Advantages of a WiFi Camera
WiFi Camera allows users to view their security footage from anywhere they have a Wi-Fi signal, through their interactive service platform. Wired cameras can also be viewed, but are limited by the range of the wired network.
It is important to note that hacks on consumer cameras have included positioning the camera as a man-in-the-middle between users inputs (such as passwords, email addresses, and banking logins) and the internet.
Ease of Setup
The ability to remotely access network cameras is one of the main advantages of WiFi technology. It also allows for fast and easy uploading of photos and videos directly from a device to social media platforms. These images can be shared instantly, especially when a person is on vacation and wants to show their friends and family some of their favorite moments from their trip.
Using a camera with WiFi capability is also useful when someone needs to see their home from the outside. This type of camera can be used to check on things such as packages being delivered, food delivery agents and more. It is also a great way to keep an eye on children or pets when they are not at home.
Many users need to access their network camera from a location other than their local area network (LAN) – such as via a Wi-Fi hotspot, cellular connection or work network. Normally, this requires setting up a separate ‘air-gapped’ network with the camera and a recording device.
To do this, a normal network cable is required to connect the camera and the router for initial setup. Then the camera can be connected to a computer over this cable using a utility program that allows for the correct network WiFi Camera settings. This makes the camera part of a separate, air-gapped network, so that it cannot be hacked, and the ‘normal’ LAN can continue to function normally.
Remote Access
Probably the biggest advantage of WiFi cameras is the ability to monitor and view live footage from anywhere with an Internet connection. Whether using the camera’s app or a dedicated portal, users can keep an eye on their home, office, retail store or other location from the convenience of any smartphone, tablet or computer.
To enable remote access, a router must be hard wired to the Internet via CAT5 Ethernet cable (or direct fiber) and configured to support port forwarding, which allows data to go directly to devices on the network. This is a feature that can be easily set up through the router’s online settings or with a third-party tool. This process involves finding the router’s WAN/external IP address (see instructions in your device’s manual), the internal (LAN) IP address of the camera, and the port number to be used.
This is a complicated process, but once it’s complete, the camera can be accessed from any device that connects to the same Wi-Fi network as the camera. Users should make sure they have a strong password and not use the default choice or a password that has been used on other websites or accounts, as hackers can try to access the camera by guessing its username and password. It’s also a good idea to enable two-factor authentication for the cloud account if it’s available.
Cloud Storage
Since WiFi cameras are able to connect directly to your home’s wireless network, they don’t require any wires (except for power) to operate. This helps to keep them compact and easy to set up. The wireless capability also means that you can easily access your camera’s footage via a smartphone or computer.
Many WiFi camera models upload recordings to a cloud service, where you can store them for free or pay monthly for cloud storage and access to additional features, such as person, vehicle and package detection. This makes it easy to get your footage online and to share it with others. However, it’s important to remember that the quality of the images that are uploaded may not be as high as what you see on the camera screen.
Unlike wired systems, which require an ethernet cable for data transmission, WiFi Camera most wireless cameras use Wi-Fi and mobile data to transmit images, making them more compact and flexible. This is especially important for homeowners who want to install cameras in hard-to-reach places, such as in a vaulted ceiling or a garage.
While the CR’s top-rated wireless camera, the Lorex 2K Pan-Tilt WiFi W462AQC-E, has a strong mix of modern features, including motorized pan-and-tilt to change your view, person detection and monitoring zones, app and voice control with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, and a microSD card slot for free local video storage, its data privacy is middling. If you need a better option, consider the Eve Outdoor Cam, which works with Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video feature and uses end-to-end encryption to protect your videos and alerts.
Security Features
Unlike traditional wired security cameras, which are plugged into a home’s electrical system, wireless WiFi cameras operate independent of a centralized network. This allows them to work in areas where ethernet cables wouldn’t reach, like construction sites and temporary facilities.
As a result, you’ll need to carefully consider where you place your cameras in your home. For example, placing your indoor cameras near choke points in your home – spots that are most likely to be entered by burglars – will provide you with the best possible line of sight. It’s also important to place them high in corners, as this will give you the widest range of vision possible.
You should also make sure your camera features a vandal resistance rating, which indicates how well the device can withstand external impact. The higher the rating, the more resistant your camera will be to tampering and damage.
It’s also important that your camera supports video data encryption, which scrambles the information onboard the device so that only authorized parties can read it. This feature will help protect your privacy and your assets, as hacks of wireless devices are increasingly common. In fact, recent consumer camera hacks used the cameras to act as a man-in-the-middle, intercepting sensitive data from users’ inputs (passwords, email addresses, financial logins, and credit card information) before it could be transmitted to a remote server.
