Security Cameras on boat

[Bigplumbs]

Here is an example of the photo quality from the Igeek

 

[Bigplumbs]

Just a comment.
I am no expert.
I've been doing IT and working with microprocessors since they first hit the scene in the early 80s.
I have no formal training or education in IT but I don't give up when something doesn't work - I just keep going until it works.
Everything I do has been learned from Google.
Anyone can do this.

I completely agree and this is where I come from as well. The sad truth is however that so many people do give up and don't try. I think sometimes also with IT and their main computer system they are scared they might break something. I must admit I have myself been monkeying around to try and get some unimportant thing to work and messed up other things that are important and then spent hours backtracking to get back to where you were. Mind you you do indeed learn

 

[Bigplumbs]

This is my CCTV Room that I mess about with. A few screens there and yes I know it is one heck of a mess. The rest of the house is not like that honest . Her indoors wont clean in this room she calls it the hovel but I like it

 

[Hurricane]

I completely agree and this is where I come from as well. The sad truth is however that so many people do give up and don't try. I think sometimes also with IT and their main computer system they are scared they might break something. I must admit I have myself been monkeying around to try and get some unimportant thing to work and messed up other things that are important and then spent hours backtracking to get back to where you were. Mind you you do indeed learn

Actually, I find it refreshing to talk to people like you.
We have a different angle to our technologies but I bet you get the same kick that I get when something works.
Why not try and build your own camera using a Raspberry Pi.
It won't be anything like as good as any of your other cameras but you would learn a huge amount.
The hovel would be a great place to do that kind of thing!!

 

[Zing]

There are lines to draw with these technologies.
How many of you use Teamviewer?
Teamviewer "tunnels" through a NAT firewall in the same way as the cheap Chinese cameras.
But I would like to think that Teamviewer is a more respected company that can be "trusted" more than most.
The same could be said about Alexa/Amazon - BTW I wonder how many people know just how BIG Amazon is in this field.
They aren't just a shopping retailer - they operate one of the biggest data systems in the world so they would have a lot to loose if Alexa fell into the same category as these Chinese camera servers.

For those that don't know, Teamviewer allows you to remotely control your desktop computer whilst you are away from your PC (even outside your LAN)
I gave up using Teamviewer about 2 years ago - mainly because they had me tagged as a commercial user (and I am not) but I couldn't convince them otherwise.
OK - so I walked - and found better alternatives.
For a few years now, I've been using a product called NoMachine.
It only works within the LAN but it does manage all my computers from my main desktop PC.
For example, I run a standard desktop operating system set up as a server.
In the Linux world, there are special builds specifically for servers but in a home environment, I find that it is easier to have a complete desktop environment complete with its desktop GUI and use that as a server.
In fact that computer is a "headless" (no monitor, keyboard or mouse) Linux desktop PC.
That machine runs 24/7 and shares its drives, resources and devices but I manage it by connecting to its desktop using No Machine.
Once NoMachine is running and connected, you would never know that you are connected to a remote computer.
So, all my computers run NoMachine and I can connect to them wherever I am - including on the boat (via the OpenVPN/DDWRT tunnels)

As I say, setting up NoMachine requires all the computers to be on the same LAN so you can't use NoMachine to access your home computers from outside your LAN.
That is where Teamviewer used to come in.
But I've found a really easy alternative to Teamviewer.
It is called DWSERVICE
See here
DWService - remote access, remote administration, remote support
DWSERVICE can be installed on any computer (virtually ANY operating system) - even a Raspberry Pi - or Windoze (if you MUST)
Once set up, you set up an account purely for you.
From that point on, you simply load a browser on ANY computer in ANY part of the world and browse to DWService - remote access, remote administration, remote support
Then, using that browser, you can connect to any of your computers that are switched on and have been added to your DWSERVICE account.
DWSERVICE tunnels through your NAT firewall routers.
DWSERVICE allows you to run a desktop (screen) connection to your remote computer as well as a file browser thus allowing you to upload and download files to/from your remote computer.
Fabulous bit of software and free to use.
BTW - virtually all my software is FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) and costs me nothing to install and run.

