How do I use an IP camera with Raspberry Pi?
This post describes how to build a surveillance cam based on a Raspberry Pi micro-computer which records HD video when something moves in the monitored area. Live pictures can be viewed from any web browser, even from your mobile while you’re on the road.
Contents
Components Needed When Connecting an IP Camera to Raspberry Pi
In order to make a Raspberry Pi IP camera viewer, you require certain items:
- Raspberry Pi
- Keyboard
- Raspberry Pi IP camera monitor
- IP camera
- Wireless adaptor
First of all, you need Raspberry Pi itself. There have been several generations being released, including Pi model A, model B, A+ and B+ models, Pi 2 Model B, and the latest Raspberry Pi 3 Model B.
Then you require a keyboard for the Raspberry Pi IP camera. Power is required which is provided by a Micro USB.
To view the live video from the Raspberry Pi IP camera, you will need to attach a Raspberry Pi security camera monitor. This can be an HDMI or VGA model.
A wireless security camera or battery-powered security camera is required to capture your images and videos. The higher the quality of the camera, the better the images and video quality will be.
Finally, a wireless adapter is required to ensure that the whole Raspberry Pi security camera setup process runs smoothly.
Detailed Steps to Make a Raspberry Pi IP Camera Viewer
When you prepare all the things required for the Raspberry Pi security camera project, here comes the most important part: how to make your own security camera with Raspberry Pi.
Step 1. Select and install a screen for your Raspberry Pi surveillance camera (Adafruit PiTFT, NeoSec/Tiny, etc), so that you can view the camera feed on it. You can pick the perfect LCD or touch screen compatible with the Pi on Amazon and other online stores.
Step 2. Install Raspbian for your Pi. Raspbian is the official supported Raspberry Pi operating system. Or you can use NOOBS, an easy installer for Raspbian to help you set up the Raspberry Pi IP camera software.
Step 3. Then you will need an internet connection for your Raspberry Pi IP camera. It is best to set up WiFi on it, which enables you to run your Pi without a monitor. You can SSH remotely using the IP address, username and password.
To set up WiFi for Raspberry Pi, you will need to connect your screen, keyboard, mouse and WiFi adapter to the Pi, and then log into the Terminal. Set up the adapter and then input your WiFi network information, so that the adapter knows how to connect to WiFi. If you have problems with it, you can turn to the Raspberry Pi forum to get suggestions.
Step 4. Use the command: “Sudo reboot” to reboot your Pi and test to see if your Pi is truly WiFi enabled.
Step 5. Get the user name and password of your Raspberry Pi IP camera. If you forget, the only way is to reset the IP camera to go back to its default password.
Step 6. Choose a proper player used as a Raspberry Pi IP camera viewer. Generally, the MPlayer is OK, for it is easy to use. You can also choose other players to satisfy your needs.
Step 7. Start access the Raspberry Pi security camera video stream from the player. Make sure you change the IP address, username and password to match your IP camera.
Connect IP Cameras to Raspberry Pi: Things to Consider
When you decide to connect IP cameras to Raspberry Pi, make sure you have the proper equipment. You should also ensure that the IP address you record and use is correct. You can check this through the command prompt in Raspberry or through the main Raspberry interface that displays your connection information.
To turn off your Raspberry Pi, avoid unplugging the power cord. You can use the following command:
Conclusion About Raspberry Pi IP Camera
In summary, setting up a Raspberry Pi surveillance camera is useful and cost-efficient to providing video surveillance for the home. But if you want more, like the Raspberry Pi motion camera, or the Raspberry Pi with night vision, etc, a professional and high-quality home security camera is a better choice.