Barn camera setup I need, is it out there?

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Gargan

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The barn that my cows will be put up in at calving time is about 3/4 of a mile away from my house. The house next to the barn (about 300ft from the barn) has wifi. Is it possible to buy a camera that can pick up the house's wifi and send the video to my laptop 3/4 of a mile away at a reasonable price (under $500)?  Is there a system like this that is on the market or do i need to buy different parts and make them compatible? thanks in advance.
 

jason

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JPS

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I have a system purchased from Lorex.  I put the cameras in an all metal frame barn and then put a transmitter to sit on the outside of the barn (cable from camera to transmitter).  The system was around $500 when all is said and done.  It only has to transmit about 300 ft, but there are some trees in the way and it still has worked well.
 

GoWyo

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Does your internet service to your first router at the house need to be a static IP so that you can log in to the camera through it?
 

JPS

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Mine doesn't run through internet.  It could, but I would need an IP address.  One of my coworkers has one that works like that.  His farm is five miles from his house.  He can access it from anywhere with a computer.  He justs pays for the IP address for 3 months per year during calving season.  I am not sure what the system cost.
 

jason

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GoWyo said:
Does your internet service to your first router at the house need to be a static IP so that you can log in to the camera through it?

You only need a static ip if you are viewing from a phone or computer that is not on your network.  Your router will assign an ip address to the camera (192.168.1.x), the camera software will scan and find that ip, even if it changes.

If you want to view from work or your phone (if you are not using home wifi), you can use your external ip address.  Even if it is dynamic, most broadband "always on" connections do not change unless your force the release and renew of your ip.
 

rtmcc

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We did get a static Ip address from our internet provider.  They did have to give us a new router in order to do this.  But the option to be able to watch whats going on from my phone when i am not home has payed for the entire system a couple times this year when I have been at the sale barn buying fed cattle and one spit out when it was -2*.  Our awesome neighbor came of=ver and moved the new pair into the warm room as soon as I called him.  Would have been a popsicle for sure by the time I got home if we had not seen it!

Ron
<cowboy>
 

blackcows

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Jason said:
GoWyo said:
Does your internet service to your first router at the house need to be a static IP so that you can log in to the camera through it?

You only need a static ip if you are viewing from a phone or computer that is not on your network.  Your router will assign an ip address to the camera (192.168.1.x), the camera software will scan and find that ip, even if it changes.

If you want to view from work or your phone (if you are not using home wifi), you can use your external ip address.  Even if it is dynamic, most broadband "always on" connections do not change unless your force the release and renew of your ip.

I would disagree with that, I would say the majority of internet providers use dynamic ip addresses for security reasons.  It is easy to overcome this by using a service such as dyndns.org which allows you to use a fixed url.  Setting up a fixed ip on the camera is simple and would be suggested because if you decide you would like to view the camera from outside of the home network you will need to set up port forwarding on your router, which is easy to do.

There is some great software for the ipad and iphone to monitor cameras called Live Cams Pro, it cost 1.99 but well worth.

The biggest hurdle is having internet access at the camera, I use wifi for some cameras an it works very well.  I use these cameras which work very well and have sound, they are $40 each;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380555821114?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

This camera has really good reviews and allows for night vision, two way sound, and you can move the camera (pan and tilt) from your ipad, phone, computer.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/230918217283?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

In reality if you had internet access already in place you could put up a decent system with 2 cameras for under $100, if you needed to add a router it would probably cost less than $200.
 

Gargan

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West Virginia
I used my Android to test the wifi signal where I need the camera.  Its a very weak signal, so is there a booster of some sort I can buy to get the signal strong enough to use or will a camera run on a weak signal?
 

rtmcc

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We had to put a Net Gear Wifi Range Extender in the window of our barn but these are pretty reasonable at Best Buy.  The one issue we ran into is it needed to be kept warm because they are made for indoor use.  That is a big advantage with the Ayrmesh equipment.  It's all designed with winter weather in mind.

Ron
<cowboy>
 

jason

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blackcows said:
Jason said:
GoWyo said:
Does your internet service to your first router at the house need to be a static IP so that you can log in to the camera through it?

You only need a static ip if you are viewing from a phone or computer that is not on your network.  Your router will assign an ip address to the camera (192.168.1.x), the camera software will scan and find that ip, even if it changes.

If you want to view from work or your phone (if you are not using home wifi), you can use your external ip address.  Even if it is dynamic, most broadband "always on" connections do not change unless your force the release and renew of your ip.

I would disagree with that, I would say the majority of internet providers use dynamic ip addresses for security reasons.  It is easy to overcome this by using a service such as dyndns.org which allows you to use a fixed url.  Setting up a fixed ip on the camera is simple and would be suggested because if you decide you would like to view the camera from outside of the home network you will need to set up port forwarding on your router, which is easy to do.

There is some great software for the ipad and iphone to monitor cameras called Live Cams Pro, it cost 1.99 but well worth.

