Standalone Cam VPN setup

N

Newbuser

n3wb
Mar 25, 2018
18
0
Hi all.

I am new to IP Cams and I am doing as much research as possible. I've read the VPN info on this site but wondered if what I'm trying to achieve would work. Again I do understand I need alot more research which I plan to do!

Temporary setup will be a single cam via POE to SD CARD. NVR will hopefully come soon after. I have 1 router downstairs and i would like to add a second router upstairs to connect and power just the camera and enable a VPN on router, yet leave all my other devices on the standard access point router downstairs.

Is this practical or am I reading into this wrong?

Thank you
 
The router behind a router is possible, but may not be ideal. You can forward the VPN port on the internet facing router to the second router where your VPN is setup. The VPN config file is a little more complicated to setup that way, and does require some manual edits from what an ASUS router will export. I did use a similar setup for about a year and it worked. Each router operates on a different IP subnet, which can complicate connecting to the cameras without some edits to the routing tables on the routers. This setup would give your VPN access to only what the second router can see.
 
Interesting help thank you. Thanks dognamedtank. You say it's not ideal, are we talking from the complexity of setup or a security side? In an ideal world I want the easiest safest setup, but after researching I'm not sure I want all my Internet traffic through VPN but the Cam I do. This was my logic of the second router. The other option I assume would be powerline adapter to upstairs.

This is a lot more challenging than I realised, will an app used to remotely view make this even harder?

Thanks Giomania. That should help in my research. Great doc.
 
It was not ideal for me because of the complexity of setup. I had mine setup that way because my edge router was controlled by the IT Group at my work (but at least they paid for the connection to have that privilege). I only had the ability to change the settings on a secondary network and was able to convince them to forward a port to my VPN server so I could connect to my BI server from outside. My home connection to work has now changed, and I have full control over my routers. My cameras now run to a dual LAN BI server (see page 38 of @giomania 's Cliff Notes). The reading and links on page 11 of @giomania 's Cliff notes are a great start to learn the reasons to use a VPN and the basics to keep your cameras from direct internet access. You'll pickup some networking basics as you go as well.

Creating a VPN server allows you to connect to your home network. For example, if you're away from home, you can connect to the VPN and then it is like your phone is connected to your home connection. For me, this makes using the remote viewing apps even easier, because I only have to configure them to work on my home network. In order to access the second router from outside, it would need to be connected to the first router (or some internet connection). A powerline network can work for this. The dependability and speed of the Powerline connection comes down to your home wiring, and you'll only know after testing. I tried a powerline network to connect my cameras before I bit the bullet and laid cat5e wire. The rooms I needed to connect were on different sides of my electrical panel bus and the Powerline connection speed and reliability suffered. All part of the fun of this now 4-year addiction I've caught. It all started with just one cam....and is now 25.
 
Appreciate your reply here. With this and some (lots) more reading I think i'm getting closer to where I want. The 2 router setup does seem a bit much and now you've explained in terms I think I understand, I think setting g up a VPN server on my main router maybe the way forward.

This will then mean I connect to Cams on LAN at home allow, no Internet access to them. While out and about connect to the VPN which is as if I'm on the LAN and remotely view but as I'm on LAN there's no need for Internet access? This is secure and requires no port forwarding I assume?

Then I just need to extend network access upstairs for POE which will likely be a switch, I assume this is just an extension of the network so will still allow VPN access remotely.

Wow 25 cameras and 4 years later hey! Let's see how I go with 1 and see if it's addictive!
 
Yes, with the VPN setup, you do not need to have any port forwarding setup. Adding a POE switch to your network for the camera will just extend the LAN network, so it will be accessible with the VPN. If your camera is on the LAN with all of your other devices, you will want to make sure that you setup rules at the router to block internet access to the camera. Disable UPnP.
 
Great thanks for this. Just need to hunt down a decent router with VPN server possibility. Seems ASUS get good reviews. I'll get hunting for a good guide to set this up. I also need to see and research if POE injector maybe better, I need to get the POE power upstairs wirelessly.
 
I've just had a thought. Will I be able to receive app motion notifications if I do the above setup? Would I always need to be connected to VPN while out?
 
Newbuser said:
Great thanks for this. Just need to hunt down a decent router with VPN server possibility. Seems ASUS get good reviews. I'll get hunting for a good guide to set this up. I also need to see and research if POE injector maybe better, I need to get the POE power upstairs wirelessly.
Click to expand...

I didn’t want to mess with my routers since I use them for VOD and setting my DVR away from home. Instead of buying a new router I decided to use a Raspberry Pi as a my vpn and then forward the port on my router to the Raspberry Pi. Just another option!
 
Newbuser said:
I've just had a thought. Will I be able to receive app motion notifications if I do the above setup? Would I always need to be connected to VPN while out?
Click to expand...
It depends on what you have sending the alert. If you are relying on the camera to send the alert, then you would only get the alert if you are connected to the VPN, since the camera would be isolated from the internet.
 
Thanks guys. The raspberry Pi is a new idea wonder if my level of skill could manage that. Think it's something I'll look into thanks!

I am likely to use the hikvision camera app or similar I've yet to actually get the camera so am unsure of how this works I want to get the network sorted first
 
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