From Newsgroup: alt.internet.wireless

On 2/7/25 21:27, Hank wrote:

On Amazon, I have already researched cameras that "claim" they do what everyone wants them to do, but none of the ones I can find work right.

For example, this type of camera requires a carrier's SIM card plan.
$50 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFG6K9YM/
I don't want to pay forever for a carrier's SIM plan when I already have Wi-Fi at my house which works just fine without needing cellular plans.

And this type of camera sends everything to China & then back to you!
$40 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDTT8QZ3
I don't want to pay forever for a better connection to China when all I
want is for my camera to simply display on my phone when I log into it.

Do they even MAKE what I think everyone would want, which is:
1. A Wi-Fi camera that connects to your own SOHO router's signal
2. And which you can view the current camera output and saved video

If the answer is yes, can you help me with what keywords to use to find it?

If you can handle the DIY approach, it's been done for you already. This
is just one of several articles on building a streaming camera around a raspberry pi board. Other than that, there are commercial surveillance
cmaeras that do what you want, plus a lot more...but more $$$.

https://www.the-diy-life.com/how-to-make-a-raspberry-pi-zero-wifi-security-camera/
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From Newsgroup: alt.internet.wireless

Carlos E.R. wrote to us on Tue, 11 Feb 2025 19:50:15 +0100:

There must be a camera that is Wi-Fi that, even if it can go onto the
Internet, that you can log into from your home when you're at home.

I guess that LAN only cameras are easier to find with Ethernet
networking (ie, PoE).

That's a neat idea, where that's all I want, and I saw a few that are
Ethernet only so I ordered some and am waiting for them to arrive.

Funny though, they don't seem to be both Wi-Fi & Ethernet.
Just Ethernet. No Wi-Fi.

You have to seek cameras with fewer smarts. For example, if they do
"smart" things like face recognition for cheap, chances are they use an outside server.

The face recognition is pretty smart in the camera that I just tested out
from Amazon that goes to the Internet, I agree, but I don't want that.

It seems from my searches, that there are five main types of cameras.

Those which are Wi-Fi (but then they're not Ethernet) and worse, they go
from the camera to your router to the Internet and back to the router to
your phone or computer (which is a long trip from the house to the pool).

Those which are Ethernet (but then they're not on Wi-Fi). Which is strange. You'd think they'd have a device that can do either RJ46 or Wi-Fi.

Those which are cellular (but then they don't have Wi-Fi), which again is strange. These always go from the camera to the Internet via the carrier.

Those which are hard wired analog, which isn't what I can easily use given
the amount of obstructions between the house and the pool.

Did I survey all the possible types out there easily bought?
Wi-Fi only (no Ethernet)
Ethernet only (no Wi-Fi)
Cellular only (no Ethernet or Wi-Fi)
Analog

And there are the DIY Raspberry-Pi streaming cameras too, but that's out of
my technical level of expertise (I have no technical skills whatsoever, as
if I did, I wouldn't need to ask this question to get the answer from you).

Here's an example of each on Amazon.
Wi-Fi $40 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDTT8QZ3/
Ethernet $370 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D5CGY3Q6/
Cellular https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D41FL6C/
Analog $40 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HN4ZKNC/
Raspberry-Pi $25 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCBHNPBW/

I ordered that $40 Wi-Fi camera with the solar panel so I'll let you know
if I can get it to save to the sdcard or LAN without the WAN in between. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDTT8QZ3/

What do you think about this camera which doesn't say it needs software on
the phone to connect to the Internet. Do you think it's Wi-Fi LAN only?
$30 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DHCSL8XR

I just ordered it, and it should arrive in two days time to test.
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From Newsgroup: alt.internet.wireless

On 2025-02-12 03:36, Hank wrote:

Carlos E.R. wrote to us on Tue, 11 Feb 2025 19:50:15 +0100:

There must be a camera that is Wi-Fi that, even if it can go onto the
Internet, that you can log into from your home when you're at home.

I guess that LAN only cameras are easier to find with Ethernet
networking (ie, PoE).

That's a neat idea, where that's all I want, and I saw a few that are Ethernet only so I ordered some and am waiting for them to arrive.

Funny though, they don't seem to be both Wi-Fi & Ethernet. Just
Ethernet. No Wi-Fi.

