic Domain Name System) may not work, the DDNS is needed for most Inbound VPN services (OpenVpn) to get your home IP address (it is not static) so OpenVPN may not work for you.

A video on the paid VPN.
------------------------------------------------------
Hacked VPNs

Report: No-Log VPNs Reveal Users' Personal Data and Logs

A group of free VPN (virtual private network) apps left their server completely open and accessible, exposing private user data for anyone to see. This lack of basic security

www.vpnmentor.com

Naked Security – Sophos News

nakedsecurity.sophos.com

-----------------------------------------------------

 

[spammenotinoz]

My general VPN post
There are two types of VPN, do not get them confused.
The type depends on where the traffic conversation (traffic) originates

1) origination: local home network, destination the internet.
This type of VPN is purpose to hides your activity from the internet, it is outbound, it normally costs a monthly fee to use. Direction is from your home PC to the internet, going to your bank, google, porn sites,,,, this not what you want. This VPN uses a VPN server that is in the middle of your communications.

2) Origination: the internet world wide web, destination: your home network.
This VPN type is used to provide a secure connection onto your local network, in bound to your local home network, from your office computer, your cell phone in your car, tablet at the coffee shop.. This is what you want, it does not have a monthly fee and is normally completely free. OpenVPN is this type of VPN.

If you home internet provider is a cellular network, then DDNS (dynamic Domain Name System) may not work, the DDNS is needed for most Inbound VPN services (OpenVpn) to get your home IP address (it is not static) so OpenVPN may not work for you.

A video on the paid VPN.
------------------------------------------------------
Hacked VPNs

Report: No-Log VPNs Reveal Users' Personal Data and Logs

A group of free VPN (virtual private network) apps left their server completely open and accessible, exposing private user data for anyone to see. This lack of basic security

www.vpnmentor.com

Naked Security – Sophos News

nakedsecurity.sophos.com

-----------------------------------------------------

Good write up. It should be noted that the first type, home to the internet while pro-privacy does come with risks. The key one being you delegate the trust of filtering internet traffic to your VPN provider, as such a host based firewall (even windows defender configured properly is essential). With VPN, any other security device on your network becomes useful, such as your home router (blocks all incoming) even if you had a Zero Trust Layer 7 Firewall, can not do it's job and provides zero protection. You need to rely on the VPN provider to block harmful traffic for you. OpenVPN Client is also the most common VPN client even with this type.

What you are looking for is to run your own OpenVPN Server (installed on your home router, NAS, dedicated VM, never host on your PC). Ideally firewalled off. Then on your mobile device you install and configure the OpenVPN client. To get working with the required security you need name based SSL certificates, so you will need a static IP and name. Plenty of Guides on the Internet how to setup your own OpenVPN Server. This setup also comes with risks, requires port forwarding and is vulnerable to various exploits both within the VPN Software and TLS\SSL encryption protocols. As this is a back door into your home, inclusion of Multi-Factor SMS\Push style notification is considered essential.

If you enjoy setting up your own OpenVPN Server, go further and setup a HoneyPot. It's basically an easy target on your network, that has no use other than to notify you if someone\something attempts to accesses it.

The alternative to all this install an NVR like Blue Iris (BI), this allows remote access, but requires port forwarding. The risk here is BI is basically a 1 man show, so could have it's own vulnerabilities.
You have to way up the risks, for a lot of people BI and Port Forwarding will have a much lower risk factor than exposing your cameras directly to the internet (default for most cams unless you have disabled it), or installing a VPN setup that you don't actively secure and maintain. Where as if you know what you are doing and maintain it, a VPN setup is highly secure.

Have Fun

 

[Homeuser66]

@spammenotinoz & @SouthernYankee

Thank you both for this information! I'll keep looking into this and learning. I think for now, I'm gong to continue using the woods that came with my cameras. I was tuning to just use TinyCam cause it was quicker.

 

[wittaj]

The alternative to all this install an NVR like Blue Iris (BI), this allows remote access, but requires port forwarding. The risk here is BI is basically a 1 man show, so could have it's own vulnerabilities.
You have to way up the risks, for a lot of people BI and Port Forwarding will have a much lower risk factor than exposing your cameras directly to the internet (default for most cams unless you have disabled it), or installing a VPN setup that you don't actively secure and maintain. Where as if you know what you are doing and maintain it, a VPN setup is highly secure.

Blue Iris does not require port forwarding to work. Most of us setup OpenVPN to gain remote access... But it does provide a port-forward option for those that do not know better...

True BI is basically a one man show, but none of my past NVRs ever had an update and worked just fine for years. If the BI developer hangs it up one day and nobody takes it over, well it will still run just fine as it is now and would essentially be like an NVR that never sees an update...