Web Cam help (about a year later...)

FLAG! · 01-16-2006, 05:20 PM

Hey folks, some of you gave me some good help last year as I was trying to get a web cam up and running in the wolfeboro area. Well, I'm at it again. I had serveral hardware issues and timing issues (timing as in no time to get up to the lake). Anyway, I've got an Axis camera and a pc that I can sacrifice. I've got everything at my house in massachesetts right now, but my ISP does not have a local dial up number for me to test my web cam set up. I am on broadband. It seems to me I should be able to set this thing to upload via my broadband internet connection, but I can't seem to figure out how. Can anyone help?

I hope to bring this up to NH this coming weekend and hook it up. What local ISP's should I consider to get a cheap dial up connection for the web cam?

Island Girl · 01-16-2006, 05:30 PM

Which model axis camera? it may well not need a pc. I use copper.net for 9.95 a month for 300 hours... I use about 20-30 hours a month on it..

Bear Islander · 01-16-2006, 08:29 PM

I use RCN for my dialup $11.95 a month. Be sure you pick a company that has an access number in your unlimited free calling area. Otherwise you will have a killer phone bill. RCN has an access number in Wolfeboro, I don't know about other companies.

Getting the Axis to work with a modem was not easy. I had a lot of trial and error before I got it right. I would get it working at home on a local access number then reprogram the number before you move it to the lake.

mcdude · 01-16-2006, 08:58 PM

I don't have a web cam (yet)....but up at the lake I use Worldpath out of Farmington... http://www.worldpath.net/residential/
....very reliable and their tech support has been very helpful in getting two used computers up and working (kind of) at the lake. McD

FLAG! · 01-23-2006, 03:16 PM

Boy I feel like a moron... I'm usually pretty good with anything technical or mechanical, but this web cam is driving me nuts. I'm using an Axis 2100 Network Camera. I finally got it to work and began setting up the camera though it's internal software. But then I lost the connection. I don't understand it. All I'm doing is connecting the camera via a null modem cable to the com port of my computer through dial-up networking. I used the user name and password as instructed to and I got right in, but then after about 5 minutes I lost the image and I was "disconnected by the computer I was connected to". After that I could not reconnect. I kept on getting messages telling me the "modem I am connecting to is not working properly".

I'm also perplexed as to why in this day in age the camera would come with a serial connection instead of a USB. Is this so that it can be connected to an external modem?

I know sooner or later I am going to figure this out and kick myself for making it more difficult than it needs to be...

Island Girl · 01-23-2006, 03:23 PM

I had the same problem. I found the serial connection unreliable for camera to pc connection. I used ethernet instead through my router. just connect the ethernet port on the back of the camera to your router (if you have one) then reboot the camera and your router will give it an ip address just like your computer... you then open your browser and type in the ip and you are in the admin page for your computer... If you have a crossover cable you can go pc to camera directly through your ethernet ports, but making the connection is a bit more complicated.

I keep a router at the lake for just the purpose of talking to the camera... (no high speed internet there) I bought a cheap $20 one at CompUSA and it works just fine.

IG

FLAG! · 02-01-2006, 09:41 AM

I think I've got it figured out. I had to reset the camera button by"holding down the control button and powering on the camera".... how dumb is this... I was holding down the control button on the computer keyboard until I found a pin hole on the camera which you have to stick a paper clip into to "press the control button"... LOL!!!! All this time...

Anyway, now I need to obtain the ftp info from my internet service provider and give it a try. I may have it up and running this weekend, but chances that I'll have time to play with it are 50/50. Because I have a feeling it's not just going to "plug & play" up there.

Remain patient. We'll have another cam up sometime soon...

