Setting up a Foscam IP webcam

Having needed to set up a few Foscam cameras, I thought a overview guide would be useful. There is quite a bit of detail help at the Foscam forum http://foscam.us/forum/, but little in the way of describing why the various set ups are needed.


Preparation


What is Dynamic DNS


DNS stands for Domain Name Service. All computers or devices (e.g. your IP Camera) work with an IP address, something like 192.168.1.1. A URL, e.g. http://www.bbc.co.uk is a friendly and more memorable way to access the computer. DNS servers on the internet hold a list of URL-to-IP address mappings.


In order to access the camera from outside your network, i.e. the internet, you either need to use the IP address that your broadband service provider automatically issues to your router, or use a url that is associated with the service provider supplied IP address. Unless you have paid your service provider for a "static" IP address, i.e. one that never changes, you get a "dynamic" address, i.e. one that can change at any time, usually if your router is re-booted.


Dynamic DNS maintains a mapping of your service provider's dynamically assigned IP address and a URL you can choose, like http://myipcamera.dyndns.org. If the IP address changes, DYNDNS updates the URL-to-IP address mapping automatically making it easy to access the camera from the internet.


There are a number of services that offer URL to dynamic IP address mapping, but Dyn is the most popular and the only one supported by the Foscam IP camera


Setting up dynamic DNS

1. Go to http://dyn.com/dns/dyndns-free/
2. create an account
3. add a new host name and make sure you select dyndns.org, add additional host names for each of the cameras you are setting up.

I believe the maximum number of host names that can be added with the free version of DynDns is two.

Router Port Forwarding


You will need to tell your router which device should be accessible from the internet, and how to deal with the access. To do this you will need to log into your router and go to the port forwarding section and enter the IP address of the camera and the port to connect to. Think of a port as a door in a corridor full of apartments. Telling the router what the door number is will allow it to open that door and provide access to the camera within.


If you have more than one camera, each of them will need a different port number. If you try and use the same port number, you will find only one camera's feed is showing no matter which camera you choose.


Most routers will allow you to enter an external port number and an internal port number. The camera port number is usually 80, so this would be the internal port number. The external port number is any you wish to assign, but to avoid any clashes, I suggest using port 8085 to 8089.


If you have not already done so, set a password on you router or change the default. This will make it more secure and prevent hacking.


Camera Set up


Switching on and logging in

1. Plug the Ethernet cable into the camera and router. 
2. Although you can use the bit of software that comes with the camera to find the IP address of the camera, you can log into the router, go to the DHCP section and it will show the IP addresses assigned and the last one is usually the one used by camera
3. Once you have the IP address, type this into the address bar of your browser and you should be presented with the log in screen for the camera
4. In username type admin, and leave the password blank

Main settings to update

1. Alias - change alias to something more meaningful e.g. "livingroomcam"
2. Users - set a password for the admin user already there. Add other users and passwords, selecting "Administrator" group if you want them to be able to change camera settings, "Operator" group if you want them to be able to manipulate the camera but not change any of the camera's settings, or "Visitor" if you just want them to be able to view the camera's picture.
3. Basic Network settings - it's preferable to set a static IP address as you will need to specify the IP address when you do port redirection.
4. Wireless Lan Settings - select scan, click the SSID you want and enter the wireless key.

Mobile Apps

In order to access the camera from a PC, you can use http://yourhostname.dyndns.org:yourportnumber to get to the camera's log on page

There are a number of apps both free and paid which can be used with the Foscam. To access from a smart phone, you will need to enter the URL which will be http://yourhostname.dyndns.org, port number, username and password

Java

For Java based phones, there is an application that comes on the CD in the box. You need to copy this to the phone. On the phone, find the file and when you click on it, it will ask if you want to install it, so say yes. Enter the necessary camera access details and you should be away. Personally, I've not yet been able to get this app to to connect to a camera, but I've only tried a Samsung and Huawei.

Android

The best free one I've used is IP Cam Viewer Lite by Robert Chou. It does most things like move the camera and change brightness and setting the motion detection. The lite version does not allow recording or audio. I've have had problems setting motion detect  on and off, sometimes pan and tilt does not respond, and if the camera is mounted upside down, selecting left on the app make the camera go right and vice-versa. For a free bit of software it does the trick.

iOS

I've used CamViewer for Foscam Webcams by John McKerrell on the iPad. You can pan and tilt by just selecting the area of the screen you want it to go, but that's about it.