The complete guideline on how to use an android mobile phone CCTV camera without internet

The complete guideline on how to use an android mobile phone CCTV camera without internet

Many people always complain about the cost of CCTV cameras anytime security analysts tell them that, it is the best and only way of making their home a safe haven is by implanting CCTC cameras at strategic points in their homes. A new solution is here to help you get access to CCTVs without spending a fortune. I will guide you on how to use an android mobile phone as a CCTV camera without the internet. Yes, this is possible and I can imagine you thinking how cheap it will be compared to buying CCTV cameras which will also require internet.

We all know mobile phones are manufactured with built-in cameras. The only thing you need to do to get your installation done is to download the right applications which help you set up the CCTV with your phone without the use of the internet.

Modern mobile phones have become so important that we cannot go a day without using them. It goes a long way to help us and now making calls is the least of its use. One project you can undertake with it is to project mobile screens without the use of a projector.

Materials needed to use a mobile as CCTV camera without internet

• A mobile phone in good working condition that has a continuous power supply
• Intermediating applications- Ip webcam (android0 and IP camera Lite (IOS)
• Router

How to use an android mobile phone as a CCTV camera without internet- Step-by-step

Download and install the required apps

There are many apps that offer similar services but some come at a cost and other apps do not work efficiently. I will talk about two apps that give great services at no cost.

For android users, download and install an IP webcam from the google store while IP camera lite can be downloaded and installed by people using IOS.

The apps I have mentioned above are free, however, you need to pay for the complete version to be able to record in IOS.

As the name of the app indicates, the internet protocol (IP) address is made available to help receive the footage of the CCTV streaming.

Create a local network

Although a local network can be created by using a mobile hotspot, it is not able to cover a wide area. This is where routers or wi-fi extenders are introduced to help increase the coverage area of the network.

It is quite interesting to know that you do not need any professional to set the router pr wi-fi extender up. You just have to set it up to transmit wi-fi signals to the devices in the local area network (LAN).

Modern wi-fi’s have a long coverage area with some covering up to 323 square meters.

You can also increase coverage area by adding more routers or extenders to the network.

A step-by-step guide has been provided to help form the local area network.

Using Hotspot to wi-fi extender

1. Go to settings and launch the turn-on hotspot.
2. Use the router or extender to inverse the coverage of the hotspot.
3. To add more extenders or routers, use your first extender to increase the coverage area and follow suit with the others.

Using Wi-fi extenders only

1. Turn on the wi-fi signal of the router or extender
2. Connect both the sender and receiver devices to the same wi-fi signal.

This method is suitable for people using IOS since you only have to turn on cellular and this will not be able to connect to the wi-fi signal.

 Connect the sender device with the downloaded app

The apps have been installed and LAN created to facilitate the transfer of data. The next stage, which can be quite tricky is to make the connection to stream the videos.

How to connect the sender device with the app

Launch the IP webcam app and tap on local broadcasting

Tap on login/password

Type in your password to generate security pass and press ok

Move to the first menu you visited and tap on Video preferences.

Tap on the Video recording

Select the Save video to

Create or select a folder to store your files in

Move back to the home page and select start-server which can be located at the bottom

Allow permissions asked

Write down the IP list that will appear beneath the screen

Selecting Video preferences can allow you to add some features to it such as

1. Selecting how minutes the saved CCTV recording to be -chunk size
2. Free up space by deleting older videos– Cleanup
3. Select either MKV or Mp4– Video format

Stream videos on the receiver device

The device used for viewing the videos can be either another phone or a PC. Once the receiver device is linked to LAN, The CTV recordings can be viewed via VLC player or browser

Streaming video on receiver device using a browser

1. Access the IP webcam through a browser of your choice. I will recommend Chrome
2. Type the IP address you wrote down when setting up the sending device and press enter. For example, 283.372.872.33:0101
3. Tap on the browser under Video renderer from the page to start streaming live video
4. Tap on the bar in the Recorder control section to name the video
5. Choose the Record button.

Streaming video on receiver device using VLC

1. Download and install VLC
2. Select Network Streaming which can be found in the media category
3. Type the IP address you wrote down but this time include ‘/video’. For example, 283.372.872.33:0101/video.
4. Select view certificate when insecure site error pops up and allow permission.

Advantages of using an android mobile phone as CCTV camera without internet

• It is cheap- You do not spend much money when setting up this type of security measure. The only thing which will be expensive is the router and even with that, there are cheaper ones. You can easily get an android phone at a low price. You can get routers as low as $50.00.
• No professional is required- You need no one to climb roofs and walls to set the camera at strategic positions to be able to set it up. Once you have the complete guideline on how to use an android mobile phone CCTV camera without the internet you are a professional.

Disadvantages of using an android mobile phone as CCTV camera without internet

• Less storage- You may have problems recording and saving the video due to limited space on the phone. The only way this can be achieved is by synchronizing cloud storage to help save and store a large amount of footage.
• The phone will overheat- To use an android phone as a CVTV camera you need a constant supply of power to charge the phone. This will mean charging the phone every time and can be detrimental to the health of the battery.

Other apps that can be used

• AtHome Security camera app
• Warden Cam
• Presence
• Salient eye

The apps mentioned can all be used on Android

Precautions on how to use an android mobile phone CCTV camera without the internet

• Charge the phones at regular intervals to prevent the phone from overheating
• Clean lenses regularly
• Keep the phone away from the rain
• Update apps regularly
• Use phones with large storage or sync the phone to cloud.

Conclusion

You can now attest that after reading the complete guideline on how to use an android mobile phone CCTV camera without the internet you are now a professional who can set up your own CCTV and do it as a side hustle.