Category IP Cameras

Through the use of property surveillance cameras home and business owners have found it very simple to protect their houses, shops, and offices. There are many different types of security cameras available for property owners to us, and many of them are backed with the support of a security company.

Due to advances in technology, security companies can provide property owners with effective security monitoring which helps to deter intruders from entering onto a home property.

For business owners, these surveillance companies and cameras help deter intruders and staff members from taking part in illegal activities. All home and business owners should carefully evaluate the benefits that they can obtain from installing property surveillance cameras.

Prevent Theft

Surveillance cameras are very advantageous because they monitor all types of suspicious activity including thefts, shoplifting, and vandalism. The main reason that most home and business owners use surveillance cameras is to deter robbers and criminals from stealing property.

Property that can be stolen from a home or business location includes furniture, jewelry, money, and much more. Cameras can be installed in and around condos, bungalows, universities, townhouses, offices, malls, apartment buildings, and just about any place a person wants to put them.

In the event that an illegal activity was to take place, security personnel or officers watching live feed from the surveillance can contact law enforcement officials to take care of the problem. When cameras are placed on the property of a home, homeowners can use recorded feed to help catch intruders in the event that they were to break in and steal items.

An Abundance of Features

In addition to video recording features, many property surveillance cameras are able to record sound and voice. These features are very advantageous for all types of businesses to use because it can help resolve legal cases including those relating to sexual harassment complaints.

Not only are the features beneficial for businesses, but they are also extremely usable at college campuses and universities. Judges are much more likely to convict a person of a crime if there are recorded audio and video feeds of the crime taking place.

Data Center Security

All IT and data centers should be carefully monitored by property surveillance cameras. The cameras will help deter thieves from stealing valuable data which helps businesses to maintain smooth operational processes. Data can be stolen from digital files, storage devices, and many other places, making it pertinent that IT facilities install and use property surveillance cameras.

Reduce Insurance Premiums

Both home and business owners can receive a reduction in their insurance premiums by using property surveillance cameras. It is always important to discuss what types of reductions are available with a home or business owner’s insurance agent.

In addition to saving money on insurance premiums, many home and business owners can even receive tax deductions on the money that they spend on purchasing the cameras and other items that make up a surveillance system.

Outdoor wireless security cameras can connect directly to the internet using the local wireless router and thereby enable realtime viewing of the camera’s view from apps and browsers. Audio as well as video can be recorded and viewed live at the same time.  

These cameras are easy to install and the apps and software comes as part of the package, or they can be bought from third parties who create similar software that does the same job.

Outdoor IP Cameras

Obviously outdoor wireless security cameras need to be weatherproof and dust resistant so it’s worth checking theses standards in detail before making any purchase.  There are degrees of both and some may be built to a higher specification than others.

As well as protection from the incursion of moisture from rain or snow they should also have a casing that stops dust and insects from reaching the vital parts, and they should be able to operate in both extremes of temperature i.e. the direct sun of a hottest summer’s day and the worse of the winter frosts. 

Even if the manufacturer’s specifications given these assurances it’s still worth protecting them still further by installing them under the eaves or in shade so that they are protected from the worse of the weather.

The term “wireless” refers to the signal from the camera to the software in the PC or monitoring station, but they still need a power source, so unless you are confident in drilling through external walls to fit a power cable you may wish to ask a qualified electrician to do this for you as the job may also involve adding a new power socket on the internal wall. 

Make sure it’s a double socket so that you can use the second socket  for a PoE connection if you need it.  Alternatively you can fit an external power socket but the drilling will still be required and this could work out the more expensive of the two options for power.

IP Camera Essentials

Every device on a network will have a MAC address and most will have an IP address to.  Your IP camera is no exception and although it can work without an IP address it’s easier to manage if you allocate a fixed IP address to it. 

It it highly likely that the IP address will be in the RFC 1918 range of private addresses e.g. 192.168.1.100 255.255.255.0.  It will pick up an address dynamically via DHCP, just like any other device you connect to the LAN (Local Area Network) that was created the moment you powered up the router. 

