which WiFi camera can be linked to BT WiFi FON?

[rustic]

We were at the boat yesterday, and my ipad picked up BT WiFi Fon, so I was able to get the internet.

Now the question is... can I somehow set up a wifi enabled camera to look at the boat when we need to?

We do not have the password to the hub6 that is providing this facility, but to use FON you don't need it on ipad or iphone.

Access to the service should be free of course except for buying the hardware, I know you can link security cameras to a wifi hub, we do that at home, but we have the password for that.
The question is, can it be done on the back of BT FON?

For cost wise I don't want to use the mobile phone network.
I hope I have explained it well enough.

Rustic

[jims-terrano]

Do you need to put a username and password into the FON wifi to use it? I'm assuming this is a freebie as you are a BT customer.

The problem might be if you have to use a username and password to connect to the wifi then will a camera have this facility? I would say probably not.

Do you have some kind of permanent mains hookup to the boat? If so an old laptop could be used to give you the facility you want. Maybe even a wireless access point may also work but you're starting to get geeky at this point.

[emjaybee]

I suspect you would have to have an intermediary device, mobile, tablet etc. with the BT app on it to enable it to connect to the "local" home-hub. I've got BT broadband at home, so can connect to other BT hubs using my BT sign on each time, or automatically using the BT app.

The only trouble is, I've found the BT app very intermittent in reliability. Sometimes it is running and it'll connect, sometimes it has closed itself and needs restarting. This would be a problem if it closes itself 24hrs after you leave the boat.

I'm sure there must be some cost effective solution out there, but I can't think of one.

:nenau

[rustic]

Thanks both for the replies, We do have electric hook up on the boat, but it does drop out when people on the next boat test the rcd device lol I have a device that sends sms texts when ever the mains is interrupted or reinstated. Yes I am a bit techie lol...:augie

I want to avoid a laptop, net book, although I have a net book that I could initially trial to see if I can get a working system.

Only really want it.... because I can, but that's what being techie is all about lol.

I don't fancy leaving a power supply plugged into the boat supply that has the following magic words printed on it... " Made in China" unless I know the source.:augie

I also have a spare android phone, with it's own camera, scammers can put software on to mobile phones so you can see what the person is up to, so I guess there's an app or two to do that. This might be the way to go, and if I could remote select the camera too, hmmm

Might be the cheapest way...

[jims-terrano]

I was going to suggest a laptop connected to the fon wifi with a webcam or something. Then access it via TeamViewer from pretty much any device connected to the internet.

[scrumpydude]

Arriving very late to this thread, but...

I'm guessing that with BT FON it is open network (no WPA encryption) that will hijack your first Web browser session on it and ask for your BT details. Fine if you are on a laptop/ipad/etc but unlikely to be any good with a Wifi camera as you don't have a browser on there to enter those details. I had this problem with a chromecast. Fine on a WPA network as the chromecast allows you to set the Wifi up but no good on an open network that just wants your email address before giving you free Internet.

An old android should work. There are a number of IPCAM apps. I played with this kind of thing once. Left a phone permanently charging and streaming video for days. I stopped it when I noticed that the battery had been swelling! You might need something like a VPN in order to access the video stream over the Internet.

A raspberry pi and a USB webcam is another option but you will have power and VPN stuff to sort out.



Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

[rustic]

Thanks for the detailed reply, it looks like it won't be that straight forward to plug and play, but I do have a spare android phone that might be brought into service.

One of those projects for the back burner, I'd prefer not to have unattended electronics being charged 24/7
We do have electric hook up but I would eliminate the battery charging by designing a decent power supply.

Thanks for the reply.
Rustic