One or two cameras on wifi LAN only.

[coward13]

I need some help with what seems like a simple IP camera/ wifi network set-up.
I have:
Hikvision DS-2CD2023G0-I IP camera
Three Engenius EOC2611P Client bridge/APs
Android phone with Wifi
I want to view and or control the camera(s) real-time via wifi network on phone (s) (no internet).

Camera(s) will be used monitor isolated areas up to 200 meters from my location.

I have the power requirements figured out. Need sugestions: I think I must use Engenius as a bridge for the camera (s) to other Engenius configured as an AP? Not sure where to go from there.... Can I access the AP with the phone Wifi as long as all on the same network? Do I need a separate router? What APP on phone will work?

Thanks

 

[catcamstar]

Interesting use case, didn't even know this Engenius gear.

To answer your question, YOU need to decide what you want to do Have a look at page 1 bottom right:

https://www.engeniustech.com/resources/EOC2611P Datasheet.pdf

Some background:
- if you would have internet, you'd have a router. A router with wifi is the easiest option: it not only let connect devices by wifi to it, it also distributed IP addresses which are .. kinda required to work anyway
- an AP/Bridge is the best option to "extend" the wifi signal and/or create "wire terminations" where you can plug in for example your camera
- the difference of an AP is it acts as the "broadcast" station, the bridge acts as a "transparant" network device translating wifi to UTP signal.
- if your mobile device is connected to that same wifi, it resides inside the same network as the UTP signal, hence it should see the camera

But here is the million dollar question: will this work? Then my 2c: nop. Why? Like I wrote: if you'd have a router, it hands out IP addresses to the downstream devices. In that datasheet, I cannot see any DHCP functionality (which is not a core capability of an AP/bridge at all!), so with only these devices, some camera's and a mobile, you won't make it work. So either you add something with dhcpd capabilities (raspberry pi), or you add a (simple) router (even without internet). Ample choices.

But I still like your use case

Good luck!
CC

PS. if you managed to pull power to these remote locations, I'm wondering why you did not opt to work with something like powerlines, then you're not running into interference/bad signal or perks stealing your antenna's

 

[coward13]

Interesting use case, didn't even know this Engenius gear.

To answer your question, YOU need to decide what you want to do Have a look at page 1 bottom right:

https://www.engeniustech.com/resources/EOC2611P Datasheet.pdf

Some background:
- if you would have internet, you'd have a router. A router with wifi is the easiest option: it not only let connect devices by wifi to it, it also distributed IP addresses which are .. kinda required to work anyway
- an AP/Bridge is the best option to "extend" the wifi signal and/or create "wire terminations" where you can plug in for example your camera
- the difference of an AP is it acts as the "broadcast" station, the bridge acts as a "transparant" network device translating wifi to UTP signal.
- if your mobile device is connected to that same wifi, it resides inside the same network as the UTP signal, hence it should see the camera

But here is the million dollar question: will this work? Then my 2c: nop. Why? Like I wrote: if you'd have a router, it hands out IP addresses to the downstream devices. In that datasheet, I cannot see any DHCP functionality (which is not a core capability of an AP/bridge at all!), so with only these devices, some camera's and a mobile, you won't make it work. So either you add something with dhcpd capabilities (raspberry pi), or you add a (simple) router (even without internet). Ample choices.

But I still like your use case

Good luck!
CC

PS. if you managed to pull power to these remote locations, I'm wondering why you did not opt to work with something like powerlines, then you're not running into interference/bad signal or perks stealing your antenna's

I'm using batteries and solar for power. The Engenius EOC2611P can operate as: Access point- Client bridge, -WDS bridge- , Client router, modes.

 

[TonyR]

FWIW, if all devices are given static IP on the same subnet and no Internet is desired then no router is needed.
Last year I set up 2 Wi-Fi cameras for a friend in an apartment like this:

• All cams assigned unique static IP's
• Asus wireless router is being used as an AP (DHCP disabled, static IP).
• Each cam's wireless is configured to join the AP's SSID
• He joins the Asus' SSID with iPad, puts static IP in iPad, watches his cams.
• No Internet access by cams, he only wanted local access.

 

[coward13]

Just using a WEB browser I assume. I suppose what sort of control you have on the camera depends on the camera or if you are using a special APP on the ipad or phone.

