I have decided that the time has come to put security cameras around my home and have them send recordings to the cloud. I am open to all suggestions for this and beyond. I am not housing anything of particular value beyond my own life and that of my wife, so I don't want to break the bank to accomplish this. I see our home as a very low risk of being broken into, just want to be able to keep an eye on the place when I am not at home.
Recommend Cloud-Based Video Recording Services.
- Thread starter DustyRusty
- Start date
I installed eufy cameras all around the outside of our house and a good view of the shop. They work great and no monthly subscription. They are connected to our WiFi so I can check on things on my phone no matter where I am. A little pricey but well worth the piece of mind.
I use Ubiquiti stuff since 2016 for both my network and security. Top notch equipment at a fair price. If your somewhat tech savvy you can install and manage everything yourself. Or if you want there are a number of vendors that will either configure and then let you run the day to day or offer turn key service and manage and support it for you.
The network allows me to lock down my Wi-Fi to ensure no one but who I allow to login. They have many different cameras to pick from. I have mine set so they email me when they detect motion. I also have one setup to read license plate number of any car/truck that comes up the drive. Everything is hosted locally on my equipment with cloud access thru Ubiquiti at no cost per month. You only have to buy the hardware. The only service fee would be if you have a vendor manage your installation.
At a minimum you would need a Cloud Key Gen 2 Plus $199.00
And a camera for example the G5 Bullet $129.00
Extras would be a network switch, more cameras, access points for Wi-Fi if you want to also run the internet off the cloud key. A gateway for a firewall. The Cloud key can also support key card door access VOIP phones as well. You just need to add the hardware for them.
ui.com
A couple of vendors that I have found useful content on their YouTube channels are...
www.crosstalksolutions.com
williehowe.com
The network allows me to lock down my Wi-Fi to ensure no one but who I allow to login. They have many different cameras to pick from. I have mine set so they email me when they detect motion. I also have one setup to read license plate number of any car/truck that comes up the drive. Everything is hosted locally on my equipment with cloud access thru Ubiquiti at no cost per month. You only have to buy the hardware. The only service fee would be if you have a vendor manage your installation.
At a minimum you would need a Cloud Key Gen 2 Plus $199.00
And a camera for example the G5 Bullet $129.00
Extras would be a network switch, more cameras, access points for Wi-Fi if you want to also run the internet off the cloud key. A gateway for a firewall. The Cloud key can also support key card door access VOIP phones as well. You just need to add the hardware for them.
UniFi Camera Security - Ubiquiti
A license-free camera security platform with an AI-centric management experience, lightning-fast local storage, and cameras designed for every deployment.
Crosstalk Solutions | VoIP, WiFi, and Networking Done Right.
www.crosstalksolutions.com
Home - Willie Howe Technology
On-Demand Training – Just launched! Check It Out! We provide AMAZING support to 6 out of 7 continents! …we’re still waiting on that call from Antarctica. Hire Us Have a question? Want to get started? Send us a message! "*" indicates required fields Contact Name* First Last Company Name Email*...
williehowe.com
Blink here for several years. Home wifi. No subscription fees for me, but they may require that now. Don't know about the others mentioned. I also looked into Arlo and almost went with those/that, but the Blink wireless cameras had a much longer battery life. Pretty easy set up.
Personally not a fan of cloud based services. This allows other companies access to my content. I would rather look at Arlo with hub to do local storage. May be more expensive with start up but no ongoing fees . Also not content in universe
JimDeL
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2380; R4 tires; 54" MMM; FEL w Pirahna bar; Ballast Box; BXpanded skid plate.
I have the Arlo system with a 64 ghz thumb drive plugged into the base. The thumb drive will store six (or more) months of captured videos that are easily viewed on the computer.
xrocketengineer
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX1880, FEL, Grapple, 36 in. Forks, 48in. MMM, Quick Spade, Ripper
As always, I am cheapskate. I have been using Foscam cameras over the years since 2015 because of the price and flexibility. You can start with one camera and set it up with your cell phone for basic use in about 10 minutes using your own WiFi.
You can buy one camera at a time and set it up whichever way you want with their VMS software. You can just setup the camera to send notifications to the cell phone and emails with three pictures when there is motion detected. You can add an SD card to the camera and have video recording of the motion events that can be replayed on the cell phone and on the VMS software on the computer. I use my router with an SD card to act like an FTP server to record videos.
Besides that, you can use a network video recorder for full time recording or pay for their cloud service. This is what my setup look like on the VMS software:
You can buy one camera at a time and set it up whichever way you want with their VMS software. You can just setup the camera to send notifications to the cell phone and emails with three pictures when there is motion detected. You can add an SD card to the camera and have video recording of the motion events that can be replayed on the cell phone and on the VMS software on the computer. I use my router with an SD card to act like an FTP server to record videos.
