Hub 2245 remote access for SD cameras?

[Corto]

Appreciate any help...

I setup two SD cameras, went perfectly fine, on wifi. At home, through the android app for hub, I see and have access to the cameras. Remotely, same app, I have access to all my lights but my cameras will not show video. They come up in the device list but cannot be viewed.

I had thought the hub takes care of all remote access? Is there something additional I need to do for cameras, since I did not need to do anything special for the switches?

Thanks!

[Corto]

If I am reading things correctly, it would seem that for SD cameras I need to load the IP Cam Setup tool and also configure port forwarding on my router to get cameras to work remotely? What's the point of the hub then? If I look at the Insteon for Hub app, it clearly shows that remote access for cameras works with the app. I guess I had hoped it would happen without having to go through these steps. I must say that there is no clear concise location that states all of this!

[SeanM]

The P2P, or Automatic Remote Access, feature will only apply to the HD cameras models for Insteon. (2864-xxx models) Those cameras have a feature built-in called EZLink that allows for the P2P function to work.The SD cameras never had that feature and so still require a port forwarding rule to be able to view them remotely.

The camera tool is not really necessary if you get the camera into the Hub app since it will display all the same information. (Local IP and Port) The Camera Tool is just an easy way, and original way, to access the camera client directly, away from the Hub, if you wanted to use the camera's stand alone features.

The Hub is what allows for you to control you devices remotely, or from your phone, but the Insteon folks added the ability to also view these IP cameras so that you do not have to switch between multiple apps. Either way, with the SD cameras, you would still need to configure a port rule for remote viewing.

For Setup:

Before configuring the router go into the app and make sure the camera port is set to something other than 80. (Just make one camera 25110 and the other 25111) Then go into your router and set the rules. If you need instructions check out the link below.

[url]http://support.insteon.com/customer/en/portal/articles/1898558-port-forwarding-guide[/url]

[Corto]

Thanks, SeanM. I can certainly setup the port forwarding.

Three remaining questions.

1) This makes it look like I do not need to set static IPs for the cameras, correct? However, I see in the quick setup guide for use outside the home, one step is to set a static IP.
2) What is the use/usefulness of setting or changing the camera login and password? Does that affect anything in the setup with the hub or overall security somehow? Once I have opened ports for the cameras, how can I be sure and/or even know if some unauthorized person can see them?
3) When I look at the camera page remotely (right now before having port forwarding setup, there is a field on the cameras that says Remote URL, 99.x.x.x. What is that? Same for both cams I have.

[SeanM]

1. The Hub app should disable the cameras DHCP ability upon set up. The only way to verify this would be to go into the camera client->Device Management->Network Settings. The box for DHCP should be unchecked. When doing a manual install, with no Hub, it is important to make sure you set a static address. I am sure you know that with DHCP on, the IP address can change which would affect your port rule and remote access ability.

2. Really this is for overall security in regards to camera viewing/access. All the cameras come with a default login. With you enabling remote access you want to make sure that a random attacker cannot just login and scope out the location, or start talking to you. (See YouTube) Setting the User/PW on the camera through the Hub does not affect anything else. ***On a side note, I would not recommend changing your PW through the Hub app[B][U] after [/U][/B]it has been installed in the app. If you need to change it I would recommend deleting the camera from the app and starting over from scratch.

3. Just like you have a address in the physical world, you router has a address on the internet. Most people are familiar with 192.168.x.x, or 10.x.x.x, but everyone has it internally. There has to be a way to differentiate people on the internet. What you are seeing is called the public, or external, IP address, which is your router's "Address" on the internet. The Hub checks in at the top of the hour to update the Insteon servers with that info. That is how the app can always find your Hub. Since the cameras are really internet devices, they also have that information so that the Hub can pick up on their broadcast feed and display it in the app.

[Corto]

Much appreciated!

[Corto]

It did all work. The cameras showed up as static IPs on the router list, and once I opened the ports, the video came through!