Possible to connect WiFi security camera to WiFi Router?

[Daffy D]

My computer does not have WiFi. It is connected to the world via LAN to ZTE wireless Router to TOT.

 

The family can use their phones/tablets and even the smart TV through the ZTE router via WiFi. Though to keep things simple I have the TV's connected via LAN cable.

 

Presumably all the WiFi tablets, phones would be able to connect directly to a WiFi security camera, but is it possible to connect  my computer that only has LAN connection.

 

[tomazbodner]

Wireless router has all the devices, wired and wireless, connected to the same subnet (range of IP addresses), like 192.168.1.x where only x is changing from 1-254, where 1 is usually reserved for the router itself.

 

It does not matter how you connect to router, via LAN or Wifi, as all devices are in same subnet, they can communicate to each other without additional hardware (gateway, router,...).

 

As such, you should be able to see the camera inside your network, no matter how you are connected to it.

 

If you had a wired router (or modem) and then additional wireless router, then the subnets would be different, and that would not work without an additional routing table. Example would be if your main wired network was 192.168.1.x and your wireless had range of 192.168.2.x, then this would not work. Only the last number can (or rather must) be different.

[KannikaP]

For next to nothing you could get a USB WiFi dongle, sorted.

[Thomas J]

Numerous devices like this.  If you have a desktop it is easy to add a wireless card.  If not, many different devices that can be plugged into the USB port. 

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/tp-link-tl-wn722n-n150-high-gain-wireless-usb-adapter-it-mall-i1716784355-s4887948119.html?exlaz=d_1:mm_150050845_51350205_2010350205::12:12654756915!117524295342!!!pla-294682000766!c!294682000766!4887948119!269946124&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwLKFBhDPARIsAPzPi-Lra64PBcgZl9azWTIgqaYeZn6qN73nK9wxnGDe2eg_vpC52L-PGroaAlumEALw_wcB



 

[Daffy D]

I tried a USB WiFi dongle thing that did work when pugged into the computer.

 

I was still plugged into the Router with LAN so could not "see" my own Router, though did "see" several WiFi around me. Even managed to log into some family member WiFi from across the way.

 

I had the family member password because they had given it to the kids so thy could use her WiFi when I blocked them from mine. (Sneaky little...........)

 

Anyway seems I can only use LAN or WiFi connection to the Router, having both connections does not seem to work.

 

That's why I am looking for a possible way to keep the LAN connection from computer to Router and some how have the WiFi security camera connect through the router to the computer.

 

 

[recom273]

Yes, if the camera has an IP address.

 

As long as the camera is on your WiFi network, try entering the IP address into your web browser, it may prompt for a ID and Pass. Then you can access the camera.

 

I have reolink WiFi cameras, and you need to connect them via Ethernet to your router to set them up, but once they are on the network, then you can access the feed with anything, it may be worth resetting if you don’t remember the ID and Pass.

 

If you want to go further, you can use motioneye or blueiris as apps to view the feed or record to your local machine, all without WiFi to the host machine.

 

 

 

[tifino]

33 minutes ago, recom273 said:

Yes, if the camera has an IP address.

 

As long as the camera is on your WiFi network, try entering the IP address into your web browser, it may prompt for a ID and Pass. Then you can access the camera.

 

I have reolink WiFi cameras, and you need to connect them via Ethernet to your router to set them up, but once they are on the network, then you can access the feed with anything, it may be worth resetting if you don’t remember the ID and Pass.

 

If you want to go further, you can use motioneye or blueiris as apps to view the feed or record to your local machine, all without WiFi to the host machine.

 

 

 

 

and once one has Noted the IP addresses given to each wifi camera thru the router whist still wired - 'Reserve' those IPs so that they remain available when later trying to connect via the Wifi  

But even after doing all the steps Posters have suggested; many brands of Wifi IpCam will only connects with ones computer - if you've discovered which App works fopr that iPcam...  

 - maybe a good idea if for anyone else out there who've made ther way thru the maze - to List Which App works for their respective iPcam!!

 

 - Now fopr examp[le I have sevaral pan&scan controllable Ipcams...'

 - one is a 'YingEyes' Model YSY NWOI 

 so to finally make it worka;le; I had to use iSpy... but the real problem was how to identify an equivalent Model from the list on iSpy...

   In this example; I simply scrolled thru the list until 'one' of them worked...  (iPcam later reserved to 10.0.165) otherwise the unit could not later be reconnected with wifi... 

 

The next example, an iPcam also pan&scan controllable' was my iNnotivo unit...  Now this one can't work with iSpy, but eventually I found another App called 'IP Camera Viewer 4' where most functions except Zoom became usable...

 - using this I C V 4 App the wifi connectionwas still not accessible so (to this day) stuck with hardwired for that one...   This particular iPcam was a nuisance to set up, as the Label on the back only pointed to some CCP company website (that does not exist online anymore) 

This iNnotivo iPcam finally turned out to be the on List equivalent of a 'Foscam F18918W       (IP later manually reserved to 10.0.174)  

 

 

So from the above; many other (unsuccessful) Posters might find useful;

- a compiled (successful) User created list of their iPcam model(s) & by what Model name it is recognised by & by on what App does it actually Work!! 

[Daffy D]

Spent most of yesterday trying to get the thing to work.

 

Seemed to get almost there but some minor setting would not let the computer see the camera. 

 

After all that it dawned on me that to keep the camera on 20/7 so could not block the kids WiFi and that was not an option.  

 

A "Plan B" comes to mind  

[recom273]

4 hours ago, Daffy D said:

Spent most of yesterday trying to get the thing to work.

 

Seemed to get almost there but some minor setting would not let the computer see the camera. 

 

After all that it dawned on me that to keep the camera on 20/7 so could not block the kids WiFi and that was not an option.  

 

A "Plan B" comes to mind  

Has your Wifi got a guest network - put your kids on the guest network - my deco network has a toggle switch to switch it on and off - maybe unifi or mikrotik have timed automatons. 
 

if you don’t have a guest wifi - you can get a capable wifi router for a couple of k.

[recom273]

4 hours ago, recom273 said:

Has your Wifi got a guest network - put your kids on the guest network - my deco network has a toggle switch to switch it on and off - maybe unifi or mikrotik have timed automatons. 
 

if you don’t have a guest wifi - you can get a capable wifi router for a couple of k.

I had time to check - my unifi controller has a WLAN schedule facility - it’s not so complicated to setup, but the unifi hardware is a little on the pricey side. 
 

You can schedule your kids virtual wifi network to turn on at 5.00 and off at 9.30 or whatever, you could also specify a weekend schedule, but you would still have a separate wifi network for cameras running 24/7 that the kids couldn’t access. 

Others manufactures may offer a schedule function too, mikrotik do, but most (Inc myself) would loose a lot of sleep trying to work out how.

 

 

[Daffy D]

19 hours ago, recom273 said:

I had time to check - my unifi controller has a WLAN schedule facility - it’s not so complicated to setup, but the unifi hardware is a little on the pricey side. 
 

You can schedule your kids virtual wifi network to turn on at 5.00 and off at 9.30 or whatever, you could also specify a weekend schedule, but you would still have a separate wifi network for cameras running 24/7 that the kids couldn’t access. 

Others manufactures may offer a schedule function too, mikrotik do, but most (Inc myself) would loose a lot of sleep trying to work out how.

 

 

Once school starts (will it EVER ) probably easier just to take their phones away when they go to bed.