Make an Old Computer Your Home Security System

[Jim Beaux]

Ideas to get the creative juices flowing.

http://www.technewsdaily.com/7773-compu ... ystem.html

[bmwrdr]

I surely like the idea with the dual skype account, especially since you can load the skype client also on a smart phone or iphone. Here is my solution, not as cheap but energy sufficient. Get a mini PC and install Linux, most commercial firewalls Verizon for example supplies a great firewall with their FIOS service.
Install Linux on the mini PC and connect it to the firewall, configure a DMZ and sign up for dyn DNS.
On the Linux PC you just need one service running, VSFTP to record capture streams of web cameras.
Webcams are inexpensive these days and come with wired and wireless interfaces. For each camera you'd need to setup an user ID and a home directory, thats were recorded pictures go.
On your cell phone you need only a web browser to get to the DMZ/ Linux box on your firewall. once connected all cameras can be monitord and recorded pictures can be viewed via cell phone or PC from anywhere. It is important to configure the security settings and make sure you use SSL and strong passwords. That part comes for free with Linux. I also need to mention that you can use almost any web cam on the market.

[cb1000rider]

Simpler:
1) Buy cameras that upload via ftp
2) Install FTP server on your local computer
3) Mount network drive in your closet. All videos get written to that device.

(works for me, although I do use some of that fancy-linux stuff)

[lithium398]

nice idea

[jimlongley]

Stick with wired cameras if at all possible, wireless is so common these days that interference is becoming a factor.

[VMI77]

Simpler still:

Buy cheap USB cameras and software like Blue Iris. The webcams I bought also had built in mics. The software and 4 cameras cost me around $100, plus a little more for USB extension cables.

http://blueirissoftware.com/

[CowboyPilot]

For the less technically inclined, configure the camera to save snapshots into a directory that is synced with google drive, Dropbox, etc and just use the phone client to access them. No firewalls, FTP servers, Dynamic DNS etc.

[bmwrdr]

For the less technically inclined, configure the camera to save snapshots into a directory that is synced with google drive, Dropbox, etc and just use the phone client to access them. No firewalls, FTP servers, Dynamic DNS etc.

Great idea! Remote access and off site backup with one task.

[Jago668]

Off site storage is important. I've seen a couple of stores broken into where the thieves took the on site recorder. Neither of those places had off site storage, so the cameras did zero good. Hidden cameras since then the thieves won't be specifically looking for your storage, and/or off site storage of some kind are the way to go.