However, your IP camera software should also have an administration area (accessible through a web browser) and in the setup or configuration sections you should be able to allocate a fixed IP address.

It’s worth spending some time getting to know all the various parts of the administration area.  This is where you can control the username and password for the camera, add new users, upgrade the firmware, and change various other settings. 

Although most cameras are designed to be plug and play, and will work with little or no configuration, it may be important for you to harden the security and to change things from the default settings.

Where are IP Cameras Used?

Home outdoor IP cameras are used for other purposes beside deterring would-be intruders from entering the main property.  They can also maintain a watchful eye on cats and dogs housed outdoors in kennels. ponies, horses, or any kind of livestock, outdoor property that is vulnerable to theft of vandalism, or for capturing footage of wildlife, particularly at night using the camera’s infra red capabilities.  Deer, foxes, and badgers are often filmed in urban areas as well as in the countryside.

The fact is that you can use these cameras in ways that make them a useful asset as opposed to an expense that only has one purpose.  Get to know your camera’s functions and features.  Check the recordings and you may soon find you have enough footage to create a video montage of the wildlife that passes by, both day and night.

High-tech security inside an office building or outside a store is so common that it’s almost invisible. Knowing that the parking lot is protected makes your walk to the car safer. Remote surveillance cameras bring these same safeguards to your home and small business, and today’s technology makes them inexpensive and easy to install.

The Basics and The Variables

There are a variety of surveillance systems dedicated to residential and commercial safety, but remote cameras are the most affordable, and installation is simple. Different models and configurations are available, but they all operate on the same principle; a high-quality lens combined with a video system produces a constant record of activity.

The cameras are easy to install at any height or angle so that they provide optimum coverage of large areas or target doorways and sidewalks. The choices in model shapes and colors make the system highly visible to potential intruders or almost unseen as it secretly records activity. The cameras are programmable for a wireless feed to your computer and store backup video in case the camera itself sustains damage.

Technology That’s Easy To Use

Today’s remote surveillance cameras are simple to set up and maintain. Your best choices are web-based systems, as these installations handle the connection from camera to computer with a user-friendly interface. They can be programmed for constant recording or configured for motion activation.

Many models include memory cards and automatic backup, and they allow for playback from any location. Password encryption adds another layer of security, and the systems are compatible with either a PC or a Mac. Mobile phones with an internet connection let you keep an eye on your home or business from anywhere.

The system can be set up to monitor multiple locations from one computer or a cell phone, and the cameras are easy to move and reinstall as your needs change.

Security Outside, Safety Inside

Providing your small business or home with reliable security is the primary reason for installing remote surveillance cameras. They monitor the premises around the clock and when used with other security measures, they allow you to determine if an alarm is real or false. In case of a burglary or home invasion, the events are recorded and provide real-time images that are valuable to law enforcement.

Most insurers offer policy discounts to homes and businesses protected by surveillance cameras. Installing a system can even reduce the cost of your car insurance. The cameras have indoor applications as well; keeping an eye on the house might include looking in on pets left alone or making sure that the babysitter is doing a good job. When the big storm hits and the weather is dangerous, you can check your business for flooding or wind damage without making the drive.

Remote surveillance cameras provide your home and family with dependable security around the clock, night and day. Setting up a system at your business protects valuable property and inventory, and the insurance discounts benefit both residential and commercial policies. Installing a reliable system is an investment in your peace of mind, and that’s an invaluable benefit to your family and your business.

Garden wildlife cameras can capture images and video of both wild and domestic mammals that visit (and sometimes damage or despoil) a garden. The same type of camera has a host of other uses around the home and garden and can serve the same purpose as a home video security system. The modern garden wildlife camera is simple to use and offers great flexibility for the user.

How it Works

An outdoor wireless garden camera captures the image and either stores it on an SD card or transmits it via  your WiFi network to your home PC or storage device. where it can be retrieved for viewing and processing.  It is also possible to configure the settings so that you can see the camera’s view over the internet. This allows the homeowner to monitor the home from work or other locations where they have internet access. As you might expect with electronics of this kind, the price increases in proportion to the number of features and functions.