Saves hardware and the complication of configuring the WiFi initially.


Notice that Ethernet cameras are normally PoE. Maybe you haven't
noticed, this means "power over ethernet". Two of the wires in the
ethernet connection (RJ45) are used to provide electricity to the
camera, thus saving in an extra connection and hardware. But means you
mean to install a PoE Switch to provide this special Ethernet connection (which can of course power a number of cameras)

You have to seek cameras with fewer smarts. For example, if they do
"smart" things like face recognition for cheap, chances are they use
an outside server.

The face recognition is pretty smart in the camera that I just tested out from Amazon that goes to the Internet, I agree, but I don't want that.

It seems from my searches, that there are five main types of cameras.

Those which are Wi-Fi (but then they're not Ethernet) and worse, they go
from the camera to your router to the Internet and back to the router to
your phone or computer (which is a long trip from the house to the pool).

Those which are Ethernet (but then they're not on Wi-Fi). Which is strange. You'd think they'd have a device that can do either RJ46 or Wi-Fi.

On computers, they are different cards. It is not that strange.

Those which are cellular (but then they don't have Wi-Fi), which again is strange. These always go from the camera to the Internet via the carrier.

Those which are hard wired analog, which isn't what I can easily use given the amount of obstructions between the house and the pool.

Did I survey all the possible types out there easily bought?

Possibly. I dunno, right now.

Wi-Fi only (no Ethernet)
Ethernet only (no Wi-Fi)
Cellular only (no Ethernet or Wi-Fi)
Analog
And there are the DIY Raspberry-Pi streaming cameras too, but that's out of my technical level of expertise (I have no technical skills whatsoever, as
if I did, I wouldn't need to ask this question to get the answer from you).

Maybe there are kits out there with easy instructions.

Here's an example of each on Amazon.
Wi-Fi $40 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDTT8QZ3/
Ethernet $370 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D5CGY3Q6/
Cellular https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D41FL6C/
Analog $40 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HN4ZKNC/
Raspberry-Pi $25 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCBHNPBW/

I ordered that $40 Wi-Fi camera with the solar panel so I'll let you know
if I can get it to save to the sdcard or LAN without the WAN in between. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDTT8QZ3/

What do you think about this camera which doesn't say it needs software on the phone to connect to the Internet. Do you think it's Wi-Fi LAN only?
$30 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DHCSL8XR

I just ordered it, and it should arrive in two days time to test.

Strange. They say it is a body camera, but needs an external power supply.

One of the photos say "intelligent protection". That suggests external computing, but I'll continue reading.

The product description section mentions an app, for ios or android.

Then there is a photo that clearly depicts the camera at home, and
watching from the office in the phone. This is a 99% indicator there is
an outside server involved.

One of the reports, by Tennesota, clearly says he is using an app in the
phone to tell the camera what wifi credentials to use. This is a 90%
indicator there is an outside server involved.

One report mentions trying to use the camera on the car or on a bike,
but they finally did not do that. Doesn't seem to me to be an
appropriate camera for that usage. Normally such a camera would not
require internet, not even a LAN.

All the reports I could read are marked "Amazon Vine Customer Review of
Free Product". Interesting, I don't see those in Spain. One of them
could be Arlen. I clicked to see more reports, but then it asked for my
login, and I refused. I do my Amazon searching anonymously, so that they
don't email me.


I don't think you can use this camera in the LAN without an external
server. Mind, some of the cameras using an external server may be
capable of directly saving from the camera to the flash cards, without
sending to the server on internet.


I find off-putting that not the description nor the reports tell the
name of the app or the service they register to. This is important. If
you have already a camera at home, you'd want the second camera on the
same app. The registration can involve a fee. And of course, there can
be reports on the app or service.
--
Cheers, Carlos.
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From Newsgroup: alt.internet.wireless

In sci.electronics.repair, on Tue, 11 Feb 2025 17:39:33 +0100, Hank <hankrobins@notspam.uk> wrote:

Carlos E.R. wrote to us on Tue, 11 Feb 2025 14:10:21 +0100:

But I'm not sure because everyone wants what I want so why is it so hard? >>> a. I want a camera that can't even get on the Internet
b. I want it to be Wi-Fi only
c. From the camera to my router and from my router to my phone

Why is that so hard to do when it's what everyone wants to do?

