An IP camera is a convenient solution if you have pets at home and you are often away. And this is far from its only use. You can find out who is littering in the entrance, stealing food, etc. The possible use is limited only by your imagination. The only thing left to learn is how to connect an IP camera and enjoy the convenience of remote monitoring.

What is an IP camera

This is a modern solution in video surveillance issues that has replaced analog cameras. Gadgets have a digital video signal. With this, they send an image to a web server, and a person can perform various operations with the material: copy it, delete it, or edit it or send it to other people. Old cameras did not have such functions, allowing only viewing the video on the screen.

What you need to install an IP camera

The gadgets themselves are different, as are the kits sold in stores. There may be more or fewer components. 

But the basic list of necessary components remains unchanged:

• The camera itself. There are two options: wired or wireless;
• Power cable, charging. This is more necessary for wireless models;
• PoE injector. A small conductor required for the device to be “powered” by the network. The same twisted pair is the path for the video signal. When purchasing an injector, no charging is required;
• Computer or laptop. Not needed only in cases when a camera with a cloud service is purchased;
• Hard drive. There are integrated and discrete solutions.

This is all the necessary minimum equipment. You can install the camera yourself, but it is better to entrust this matter to specialists. But it is better to do the connection yourself.

How to connect an IP camera to a router

Almost every home has a router. If a computer can be connected to the Internet directly, using a cable, then other devices, smartphones and tablets, require Wi-Fi. If you have a router, it is best to connect the camera through it.

Wireless models are connected in two ways. The first is the WPS button on the router, the second is an additional service on the phone, only if the camera supports it. Let’s look at both solutions.

Connection via WPS button is as follows:

• The router is pre-configured. Internet connection is desirable, but not required;
• Plug the camera into a power outlet using a power supply, otherwise there is a risk of short-circuiting and damaging the expensive device;
• Press the WPS button located on the back of the router. After pressing, the Wi-Fi icon on the panel will flash;
• When the light starts to flicker, you need to press the same button, but on the gadget itself. The light will also start to flicker there. After 5-10 seconds, the flickering will stop and the icons will light up steadily. This will mean that the pairing process is complete. If there are no light indicators on the gadget, then the one on the router will serve as a reference.

The second option is through a special service/software. Most video surveillance devices work through the cloud. In such situations, additional software is necessarily installed on the phone.

Manufacturers almost always include instructions for setting up and connecting, but in the absence of such, we adhere to the following steps:

• We connect the camera to the network;
• Download the required software to your smartphone or tablet;
• We carry out the connection request that appears after installing the program. Most often, you just need to scan the QR code on the camera;
• We provide all permits;
• Next, check the camera in the list of devices in the software itself. If it appears there, then the setup is correct.

How to connect an IP camera via an Ethernet port

Setting up wired devices is slightly different. Cameras with PoE power supply do not need to be placed near a power source, but you will need to purchase an auxiliary device – a PoE injector, which is plugged into the socket. Connecting such gadgets is as follows:

• Insert the network cable into the router (not into the WAN port, it is needed for the Internet). The other side of the cable is inserted into the injector;
• Next, the auxiliary device is connected to the socket;
• The second network cable is connected to both the injector and the camera;
• Look at the camera, the power icon should light up. If so, the connection is complete.

Source: Burglaryalarmsystem / IP camera to router connection diagramSuch PoE injectors allow you to connect two or more video surveillance devices if there is an appropriate number of sockets.

How to set up an IP camera

Connection is only half the battle. The second stage is setup. To prepare the gadget for use, you need to specify the correct IP address. This is done as follows:

• On your computer or laptop, go to the “Start” menu and open the search”;
• Find “Options” and go there. Then go to the following sections: “Network and Internet” – “Network and Sharing Center” – “Change adapter settings”;
• Here you will find the icon “Local Area Connections”. In Windows 10 and 11 it is called Ethernet. Right-click on it and select “Properties” at the very bottom of the window;
• Next, click once on the item “IP version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” and on the “Properties” button located below;
• Set the dot in the “Use the following IP address” item. In the line below, enter the camera’s IP. If you don’t know what it is, look carefully at the camera’s label. After that, save the changes, close the windows, and go to the browser;
• In the address bar, you must enter the previously specified IP address and press Enter. After that, the page for configuring the gadget will become available. You can enter it using the password indicated on the label.

After completing all manipulations, do not forget to set automatic IP settings on your computer, otherwise the device will not be able to connect to the network.

How to connect IP camera to PC

If the camera is connected directly to the PC, it is worth understanding that the computer will not be able to be used to access the network, because the port for the cable will be occupied. The only way out of the situation is to purchase a Wi-Fi module, but then it is easier to connect the gadget directly through the router.

Some people buy cheap laptops for these purposes. If it is important to connect the camera to the PC, and Internet access is not required, then follow these instructions:

• The network cable is connected to the PC and to the camera itself, which is powered by the network (via the power supply);
• If the camera does not plug into the socket, then insert one end of the cable into the PC and the other into the PoE injector;
• The second cable must be inserted into the injector and into the video surveillance device itself;
• After completing the steps, you need to make sure that power is supplied to the camera and proceed to the previous step for setup.

How to connect to an IP camera via the Internet

This setting is necessary for those who want to get a tool for remote home monitoring. First, perform the actions from the “How to set up an IP camera” section by going to the interface in the browser. There, in the settings, you need to set the automatic selection of the IP address and connection port. The data needs to be copied and written to a document, it is also advisable to enter the password and login for access to the camera.

After that, all that remains is to install separate software for monitoring cameras and set the required values ​​there, adding your camera, its IP address and other data.

How to set up software for IP camera

Most manufacturers provide their own software for their products, but sometimes you have to use third-party services. Such programs are needed for the final configuration of devices and for obtaining remote access to them.

The choice of appropriate software is huge. You can even install several monitoring programs and choose your favorite among them. We will analyze the setup instructions using the example of the free Security Eye application. The capabilities of other services will not differ too much.

Play

The instructions are as follows:

• Download the program from the official website and install it on your PC;
• We connect the devices according to the diagram indicated earlier. It is important that the camera and the computer/laptop are links of the same local network, connected to the same router;
• After installation, go to the application. Select the item “Add a new camera”. Here, enter all the information about your gadget. Although manual installation is rarely required, most often the application automatically finds the device and independently receives its parameters;
• Next, go to the application settings. Here, set your parameters. Individually set the values ​​of recording time, video quality, select the format, etc.;
• The next item is “Web Access”. Using this section, you can get remote access to the camera.

It is also recommended to connect SMS commands. They will notify you of strange activity in the house by sending messages to the specified phone number.