 

[catcamstar]

FWIW, if all devices are given static IP on the same subnet and no Internet is desired then no router is needed.
Last year I set up 2 Wi-Fi cameras for a friend in an apartment like this:

• All cams assigned unique static IP's
• Asus wireless router is being used as an AP (DHCP disabled, static IP).
• Each cam's wireless is configured to join the AP's SSID
• He joins the Asus' SSID with iPad, puts static IP in iPad, watches his cams.
• No Internet access by cams, he only wanted local access.

I had the same in mind @TonyR however putting fixed ip's in mobiles/ipads is so 1990 and yet user-unfriendly. For the time he'll loose (and forgets to unset the static ip's), it might be a better idea to enable the DHCP capability on a 50$ ASUS...

Just my 2c
CC

 

[TonyR]

I had the same in mind @TonyR however putting fixed ip's in mobiles/ipads is so 1990 and yet user-unfriendly. For the time he'll loose (and forgets to unset the static ip's), it might be a better idea to enable the DHCP capability on a 50$ ASUS...

Just my 2c
CC

So 1990?
Who cares! It works and its NOT complicated.

Not sure why he'd "...forget to unset the static IP's", as there would be no need to change anything....set and forget . No router needed, money saved, plus the more complicated something is the more chances there are for something to fail.

It's been great for him for almost a year and this guy could not find his own butt with both hands.

 

[TonyR]

@coward13 ,
Below this text is an image of the proposed configuration of all 3 Engenius devices.

• Camera could be static IP of 192.168.1.100
• Camera's LAN plugged into Engenius #1.
• Engenius #1 configured with static IP of 192.168.1.101, DHCP off, Bridge mode, WDS on, slaved to SSID of Engenius #2
• Engenius #2 configured with static IP of 192.168.1.102, DHCP off, AP mode, WDS on.
• Engenius #2 LAN plugged into Engenius #3 LAN.
• Engenius #3 configured with static IP of 192.168.1.103, DHCP off, AP mode, WDS off
• On your phone, set up static IP of 192.168.1.104, look for SSID of Engenius #3 and log on. **
• Browse with phone to find camera webGUI at 192.168.1.100 or install viewing app to locate phone at its IP address.

I have made a few bridges with Engenius devices between 2006 and 2009 but have used only Ubiquiti for the last 10 years. I actually still have a used but good EOC2610 or EOC2611P in the closet but it is impossible to set up and test the suggested configuration without all 3 components. However, having done the AP-CB (WDS) setups and the standalone AP's (non-WDS) successfully in the past I'm confident that it could be made to work. **And I'm reasonably sure in the AP mode a DHCP server is available ("Engenius #3") so that logging onto it's wireless would mean all the user would need to know is the correct WPA2 password; one would not have to configure the phone/tablet with a static IP.

 

[coward13]

That looks doable. Thanks. lots of hardware for one camera. I guess there is no way to eliminate the need for #2, ? i.e. can't link #1 to #3 directly while still logging onto SSID at #3 with phone. I was hoping to add a second camera... Do you want to get rid of some of that old Engenius hardware in your clo$et?

 

[TonyR]

That looks doable. Thanks. lots of hardware for one camera. I guess there is no way to eliminate the need for #2, ? i.e. can't link #1 to #3 directly while still logging onto SSID at #3 with phone. I was hoping to add a second camera... Do you want to get rid of some of that old Engenius hardware in your clo$et?

You might be able to eliminate #3 and log onto #2's wireless SSID if you disable WDS on #2 and #1; but the bridge's throughput and dependability (#1 to #2 link) may be compromised. It won't kill anything to try, though.

Let me pull out that 2611P and get back to you.

 

[TonyR]

That looks doable. Thanks. lots of hardware for one camera. I guess there is no way to eliminate the need for #2, ? i.e. can't link #1 to #3 directly while still logging onto SSID at #3 with phone. I was hoping to add a second camera... Do you want to get rid of some of that old Engenius hardware in your clo$et?

I'll PM you with images and a price.

 

[coward13]

Thanks. I'm looking at the functionality of the 2611P. It has a "client router" mode where it can handout IP addresses. What if I run #2 in router mode and had it hand out IP addresses to camera bridge #1and any connected phones on the SSID? No #3 used. This assumes that the #2 doesn't care if to WAN at its ethernet port. Bear with my ingnorance on this stuff..I'm here to learn.

 

[TonyR]

Should work.
But leave cam IP & #1 IP at static, turn WDS off in #1 and #2.