Because many people want the camera on Internet. Ie, they want to access
the camera from anywhere.

This would be possible to do with IPv6 without an intermediary.

Yeah. I know. I said it wrong. I don't care if it goes on the Internet if >what you want is to look at your video from somewhere far far away, but I >want it to be able to NOT go onto the Internet just to look at your pool.

Amazon used to have a visibile list of questions and answers but now
they have the asbility to ask questions (and to see previous questions
and answers if you use the right search terms. So maybe you can get an
idea that way. I think the first model uyou listed that I replied
about, on eeither home repair or electronics repair, ... I asked about
that, whether you could view the pictured on a PC and the alleged AI
said yes. Then I asked if you could control the pan and tilt with the
PC and AAI said it found nothing about that (so, No.) How that
affects your needs I don't know.

I have a similar question to yours. Do they make one where you can view
the image and control the pan and tilt with a PC. I don't mind having
to set it up with a phone, but I don't want to need the phone after
that, because my phone is rarely on, and my PC is always on.

I have no pool or kids to worry aobut. I just want to see the deer who
pass by, and the robins if they are eating my cherries. Their privacy
is important to me, but not enough to worry if they're on the web, but I
want to do everything with a PC. (If my house is being robbed while
I'm away, I don't want to know about it.)

I don't need my kids on the Internet that way, and I'm sure I'm not alone. >It's what everyone would want even if they *also* want it on the Internet.

This camera looked like it would be able to also NOT be in the Internet.
But I haven't seen any data yet go onto the sdcard the camera formatted. >https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D9XJNZWJ & https://eseecloud.app/download/

It worked great at the pool with the separate USB-C output solar panel too! >https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDKKR14V >https://i.postimg.cc/kMS5dLHX/wificam.jpg

But it sends pictures of my kids to some server on the Internet, which I'm >sure lots of people probably want to happen but lots must NOT want that.

Since everyone must want a Wi-Fi camera that can at least save its events >onto the sdcard and which you can log into from home without the net....

There must be a camera that is Wi-Fi that, even if it can go onto the >Internet, that you can log into from your home when you're at home.

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.internet.wireless

In sci.electronics.repair, on Tue, 11 Feb 2025 19:50:15 +0100, "Carlos
E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

There must be a camera that is Wi-Fi that, even if it can go onto the
Internet, that you can log into from your home when you're at home.

I guess that LAN only cameras are easier to find with Ethernet
networking (ie, PoE).

You have to seek cameras with fewer smarts. For example, if they do
"smart" things like face recognition for cheap, chances are they use an >outside server.

All deer and robins look alike to me.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.internet.wireless

"Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> writes:

But I'm not sure because everyone wants what I want so why is it so
hard?
a. I want a camera that can't even get on the Internet
b. I want it to be Wi-Fi only
c. From the camera to my router and from my router to my phone

Why is that so hard to do when it's what everyone wants to do?

Because the Seller wants not to sell you a widget; they want to
get you trapped into renting a service that requires you pay and
pay and pay.
--
A host is a host from coast to coast...............wb8foz@panix.com
& no one will talk to a host that's close..........................
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433
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From Newsgroup: alt.internet.wireless

"Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> writes:

Notice that Ethernet cameras are normally PoE. Maybe you haven't
noticed, this means "power over ethernet". Two of the wires in the
ethernet connection (RJ45) are used to provide electricity to the
camera, thus saving in an extra connection and hardware. But means you
mean to install a PoE Switch to provide this special Ethernet connection >(which can of course power a number of cameras)

Not quite.

IEEE 802.3af-2003 uses Phantom Power of Olden-Daze .
The transformers at center-tapped;

Secondary winding:

--------------- Bl/W To camera via CAT 5/6
\
/
== CT +
\
/
--------------- W/Bl To camera via CAT 5/6

The unshown primary windings provides the data. The CT is
connected to the power supply.

This is just the data TO the device; an identical second one
is for the data back FROM the camera. Its CT will be the power
supply negative.

This is replicated at the camera.
--
A host is a host from coast to coast...............wb8foz@panix.com
& no one will talk to a host that's close..........................
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2