When setting up any of the best IP cameras for 2015, the process can feel somewhat daunting. However, it can be performed in fewer than 15 minutes thanks to the ease the configuration process has become. All you need is a working and accessible network and then you follow the steps in setting up your camera. Modern advances in consumer electronics make possible a quick and speedy setup process that requires a minimal understanding of the technology you re using.
Ensure Your Network Is Accessible
For the majority of homes, you should already be using a cable modem that also acts as a network router. The router is the keystone device needed to intelligently direct traffic between devices within your home and the internet, and it is the connecting point through which your wired or wireless IP camera or baby monitor is best accessed. If you have a wireless device, you need to ensure your router has wireless capabilities and the signal strength to facilitate video streaming from a camera.
Set Up the Camera
All IP cameras come unconfigured when you first purchase them, which means you can t just plug them in and start watching. During the initial setup process, you need to put together your camera, making sure to attach any antenna and power cables. Once fully powered, you can begin the setup process by wirelessly connecting to it via an internet browser on a computer in your network.
Accessing the camera typically entails typing in a specific IP address and then a username and password that is provided either on the base of the device or in the user manual. Depending on your IP home security cameras, you may have to connect it directly to a computer via Ethernet cable for the first-time setup. Once you ve performed the steps associated with setting it up, you can unplug the Ethernet cable and access the device remotely. You won t need to plug it back in with an Ethernet cable again unless you perform a factory reset of the device.
When you first log into the camera, you have access to a wide range of options. You can adjust camera settings to impact display performance such as brightness, contrast and white balance. You can even set it to black-and-white mode or flip the image to compensate for if you ve hung the unit upside-down.
Discover the Network
IP cameras offer a browser-based setup process through which you can discover the network, set up wireless access to the camera and define the quality of the camera feed. As part of the setup process, the camera is able to detect your network, and you can provide the password for it to wirelessly access and transfer security footage. This step is required only once and persists through device reboots.
Ensure Connectivity
After completing the setup process, you should be able to access the device remotely for security monitoring, either through a browser-based viewer or through a desktop or mobile application. If you ve performed the initial setup of the camera correctly, the camera feed is immediately available for access. Most of the best IP cameras are accessible through a browser by typing in a specific IP address. With some devices, you can access this address from both inside and outside your network for remote viewing, and you should test this capability early on.
By following these recommendations, you can set up your IP camera in 15 minutes.
