How can I see my IP cameras without an app?

November 24, 2018 5:05 PM

I bought a no name wireless IP camera system. The monitor connected to the wireless receiver works great. But the app the company suggests I use to see them on my phone is terrible.

Isn't there a way for me to go into my router, and using the camera IP addresses, be able to see them on any device including my mobile phone? I remember doing this about 10 years ago before apps got big, and it worked fine. I've since forgotten how but it can't be that complicated.

posted by CollectiveMind to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

Have you tried just putting the IP of the camera into a web browser from a computer on your network? Some cameras will serve a webpage that lets you access the setup and/or video stream.
posted by glonous keming at 5:40 PM on November 24, 2018 [3 favorites]

glonous keming, you probably don't want to just have an unsecured IP camera that anyone can access
posted by radioamy at 5:59 PM on November 24, 2018 [4 favorites]

I've used TinyCam for this on android. There are a number or ip camera viewers out there. Def. figure out how to set a password (check your manual).
posted by pyro979 at 6:42 PM on November 24, 2018 [1 favorite]

That article is from 2011 and a lot has changed since then regarding the default setups for IP cameras. I've installed dozens of them over the last two years. Regardless, that doesn't invalidate my question of had CollectiveMind tried to go straight to the camera on a broswer and seeing what it did. It'll either serve a web page or it won't. How the camera is secured beyond that is a further matter.
posted by glonous keming at 7:08 PM on November 24, 2018 [3 favorites]

An IP webcam on the LAN side of the router is NOT an unsecured IP camera. Any default router firewall settings are going to block any access from the WAN side of the router.

glonous keming's advice is exactly the correct advice for the OP at this point.
posted by humboldt32 at 2:00 PM on November 25, 2018 [1 favorite]