Post date: Dec 20, 2016 2:05:15 PM
I found what seems to be a very nice Webcam. So I bought it directly from China. It arrived last Friday.
I had corresponded with the vendor, who sent me instructions in English, which I read in advance. Not only are there 165 pages of instruction for the camera, but an additional 155 pages of instructions (in English) for the software that configures and controls the camera. And there are more pages of instructions to use the special configuration software. I have seven documents in all.
I downloaded the software for my Mac. When I tried to use this software, it asks for permission to make changes on my computer. The manufacturer is reliable, so I say ‘yes’, which crashes the software. Ugh. Even when I cancel, it crashes.
So I ask the vendor, telling him that I have an old Windows box. He tells me to use the Windows software, and there are two parts: one that is used only to configure the camera (so that I can control it using a web browser) and another that allows me to both configure and use the camera for many functions — such as counting passing people or cars, recognizing faces or license numbers, sending alarms, etc.
So I connect my old Dell computer directly to the camera. While the instructions are probably correct from an engineering perspective, they (as usual) are not very helpful for a beginning user. However, after a number of attempts I am able to find the camera and ‘activate’ it, giving it a secure password and a static IP address so that I can readily find it in any browser. This takes about half a day (Saturday).
Well, I still can’t find the camera in my browser, but I can find it on the Windows computer using the manufacturer’s special software. (Yet another download.) But I can’t see a picture, so something is not working right.
The vendor suggests I download the Macintosh software and reinstall it. So I try that.
Meanwhile, I have two routers in my house. I’m not sure which router I connect with because both have the same name and password. So I decide to swap routers and configure one as an Access Point, making the other the sole DHCP (IP address) issuer. Thus I should have one single set of IP addresses, saving confusion (in my aging brain).
My old Asus router (which died) could have shown me a list of all connected clients. My current routers only show me DHCP clients (but my camera has a static — not dynamic — address, so it is not in the list of DHCP clients). Or it can show me the wireless clients. But my camera is wired with static address, so fits into neither category. Ugh.
But I have an app called ‘Fing’ on my cell phone, and it gives a list of all clients on the network. Indeed, it shows my printer, the thermostat, my weather console, cell phone, and laptop. But not the camera (or the iSwitch that controls my ventilator — but that may not have recovered from my shutting off the router).
Time for another message to the vendor. Since we are 15 hours apart, it may take a while before he responds.
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At last I stumbled upon (well, found via diligent search) a blog that explains exactly, step-by-step, with full instructions, how to get my camera up on the web. http://forum.use-ip.co.uk/threads/tutorial-megathread-getting-started-with-your-hikvision-system.689/#post-1411. And I realized that the Ethernet connector (in the kitchen) into which I had plugged the camera was not plugged into my router. Operator error of the first kind.
The blog (mentioned above) helped me choose from the ten iPhone apps from the maker of my camera. So now I can see my camera picture from the Internet.
Next step is to test it on the front and back porch, then mount it on the roof.