Networks or internet cams, sometimes referred to as IP cameras, are common for keeping tabs on your home, children, and pets. These cams give live video and audio feeds that can be accessed via an internet connection from anywhere in the world.
However, many IP cameras on the marketplace are susceptible to digital spying. Thus security aspects are essential to consider while purchasing and using these devices.
For many people, deciding whether to install a single camera standalone or a comprehensive home security system can be a complicated process. There are simply too many alternatives to consider. They come in a variety of forms, sizes, and rates, ranging from simple to elaborate. Even the terminology is confusing to a first-time buyer.
In this post, we will answer a frequently asked question on the internet by the users, and that is: What is an IP camera? Or what is an IP camera system? We will discuss everything there is know about IP cameras. Let us start!
What is an IP Camera?
An Internet Protocol Camera (IP camera) is a digital video camera that works similarly to webcams and broadcasts and receives information via a network and the internet.
It’s not like a regular webcam in that it’s a standalone device with its own IP address that just needs a network connection to send images. The IP camera links to a network in the same way that any other network device, such as laptops, tablets, or smartphones, does.
Surveillance is a typical application for them. Unlike conventional closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV), IP cameras do not require a local recording device; instead, they just need a local network.
It’s gotten straightforward to check in on your kid from your office desk or to watch your organization from your home laptop in real-time. You can connect to the internet over a broadband network and see live video from any browser, anywhere in the globe, using an IP camera.
The only thing you will need after your device is fully operational is Internet connectivity. You may even use your tablet or smartphone to watch numerous video cameras or DVRs.
Some IP cameras need a wired connection, while others are wireless and send data through radio frequency (RF) waves or local Wi-Fi channels.
How does an IP Camera Work?
Suppose you want to send footage to a digital video recorder (DVR). In that case, analog-over-digital security cameras need a coaxial video connection. An IP security camera, on the other hand, may provide video through a wireless network.
Mainly, IP cameras link to a network video recorder (NVR) via an Ethernet cable, USB, or Wi-Fi. An IP camera that captures clips in full HD can be as high as 16 megapixels.
What exactly does that imply? The more data each video capture includes, the greater the camera resolution.
High-resolution pictures demand extra storage space and data transmission bandwidth than lower-resolution ones. IP cameras must compress or shrink the data to prevent wasting too much bandwidth while transmitting HD photos across a network.
When the film eventually reaches your smartphone or computer, modern compression standards like h.264 and MPEG-4 ensure that the frame rate and resolution are either unchanged or very slightly reduced.
Here are a few more advantages of IP cameras over CCTV cameras:
- Two-way audio is available. A camera owner can use the camera’s speaker to listen to and speak to a subject. This feature is available on some doorbell cameras.
- Remote access is supported. From any smartphone, laptop, or computer, authorized individuals may see live security camera footage.
- Improved resolution. The resolution of IP cameras may be up to four times that of analog cameras.
- There are fewer cables and wires. Power over Ethernet allows the camera to function without a separate power supply by supplying power over the Ethernet connection.
Consider IP cameras to be little computers with advanced optics embedded in them. These devices come with their own software and must be connected to a network before they can be used.
While certain models do need a basic understanding of Internet technology in order to get them up and to operate, this is increasingly the exception rather than the rule. Many IP cameras now come with their own applications, making it even easier to capture and view the video on the internet/web.
These adaptable gadgets are available in a variety of models. Consumers have requested disguised cameras, also known as nanny cams with webcam capabilities, and the marketplace delivered.
Internet cameras are now available in various resolutions (megapixels), shapes, sizes, and can be hidden inside an air freshener to a portable speaker to a smoke alarm.
How to Keep an IP Camera Safe?
Set up your IP camera with security measures in place once you’ve purchased it. Here’s how to do it:
- Make sure the software is up to date. The software that came with your IP camera will need to be updated on a regular basis. To keep the software up to date, register your IP camera or log in for updates. Visit the product’s website to see whether a new version of the software is available for download before installing your new camera. After you’ve installed the camera, make sure to download the updates as soon as they become available.
- Check the password settings on your camera. Get your IP camera password-protected. You can disable the camera’s password requirement on some IP cameras. But don’t do it unless you want to share your camera’s feeds with the world. Directions may be found in the camera’s user manual.
- Create a secure password. Instead of utilizing the camera’s default username and password, choose a strong password that would be tough for a stranger to guess. Those preset settings may be known to the general public.
- Enable the security features on your camera. Turn on the encryption option on your camera if it supports data transmission over the internet. Your camera’s login page should have a URL that starts with HTTPS. Otherwise, the login and password you provide will not be encrypted, and others may be able to see them. The URL of your camera’s website page should still say HTTPS after you’ve signed in. When it doesn’t, your feed is still not encrypted, and others might view it.
Conclusion
You’ll be all set once the security camera and Wi-Fi are safe. Wi-Fi Protected Access is a data encryption technology used by modern wireless modems (WPA). WPA requirements have strengthened over time.
WPA3 is the most secure, and it comes standard on certain modern modems. WPA will strengthen your security cameras’ defenses against hacking and other forms of unwanted access.
IP security cameras provide more functions than analog cameras and are ideal for any house or company. You can’t go wrong with IP cameras, whether you only need one or thousands.