But as I said when I started this post - there are lines to draw.
Like Teamviewer, DWSERVICE opens up the secure part of your LAN to potential abuse.
Think about it - if YOU can get through to your remote computer, so can someone else.
IMHO, everything is about risk and some of the features that these great systems offer are worth considering.

Just some thoughts which I think are relevant to this thread.
For example, I have been setting up my latest Reolink Cameras on the boat by actually using my desktop computer at home.
I have been running NoMachine to remotely access my home computer where the Reolink PC software is installed.
So, when I get home, it is all set up - just how I left it on the boat.

Interesting. Will the home PC wake from sleep but remote request or must you leave it powered up? Will it reboot into the network from a crash or power cut. i.e. can you guarantee availability?

 

[Hurricane]

Interesting. Will the home PC wake from sleep but remote request or must you leave it powered up? Will it reboot into the network from a crash or power cut. i.e. can you guarantee availability?

In the past I have used a number of techniques to remotely start a PC.
The easiest one is to use a cheap WiFi 13a plugin wall switch.
All you then need to do is enable the PC to start wenever power is resumed.
Then just switch the wall switch off and on again to restart the PC.

But these days I use a much better method.
WOL (Wakeup On LAN)
This feature sends "magic packets" to a shut down PC - on receiving the magic packets, the PC will start.
Can be quite tricky to set up - especially with a Windoze computer.
Obviously, you need send the "magic packets" somehow.
This is where DDWRT comes in again.
All the routers are always powered up so as long as you can connect to the LAN with a browser, DDWRT can send the "magic packets".
DDWRT is really good at doing this interactively - there is a page dedicated to WOL.
It remembers the MAC addresses and names of the various computers so a single click on the appropriate computer will start it from cold.
As I say, I use Linux on all my computers so WOL is built in.
Currently, I use the Manjaro Linux Distribution and I've found that removing all the TLP features from the Manjaro build makes it 100% reliable when booting using WOL

 

[Zing]

In the past I have used a number of techniques to remotely start a PC.
The easiest one is to use a cheap WiFi 13a plugin wall switch.
All you then need to do is enable the PC to start wenever power is resumed.
Then just switch the wall switch off and on again to restart the PC.

But these days I use a much better method.
WOL (Wakeup On LAN)
This feature sends "magic packets" to a shut down PC - on receiving the magic packets, the PC will start.
Can be quite tricky to set up - especially with a Windoze computer.
Obviously, you need send the "magic packets" somehow.
This is where DDWRT comes in again.
All the routers are always powered up so as long as you can connect to the LAN with a browser, DDWRT can send the "magic packets".
DDWRT is really good at doing this interactively - there is a page dedicated to WOL.
It remembers the MAC addresses and names of the various computers so a single click on the appropriate computer will start it from cold.
As I say, I use Linux on all my computers so WOL is built in.
Currently, I use the Manjaro Linux Distribution and I've found that removing all the TLP features from the Manjaro build makes it 100% reliable when booting using WOL

Great tips thanks. Pity it is not dead simple. I'm going to need to punch a huge hole in my diary to get to grips with all that tech. I can see the weeks evaporate away in the project.

 

[Hurricane]

Great tips thanks. Pity it is not dead simple. I'm going to need to punch a huge hole in my diary to get to grips with all that tech. I can see the weeks evaporate away in the project.

The simple solution is one of these:-

Smart WiFi Plug Socket Outlet Switch 10A APP Voice Control Amazon Alexa Google | eBay

Or one of these:-

UK Wireless Smart Plug WiFi Sockets Power Socket Google Home Amazon Alexa Pack | eBay

You can access these switches (switch them on/off|) using an app on your mobile phone
Then boot your PC into its BIOS (CMOS) settings and set it to boot after power loss.
After that, you can use your mobile phone to switch the power off/on to the PC thus booting it.