01-16-2006, 05:20 PM	#1
FLAG! Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Upton, MA Posts: 112 Thanks: 44 Thanked 14 Times in 6 Posts	Web Cam help (about a year later...) Hey folks, some of you gave me some good help last year as I was trying to get a web cam up and running in the wolfeboro area. Well, I'm at it again. I had serveral hardware issues and timing issues (timing as in no time to get up to the lake). Anyway, I've got an Axis camera and a pc that I can sacrifice. I've got everything at my house in massachesetts right now, but my ISP does not have a local dial up number for me to test my web cam set up. I am on broadband. It seems to me I should be able to set this thing to upload via my broadband internet connection, but I can't seem to figure out how. Can anyone help? I hope to bring this up to NH this coming weekend and hook it up. What local ISP's should I consider to get a cheap dial up connection for the web cam?

01-16-2006, 05:30 PM	#2
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,352 Thanks: 18 Thanked 535 Times in 179 Posts	Axis camera Which model axis camera? it may well not need a pc. I use copper.net for 9.95 a month for 300 hours... I use about 20-30 hours a month on it.. __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade

01-16-2006, 08:58 PM	#4
mcdude Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Rock Haven Lake - West Newfield, ME Posts: 5,361 Thanks: 374 Thanked 1,044 Times in 490 Posts	Worldpath.net I don't have a web cam (yet)....but up at the lake I use Worldpath out of Farmington... http://www.worldpath.net/residential/ ....very reliable and their tech support has been very helpful in getting two used computers up and working (kind of) at the lake. McD

01-23-2006, 03:16 PM	#5
FLAG! Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Upton, MA Posts: 112 Thanks: 44 Thanked 14 Times in 6 Posts	Trying hard to get the web cam thing... Boy I feel like a moron... I'm usually pretty good with anything technical or mechanical, but this web cam is driving me nuts. I'm using an Axis 2100 Network Camera. I finally got it to work and began setting up the camera though it's internal software. But then I lost the connection. I don't understand it. All I'm doing is connecting the camera via a null modem cable to the com port of my computer through dial-up networking. I used the user name and password as instructed to and I got right in, but then after about 5 minutes I lost the image and I was "disconnected by the computer I was connected to". After that I could not reconnect. I kept on getting messages telling me the "modem I am connecting to is not working properly". I'm also perplexed as to why in this day in age the camera would come with a serial connection instead of a USB. Is this so that it can be connected to an external modem? I know sooner or later I am going to figure this out and kick myself for making it more difficult than it needs to be...

01-23-2006, 03:23 PM	#6
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,352 Thanks: 18 Thanked 535 Times in 179 Posts	Same problem I had the same problem. I found the serial connection unreliable for camera to pc connection. I used ethernet instead through my router. just connect the ethernet port on the back of the camera to your router (if you have one) then reboot the camera and your router will give it an ip address just like your computer... you then open your browser and type in the ip and you are in the admin page for your computer... If you have a crossover cable you can go pc to camera directly through your ethernet ports, but making the connection is a bit more complicated. I keep a router at the lake for just the purpose of talking to the camera... (no high speed internet there) I bought a cheap $20 one at CompUSA and it works just fine. IG __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade

01-16-2006, 08:29 PM	#3
Bear Islander Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bear Island Posts: 1,757 Thanks: 31 Thanked 429 Times in 203 Posts	I use RCN for my dialup $11.95 a month. Be sure you pick a company that has an access number in your unlimited free calling area. Otherwise you will have a killer phone bill. RCN has an access number in Wolfeboro, I don't know about other companies. Getting the Axis to work with a modem was not easy. I had a lot of trial and error before I got it right. I would get it working at home on a local access number then reprogram the number before you move it to the lake.

02-01-2006, 09:41 AM	#7
FLAG! Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Upton, MA Posts: 112 Thanks: 44 Thanked 14 Times in 6 Posts	I'm getting closer.... I think I've got it figured out. I had to reset the camera button by"holding down the control button and powering on the camera".... how dumb is this... I was holding down the control button on the computer keyboard until I found a pin hole on the camera which you have to stick a paper clip into to "press the control button"... LOL!!!! All this time... Anyway, now I need to obtain the ftp info from my internet service provider and give it a try. I may have it up and running this weekend, but chances that I'll have time to play with it are 50/50. Because I have a feeling it's not just going to "plug & play" up there. Remain patient. We'll have another cam up sometime soon...