The biggest hurdle is having internet access at the camera, I use wifi for some cameras an it works very well.   I use these cameras which work very well and have sound, they are $40 each;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380555821114?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

This camera has really good reviews and allows for night vision, two way sound, and you can move the camera (pan and tilt) from your ipad, phone, computer.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/230918217283?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

In reality if you had internet access already in place you could put up a decent system with 2 cameras for under $100, if you needed to add a router it would probably cost less than $200.

You are correct, but you might be surprised how many few times your dynamic address actually changes.  I have kept the same ip since I had the camera, which is probably been about 6 months and I am on a dynamic ip address.
 

firesweepranch

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SW MO
blackcows said:
Jason said:
GoWyo said:
Does your internet service to your first router at the house need to be a static IP so that you can log in to the camera through it?

You only need a static ip if you are viewing from a phone or computer that is not on your network.  Your router will assign an ip address to the camera (192.168.1.x), the camera software will scan and find that ip, even if it changes.

If you want to view from work or your phone (if you are not using home wifi), you can use your external ip address.  Even if it is dynamic, most broadband "always on" connections do not change unless your force the release and renew of your ip.


I would disagree with that, I would say the majority of internet providers use dynamic ip addresses for security reasons.  It is easy to overcome this by using a service such as dyndns.org which allows you to use a fixed url.  Setting up a fixed ip on the camera is simple and would be suggested because if you decide you would like to view the camera from outside of the home network you will need to set up port forwarding on your router, which is easy to do.

There is some great software for the ipad and iphone to monitor cameras called Live Cams Pro, it cost 1.99 but well worth.

The biggest hurdle is having internet access at the camera, I use wifi for some cameras an it works very well.   I use these cameras which work very well and have sound, they are $40 each;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380555821114?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

This camera has really good reviews and allows for night vision, two way sound, and you can move the camera (pan and tilt) from your ipad, phone, computer.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/230918217283?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

In reality if you had internet access already in place you could put up a decent system with 2 cameras for under $100, if you needed to add a router it would probably cost less than $200.
OK, so for those of us who are not internet and camera gurus, if I use the internet though my IPad (it has it's own number and acts as a hot spot), can I set up a camera through that, or do I need internet permanently wired into our place? We are so rural, there is no internet available right now. I would love to put cameras in our new barn, just not sure the best and cheapest way to do it...
 

blackcows

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Messages
270
I would think that would probably work but the issue that you would have is that the iPad is going to need to be somewhat close to the camera so it can access the hotspot.  How would plan on viewing the camera?
 

blackcows

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Messages
270
Jason said:
blackcows said:
Jason said:
GoWyo said:
Does your internet service to your first router at the house need to be a static IP so that you can log in to the camera through it?

You only need a static ip if you are viewing from a phone or computer that is not on your network.  Your router will assign an ip address to the camera (192.168.1.x), the camera software will scan and find that ip, even if it changes.

If you want to view from work or your phone (if you are not using home wifi), you can use your external ip address.  Even if it is dynamic, most broadband "always on" connections do not change unless your force the release and renew of your ip.

I would disagree with that, I would say the majority of internet providers use dynamic ip addresses for security reasons.  It is easy to overcome this by using a service such as dyndns.org which allows you to use a fixed url.  Setting up a fixed ip on the camera is simple and would be suggested because if you decide you would like to view the camera from outside of the home network you will need to set up port forwarding on your router, which is easy to do.

There is some great software for the ipad and iphone to monitor cameras called Live Cams Pro, it cost 1.99 but well worth.

The biggest hurdle is having internet access at the camera, I use wifi for some cameras an it works very well.   I use these cameras which work very well and have sound, they are $40 each;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380555821114?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

This camera has really good reviews and allows for night vision, two way sound, and you can move the camera (pan and tilt) from your ipad, phone, computer.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/230918217283?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

In reality if you had internet access already in place you could put up a decent system with 2 cameras for under $100, if you needed to add a router it would probably cost less than $200.

You are correct, but you might be surprised how many few times your dynamic address actually changes.  I have kept the same ip since I had the camera, which is probably been about 6 months and I am on a dynamic ip address.

Mine changes every 24 hours.  I don't know if I would rely on a dynamic ip not changing....what happens if it doesn't change for 6 months but happens to change the night you are away and expect it to work.  A service like dyndns is cheap insurance.
 

firesweepranch

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blackcows said:
I would think that would probably work but the issue that you would have is that the iPad is going to need to be somewhat close to the camera so it can access the hotspot.  How would plan on viewing the camera?
Not quiet sure. This is NOT my area, so before I invest I need to get some stuff figured out. Our barn is about 500 feet from the house. I would like a camera set up that I can check no matter where I am at, if possible. So, what are my options? There is no permanent internet (like I said, we are rural and not available right now). I use an Ipad to access internet through Verizon, but usually we are lucky if we can pick up 3G, let alone anything more. Horrible reception. Are we better off just running a wireless system that transmit to the house to a tv?
Thanks for any help. I feel really out of my comfort zone here...
 
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