Couple that with using the free DWSERVICE
See here
DWService - remote access, remote administration, remote support

And, Hey Presto - you will have full remote access to your PC from anywhere in the world.

Dead easy.

 

[Bigplumbs]

A little update on the wireless battery powered igeek camera with solar panel

Well it has been running now for about 5 days with the solar panel connected and the weather has been pants so I suspect very little solar charging. The battery is however still at 91 % which I think is very good indeed

 

[Scubadoo]

A little update on the wireless battery powered igeek camera with solar panel

Well it has been running now for about 5 days with the solar panel connected and the weather has been pants so I suspect very little solar charging. The battery is however still at 91 % which I think is very good indeed

Bit more info is needed, how often are you accessing the camera, watching video and alarm triggered events/recording over the last 5 days, that's the battery killer.

 

[Bigplumbs]

Bit more info is needed, how often are you accessing the camera, watching video and alarm triggered events/recording over the last 5 days, that's the battery killer.

Yes I know that but this is a real use test I am checking the camera more than I think I would if it were on my boat and it is pointing at a location in the garden where people and pets pass it quite a lot so again more than if it were inside our boat

 

[Hooligan]

Sadly I think the mobile phone companies have all changed their contracts and many are even reneging on older contracts where they think they can. Three have certainly refused to allow me more than 12GB a month abroad despite my phone original contract being unlimited abroad. And apparently I’m now only allowed 60 days abroad In any 12 month period! I think they’re all jumping on the bandwagon to profiteer from Brexit etc.

New contracts offer unlimited roaming and up to 25GB per month data whilst out of UK. The simple fact is that Brexit means an end to free roaming. Every contract is going to change. I am on Vodafone and i believe that they have warned of the changes coming and in any case when renewal comes up it will change. Using a UK SIM only is fine so the easiest thing to do is compare sim only cheapest deals making sure that roaming is free in country you are in and more importantly that data is included and what the limit is.

 

[Bigplumbs]

New contracts offer unlimited roaming and up to 25GB per month data whilst out of UK. The simple fact is that Brexit means an end to free roaming. Every contract is going to change. I am on Vodafone and i believe that they have warned of the changes coming and in any case when renewal comes up it will change. Using a UK SIM only is fine so the easiest thing to do is compare sim only cheapest deals making sure that roaming is free in country you are in and more importantly that data is included and what the limit is.

Good job fewer people are roaming about country to country...... No good will come of it ...........Stay on home shores I say

 

[Hurricane]

Stay on home shores I say

With all that rain and bad weather.
We have been out for most of the month and the weather has been really good.
Not gone anywhere this year - just enjoyed the company of friends and visited some good restaurants in SC town.
Oh yes
And a little rafting party yesterday in the lagoon.

 

[Bigplumbs]

It looks like some sort of think with a long sticking up thing got stuck to your boats I would get that off quick in case it is catching

 

[Hurricane]

Yep and strange things on the top of the sticky up thing.
I took this with the drone whilst it was up

 

[timbad]

Yep and strange things on the top of the sticky up thing.
I took this with the drone whilst it was up

View attachment 124521

Great pictures ??

 

[Bigplumbs]

Yep and strange things on the top of the sticky up thing.
I took this with the drone whilst it was up

View attachment 124521

Yes I have no idea what those odd things are all about

 

[Bigplumbs]

About 10 days now on the Battery Camera and the sun for the solar has been very poor and the Battery is still at 88 %. It seems far better than I thought it would be. Would like some sun so It could have a better test re the charging. If you are in sunny climes I think this would keep charged permanently

 

[sarabande]

Do cameras like the igeek work if they are located behind glass (e.g. a shed window) please ? Finding a place to locate a camera which cannot be disabled easily is a bit of a problem.