| Wireless Internet CCTV, also known as IP CCTV, | | | | changing IP addresses, also known as dynamic IP |
| is the modern replacement for old analogue | | | | addresses. Say you have an IP address of |
| CCTV cameras and has the great advantage that | | | | 91.103.218.59 (they tend to look like this) today, |
| you can see your property, live, from wherever | | | | with dynamic IP addressing it could be something |
| you happen to be, using the internet. Now that | | | | different tomorrow. This means you would never |
| the technology has become popular in homes and | | | | know what address to use to access your |
| businesses, people need to know how to get the | | | | camera over the internet, and that is where |
| best out of it. In this article, I want to look at the | | | | DDNS support comes in. Basically, you use a third |
| minimum set of features that a router needs in | | | | party service to link a domain name to an IP |
| order to be used successfully with wireless CCTV. | | | | address. This service is provided by a separate |
| First, a quick note about types of broadband and | | | | DDNS provider and can be free, e.g. The router's |
| router compatibility. Your broadband service is | | | | DDNS feature means that the router makes sure |
| likely to come through your phone line or perhaps | | | | it always tells the DDNS provider what your |
| via a satellite CCTV box. If it's through a phone | | | | current broadband IP address is. Therefore, even |
| line, you will need an ADSL modem/router, | | | | if the IP address changes, you can always |
| sometimes called a DSL modem/router. The | | | | contact your camera by using the same dyndns |
| modem part of the box is what talks to the | | | | address, e.g. " |
| phone line. On the other hand, if you have | | | | - Keep alive or auto-reconnect feature. This |
| broadband from your cable supplier, you need a | | | | feature is all about making sure the router stays |
| cable router. This is not the cable box itself, but | | | | connected. You may have a power cut, or the |
| another box that plugs into your cable box. The | | | | DSL line/ cable connection may drop for a few |
| router part of a cable router or a DSL modem | | | | moments. In these scenarios, you want the |
| router is usually the same, with many | | | | router to sort itself out. Earlier models of home |
| manufacturers making cable and DSL versions of | | | | router did not handle this well, and even today |
| what is essentially a router with the same | | | | some can still be bought that don't reconnect |
| features. Now, let's take a look at the features | | | | after a power cut or especially a broadband fault. |
| you will need to get the most out of your | | | | The last thing you want is to go on holiday and |
| wireless internet CCTV system: | | | | then find you cannot log into your camera |
| - Virtual Server/Port Forwarding. This just means | | | | because a power cut several days ago left the |
| having the ability to set up the router so that a | | | | router disconnected, so this is important. |
| special code known as a port number is allocated | | | | - Encryption. Most routers these days offer some |
| to the camera. When you open an internet | | | | sort of encryption, usually known as WEP or |
| browser window and type in the URL or address | | | | WPA. WPA is stronger and preferable. Encryption |
| of the camera, you add this special port number | | | | is simply encoding the messages on your wireless |
| onto the end of the address, (e.g. for port 8765, | | | | network so that they cannot be intercepted |
| you would type " where "theaddress" is the | | | | easily. Make sure you get a router that offers at |
| internet IP address or URL of your network). | | | | least one type of encryption that your wireless |
| When the router sees the port number it knows | | | | internet CCTV cameras offer. For example, it is |
| the message is to be passed to the camera. | | | | no good getting a router which only does WPA |
| Without this facility, you would not be able to see | | | | encryption if your cameras can only do WEP. |
| your property over the internet. | | | | As always, if what you have read here leaves |
| - DDNS Support. It stands for Dynamic DNS and | | | | you dizzy and you just want an internet CCTV |
| is used where the address of your home or | | | | system to monitor your home or business |
| business on the broadband system, known as the | | | | without all this technical complication, my advice is |
| IP address, is changed at will by the broadband | | | | to get a fully-configured camera pack from a |
| supplier. Most DSL broadband services have | | | | specialist supplier. |