Router Setup to Watch IP Camera Online Remotely via Browser

You Only Need 3/4G Connection & Power Supply For Surveillance on Remote Area. The networking setup part is slightly difficult. Take that you have some modem like Huawei E5573 Router WiFi Hotspot or full router with 4G SIM support. Here is Router Setup to Watch IP Camera Online Remotely via Browser. In other word, we are going to setup watching IP Camera over the internet using public IP or DDNS. We need two ports on router, one PoE switch and LAN input (aka DATA IN).

For this guide, you need :

1. IP Camera
2. PoE switch
3. Router
4. Power supply
5. A computer to setup
6. A computing device with internet connection to check the setup

Router Setup to Watch IP Camera Online Remotely via Browser

IP cameras can use a network to send video. IP cameras have small computers like webserver inside them.

First, you need to connect the camera to your network. You can connect using a PoE switch which needs one cable between the camera and one of the PoE named ports on the switch. You’ll not need separate power supply. Obviously, you can use a non-PoE switch (regular switch) but you’ll need separate power supply.

Most IP cameras have a default IP address of 192.168.1.108. In your networking tools, modems, routers you see a thing named DHCP. That DHCP is a way for the camera which allows it to ask the router for another IP address. In other words – your router or you can change that private IP.

Now, you have :

Now you need some computer to connect that router to setup. You’ll have some software/driver by manufacturer (like mobile hotspot devices) for the router. Use camera manufacturer’s configuration software. This part is manufacture dependent and usually via GUI.

Now, if you visit 192.168.1.108 (camera’s IP), you can login. Usually under Settings > Basic > Network > Information you’ll get the port in use. That needs to be changed to whatever you want except port 80, port 443 as common home ISP block those ports for this fun. You can use port 3333. MAC address settings will be Obtain an IP address automatically (DCHP). Save the settings and Reboot the router and all hardware. After reboot, you can access the camera from http://192.168.1.108:3333 within the LAN.

Now, we need to do port forwarding. You’ll see that your router has a Virtual Server option. Click and add new virtual server. Use the IP and port number you used in above steps. Save the settings.

On your some Status page or something of Router, you’ll get WAN IP address (which is different than the above). Now you can access the camera using that WAN IP and port number assigned by you in above step.

You are done if WAN IP is Public IP. Your WAN IP is your public. This is an example of proxy server.

Now, if that does not work then your router can be behind another router performing address translation. Chances are your internet provider is doing carrier-grade NAT to overcome IPv4 address shortage. That is ideally the ISP facing interface. Provider (or Perimter) Edge router is the router that a service provider has at the edge of their network which could be their last router on the way to another ISP or their router which connects to one of their customers. The public address is either assigned to you by your ISP and is manually configured on the outside, public facing interface of a router or it is dynamically assigned by DHCP. We are using DCHP.

Your options to a VPN provider that assigns dedicated IPs per user and allows port forwarding which probably will requires another router that can connect to a VPN (many ISP will not be able to do it) as the camera cannot run a VPN client OR pay for a static IP address OR use DDNS service.

However, if your ISP plays fowl with you then you have to suck your thumb.

My Opinion to Avoid Router Setup to Watch IP Camera Remotely via Browser

Cheap Android Mobiles are ideal IP Cameras because it is basically easy to setup as server with a public IP, however their cameras are not robust for surveillance.

However, in many ways external cameras with USB connector with or without night vision can be added with an Android phone. We discussed how to use OTG USB connector for using mouse with Android, thing is same.