Pet/livestock monitoring

[buffalobo]

Need some direction on what equipment and software will accomplish the following.

Ability to access camera/s remotely from cell to view.

2 way audio would be a perk.

Not looking for a security system, just ability to monitor camera view remotely whenever I want.

[Gman]

I use Ring (Amazon). I pay $100/yr for professional monitoring of my alarm system and unlimited cameras/recording with 60 day retention and the ability to download and save video.

https://shop.ring.com/pages/protect-plans

I also use Amazon Alexa and FireTV components, so I can say "Alexa, show me the front door" and there it is on the TV. I have a Schlage Encode deadbolt and can say "Alexa, unlock the front door", provide my code and there you go.

I've even told my barking dog over the backyard flood cam, "Duke, inside", and he came inside.

[Irving]

What size lot? A few members on here know about line of sight equipment that should be able to work for you.

[newracer]

If you do not need to record look into a wifi baby camera setup.

[buffalobo]

I use Ring (Amazon). I pay $100/yr for professional monitoring of my alarm system and unlimited cameras/recording with 60 day retention and the ability to download and save video.

https://shop.ring.com/pages/protect-plans

I also use Amazon Alexa and FireTV components, so I can say "Alexa, show me the front door" and there it is on the TV. I have a Schlage Encode deadbolt and can say "Alexa, unlock the front door", provide my code and there you go.

I've even told my barking dog over the backyard flood cam, "Duke, inside", and he came inside.

Not looking for monitoring or heavy investment for lots of bells/whistles.

If you do not need to record look into a wifi baby camera setup.

Have looked at a few, seem to be unreliable or not secure when viewing on net.

[buffalobo]

Further discussion has refined things a bit.

4 cameras, wireless would be preferred. One indoors for dog, one on back of house and two on barn. Need to mount 2 cameras 30-40 yds from house, line of sight may be issue for one.

Prefer to run from laptop or proprietary unit but be able to access remotely from cell phone

Recording not needed.

2 way audio on indoor camera would be desirable but not required yet.

Just want to be able to check on beasts whenever/wherever without spending lots of money or seeing my video feed on Facebook or something.

[Erni]

Check out Ubiquity

[Gman]

I'm not worried about my video showing up on Facebook.

Do you have power at those locations or will you need to power the cameras via battery?

In case anybody else comes along this thread, saw this today at Costco:

[buffalobo]

I can put power at any of the locations but prefer battery for now.

[FoxtArt]

Get a power-over-ethernet switch (without wireless) and POE cameras. Don't hook any of that up to the internet. Run normal network cable from the cameras to the router. The cameras don't need separate power.

Then physically plug a computer into that switch. Install Blue Iris on the computer ($40 or less). Install a second network card into the computer, or use wireless on the computer to connect it to the internet. [That results in two separate networks - one for the cameras using a POE Switch, one your computer connects to via wireless to your normal router) Setup Blue Iris on your phone.

Any other solution guarantees your shit will most likely get hacked or become a botnet. (Chinese companies are obligated to participate in their equivalent of the CIA, they generally install hardware compromises). The above doesn't give the cameras any access to the internet at all, but still gives you remote control of the cameras (through US software, Blue Iris)

Then there is ring (Amazon owned) automatically signs you up for 1984, with partnerships with 600 law enforcement agencies, Ring will let them know what you have on your behalf, on top of them developing their facial recognition using your doorbell for god-knows-what purpose that will certainly be misused in the future.