Garden Wildlife

Given that a lot of mammals will visit your garden at dusk, night, or early morning you should look for a camera with low light or infrared capabilities. Mount the camera at or near the eye level of any animals you believe may be visiting the garden. You never know what you might capture and that’s part of the fun of trying this out.  Often it’s just the neighbourhood cats or squirrels, but urban foxes are common and if you’re really lucky you might see badgers or even deer.

Exterior Security

The design of any garden camera includes weatherproofing for outdoor use. This makes these devices useful for all forms of exterior surveillance. Some common uses include surveillance of access points like doors and windows or monitoring valuable items such as garden art or even vehicles parked in the drive. The range of the wireless signal limits the placement of the camera to areas close to the wireless router.

Security Cameras and Law Enforcement

Garden cameras, when used as a

, may provide recorded evidence of a problem or crime. Unless you happen to be monitoring the camera at the time of the incident you’re not likely to be aware of the crime until you return home. The recorded video may serve as evidence in a prosecution and for this reason home security cameras are very popular with the Police.  Garden cameras used in this manner should be camouflaged or installed in a secure housing to prevent damage by vandalism and criminals who don’t want to be filmed for obvious reasons.

Unlike conventional webcams which require a connection to a computer at all times IP cameras can operate independently as airfield webcams providing high quality, real time views of parks, race courses, airfields and any other outdoor area.

The can act as stand alone devices recording imagery and sound to an SD card, just like a wildlife trail camera, or they can transmit the data to a storage device located elsewhere on the airfield. All that is needed is a connection to a broadband router. This connection can be wired, wireless or using PoE (Power over Ethernet).

With such cameras installed you can publicise your venue or event by feeding this view to a link on your website and encourage repeat visitors and generate a buzz in social media by giving potential visitors or customers this remote viewing facility.

Give pilots who are considering a visit to your airfield the option to check the weather on laptops, tablets or mobile phones by providing a view of your airfield’s skyline. There is nothing like seeing for yourself (after checking TAFs and METARs of course!). IP cameras at airfields can provide a remote check of the actual weather while still functioning as security cameras pointing at aircraft parked outside and any ancillary structures and buildings.

Indoor IP cameras in hangars can complete the security coverage by being configured for motion detection within the hangar and alerting staff to potential intruders while recording the events in clear HD images and video. The owners and operators of airfields and remote airstrips that do not have personnel on site at all times can be be assured of increased security at their premises using modern IP cameras that act as vandal resistant deterrents while being alerted by email should any motion be detected.

A quick check on a mobile phone or PC will reveal if the trigger was an intruder or some other event such as a bird, small mammal, or falling object. Whatever the cause the airfield staff can then take the appropriate action while the camera continues to record the event collecting valuable footage that can result in the arrest and prosecution of any offenders.

Indoor wireless IP cameras a standard security feature in most home and office security installations these days. The prices have come down significantly over the years, and these cameras are now not only affordable, but also incredibly easy to set up and use. The technology has become so advanced that an indoor IP wireless camera can be accessed from virtually anywhere via the internet.

The Technology

A standard indoor IP wireless camera is hardly bigger than your fist and provides up to 300° pan and 120° tilt control. These cameras are very easy to install and feature a user-friendly interface, 2-way audio monitoring, and superior audio recording capabilities. Forget the grainy security footage of the past; these cameras have high quality lenses that can match or exceed web cams and handheld cameras in image quality.

IP wireless cameras are Wi-Fi enabled. That is, they can be operated and accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. This is a revolutionary technology which makes it possible to closely monitor your home or office from anywhere on earth.

The Advantages of a Wireless Camera

1. Anywhere Access via Wi-Fi
The biggest advantage of a wireless camera is Wi-Fi access from virtually anywhere on earth. The camera hooks on to your home or office Wi-Fi connection, just like a regular computer or smartphone. Once the camera is online, you can access it from anyplace that has an internet connection. You can control its pan and tilt, set up motion detection alarms, and see whatever the camera sees. With a wireless camera, you can be away for long periods from home/office and not worry about theft.

