Home Surveillance Made Possible by the Internet


During the pre-internet era folks often wondered how they can keep vigil on their personal and household items while they were on vacation or taking a trip– hundreds or thousands of miles away. These days however, it is quite possible for folks to monitor their home while being away, especially with today’s technology, including the explosive growth of Internet use and capabilities–.

Although the technology may sound a bit out there at first, this day and age it certainly isn’t out of reach. hardware used for surveillance today is inexpensive and ready to use all over the world. All it takes is someone with a bit of practical sense and the curiosity to try new and exciting technology.

Taking advantage of such tools and equipment will require a reliable Internet connection since the Internet is the heart and soul of distance surveillance equipment, which enables an individual to keep check on home from hundreds of thousands of miles away.

However, if you are planning to invest in an Internet powered surveillance system, you should first make sure that you have access to a high speed Internet connection to your home. Dial-up isn’t recommended, as the speeds are far too slow to accommodate video broadcasting.

There are two solutions from which to choose, each one with varied features and complexities. The first solution utilizes a personal computer and consists of several home surveillance cameras all connected together via a system that will survey the areas and record what they see at either a set rate per second, or based on any movement they detect. Depending on the system you select, you may or may not be able to adjust these settings.

The computer will play back video via the monitor, and record the video to a HDD or hard disk drive. You’ll need to connect that computer to the Internet through an ISP (Internet Service Provider), in order to watch video from a distance.

To watch the video while you are away from home you will need to log into the computer with your unique username and password. You can log in at any time, and to operate the computer or watch video images which the computer surveillance system has recorded.

The other available solution is much easier. Normally, this solution is used to check on a home through a single surveillance camera. Setting up this way will allow you to use a single camera through your IP (Internet Protocol) address.

By setting it up through your IP, all that is needed to check on things is to link directly to your IP. Once you have brought up your IP address, you can see live views through the camera. This method works similar to a webcam, in the sense that it streams video around the clock.

No matter which solution you choose, both are reasonably easy to use. Of course the second solution is much easier to use and setup, although it does have disadvantages as well. However this method offer a lot of great features, including the ability to log in at any time. You can check video any time you wish, even change your preferences according to your needs.

Anytime you need to monitor your home from far away, home surveillance and the Internet is all you need. The Internet is a common commodity these days, capable of doing far more than anyone ever thought possible two decades ago. By investing in a surveillance system that utilizes the Internet– you’ll be able to keep a watchful eye on your home from wherever the road takes you.