Besides that, you can use a network video recorder for full time recording or pay for their cloud service. This is what my setup look like on the VMS software:
North Idaho Wolfman
Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Reolink, 4k or 8k with DVR, it will do all three, Cloud backup, local recording, and remote control and viewing.
Another vote for Ubiquiti gear. I use their stuff for my network core and wifi APs for years. I use Alibi cameras, but I've worked on some Ubiquiti camera setups and they are good.I use Ubiquiti stuff since 2016 for both my network and security. Top notch equipment at a fair price. If your somewhat tech savvy you can install and manage everything yourself. Or if you want there are a number of vendors that will either configure and then let you run the day to day or offer turn key service and manage and support it for you.
The network allows me to lock down my Wi-Fi to ensure no one but who I allow to login. They have many different cameras to pick from. I have mine set so they email me when they detect motion. I also have one setup to read license plate number of any car/truck that comes up the drive. Everything is hosted locally on my equipment with cloud access thru Ubiquiti at no cost per month. You only have to buy the hardware. The only service fee would be if you have a vendor manage your installation.
At a minimum you would need a Cloud Key Gen 2 Plus $199.00
And a camera for example the G5 Bullet $129.00
Extras would be a network switch, more cameras, access points for Wi-Fi if you want to also run the internet off the cloud key. A gateway for a firewall. The Cloud key can also support key card door access VOIP phones as well. You just need to add the hardware for them.
A couple of vendors that I have found useful content on their YouTube channels are...UniFi Camera Security - Ubiquiti
A license-free camera security platform with an AI-centric management experience, lightning-fast local storage, and cameras designed for every deployment.
Crosstalk Solutions | VoIP, WiFi, and Networking Done Right.
Home - Willie Howe Technology
On-Demand Training – Just launched! Check It Out! We provide AMAZING support to 6 out of 7 continents! …we’re still waiting on that call from Antarctica. Hire Us Have a question? Want to get started? Send us a message! "*" indicates required fields Contact Name* First Last Company Name Email*...
I'm definitely not a cloud fan, but I'd trust Ubiquity for security and not data mining over any of the big consumer hyped stuff and certainly over the likes of anything connected to Google.
xrocketengineer
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX1880, FEL, Grapple, 36 in. Forks, 48in. MMM, Quick Spade, Ripper
Not with the proper encryption. Sure, a cheap hosted service for Chicom cameras might not be secure. Most of them are video encrypted end to end and also while stored. The chances of your local network or device getting hacked are significantly greater than gaining access to your cloud content. Otherwise, all the major companies in the world wouldn't store their data there.
FWIW, when you do hear about a data breach involving a major company, the access was gained on a local level and NOT through the cloud.
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
If you're going to store YOUR data on anyone else's computer 'cloud', YOU need to encrypt it BEFORE sending it there and rename the files(at least the extensions) . It'll add another 'layer' the hackers have to overcome. It's simple and easy to do.
I recently picked up one of their 4K wifi PTZ cameras - pretty decent video and still images. Motion detection is better than other similar priced cheap cameras with less false positives. I don't allow my cameras any internet access.
Remember - IOT stands for Internet Of insecure Things.
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
no, I mean the DATA in the file you send is encrypted and STORED in the 'cloud' as 'garbage' when someone opens it up, unlike sending say a filename.TXT where the data is stored in readable ASCII.
That is, essentially, the standard these days. AES 256 encryption and SSL TLS are safe ways to do this. Even the host (where it is stored) can't decipher the data as long as the user does not choose an easily guessable key.
AES-256 is considered incrackable by itself. Even most implementations are considered safe. (no side-channels).
OTR protocol uses AES-128 (weaker than AES-256) as symmetric encryption algorithm and the world's best funded intelligence agency that doesn't exist (NSA) couldn't break it.
Really, it comes down to the question of the context of AES-256.
If you use weak keys (which are easy to guess), it's crackable quite soon. Most implementations use very strong keys, which are as safe as AES itself.
AES-256 is considered incrackable by itself. Even most implementations are considered safe. (no side-channels).
OTR protocol uses AES-128 (weaker than AES-256) as symmetric encryption algorithm and the world's best funded intelligence agency that doesn't exist (NSA) couldn't break it.
Really, it comes down to the question of the context of AES-256.
If you use weak keys (which are easy to guess), it's crackable quite soon. Most implementations use very strong keys, which are as safe as AES itself.
I understand the encryption piece but i have seen several articles of Nest, ring and other employees watching and sharing videos of people camera without their consent. . No encryption stopped that.
9to5google.com
Nest competitor Ring reportedly gave employees full access to customers' live camera feeds
Known for home security doorbells, a new report claims that Ring's lax stance towards privacy gave employees live feed camera access...
9to5google.com
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
ET, are you saying that the actual databytes in the file you send into the 'cloud' is stored on that server in an encrypted file ? If so I assume YOU choose the 'key' before you send the file up 'there' ??