web cam question

[Grim/Don]

I'd like to set up a webcam to use as home security/monitoring. I've got an older camera (Aiptek SD Web/pocket cam) that I just tried to hook up to my newer computer, but it wouldn't work. (I'm going to check out newer ones.) After I do get the camera working, what's involved in being able to check in from work?

(A couple weeks ago, I noticed my son's Yahoo messenger account had signed off... Kinda creeped me out, as I was pretty certain he was at school. I called the wife, and yes; he'd made it off to school. I told her I was nervous. so she called the neighbors and had them eyeball the place (everything was cool). Anyway, I thought it would be cool to be able to peek in if I needed to.)

 

[Sid Post]

Remote monitoring can be done but, you most likely will need to a get a webcam with that feature built in as part of a package.

 

[ThinkOfTheChildren]

...A couple weeks ago, I noticed my son's Yahoo messenger account had signed off... Kinda creeped me out, as I was pretty certain he was at school. I called the wife, and yes; he'd made it off to school...

He most likely signed in at school, which logged him off at home. Unless I'm misunderstanding. Or the connection temporarily dropped, or someone else logged in on his account, etc etc.

Just about all webcams these days come with monitoring software, including 'motion detection' abilities to turn them on. That said, even cheap video input devices can be used with 'surveillance' software. The only real requirement is that the video device can provide a constant feed (some devices won't like to run all day).

 

[713alan]

There are network cameras that you connect to your home network. You can check them from anywhere. They take a bit to set up.

For a simple web cam just hook it to your computer. Then use remote access service (I use logmein which is free and secure) to access your home computer by going to logmein.com and connecting. This will annoy anyone who is at home using your computer.