2. Motion Detection Alarms
Most indoor IP wireless cameras are equipped with motion detection capabilities. If it detects any motion, such as a thief trying to break into your home/office, it will take a picture automatically and notify you via email (some models can even send text messages). This is a powerful feature, as you can not only see if there is any threat, but also check for false alarms.

3. Save Money on Insurance
Equipping your home an IP wireless camera surveillance system can cut down on your home, home contents, or car insurance. Insurers understand that a security system makes your house a less vulnerable target for theft, and adjust the insurance rate accordingly.

4. Affordable in the Long Run
At more than £135, wireless cameras aren’t exactly cheap, but the savings in the long run, especially on insurance and reduced theft risk, are significant enough to make them a worthwhile investment. The three major brands, Y-cam, Storage Options and Edimax all have products in the £89-249 range.

5. Monitor Children, Elderly and Pets
Wireless cameras also make a great tool for monitoring your kids or pets when you are away from home. Simply log into the wireless camera from your computer (or even smartphone) and watch over your kids, elderly and pets for their safety. You can also monitor the performance of your babysitter or housekeeper from afar.

Indoor IP wireless cameras are affordable and incredibly useful when used in a surveillance system around the house. They can reduce theft risk drastically and help you keep tabs on your house, pets, kids and elderly, while helping you save costs on insurance simultaneously.

A person’s home should be a refuge from the outside world and a place where people should feel free to be themselves. However, there are people who have little or no respect for the property of others and who will invade this personal space if the opportunity presents itself. Securing a property with home security cameras is a good way of deterring criminal activity, giving homeowners peace of mind and catching criminals after burglaries.

In some cases, just the appearance of surveillance equipment outside a home or small business is enough to deter a thief or a intruder. There are several features that can be included in home security cameras that deliver different benefits.

The installation of complex surveillance equipment was once only attempted by fully-qualified technicians. There are now a number of systems than can be bought as complete kits and installed by people with no experience in such equipment. A particularly simple set-up process is offered by Y-cam.com and entails a four-step process that is very easy to follow. The features of the system can be customised according to the user’s needs.

The benefits of having a one of the latest security surveillance systems fitted in the home are probably more extensive than most people realise. The best systems will provide access through an internet interface. Owners can check on their property from anywhere in the world through an internet connection; many systems have mobile apps that provide instant access to live footage.

False alarms can be reduced to a minimum with systems that inform the owner of an activation by text or email. This process allows the user to check the home and inform the authorities of the false alarm before the police arrive to investigate.

Home Security Systems

It is usually possible to include twenty-four monitoring with a security package. Many systems will automatically inform call-centres when an alarm has been activated. The police will be called if a predetermined procedure is not followed by the owner of the property.

The cost of insuring a home can also be drastically reduced if a property features a state-of-the-art home security system. Insurers recognise that a home with such measures in place is far less likely to be targeted by criminals. Many people purchase these systems as a way of monitoring elderly or immobile relatives from work.

Sophisticated security surveillance equipment has a myriad of uses and a number of different options for homeowners to choose from. People can now select systems that provide crystal-clear images; critical for the correct identification of intruders.

Most images are now stored digitally and surveillance coverage is recorded in the MP4 format. This allows hundreds of hours of footage to be stored on a single disk-drive. There are also opportunities to store images on remote servers; this takes away the opportunity intruders may have to destroy images before they leave.

This technology can be programmed to work in conjunction with motion-sensing equipment. Cameras can either be set to record continuously or only when motion is detected inside a property; this is a great way of saving hard-disk storage space.

One of the most exciting developments in this area has been the recent introduction of IP cameras. They use infrared LED lighting to penetrate through darkness and can deliver extremely good images in areas of extremely low visibility. These sophisticated systems can also sense what the environmental lighting levels are.

This allows them to adjust their settings accordingly so that the best image possible is recorded. The recent decline in the cost of these systems now makes them a practical possibility for most household budgets.