IP security cameras represented a great technological advance when they first appeared on the market, since allowing us to remotely monitor our homes, offices, or any facility, over the Internet.
Initially, these cameras were quite expensive, so their consumption was not massive, but over the years and with the technological improvements involved, IP surveillance cameras have reduced their prices, becoming the preferred option for a large proportion of domestic and professional users.
Early IP surveillance cameras required previous router adjustments, so we essentially had to enable certain ports and create redirects to access our cameras from outside.
In addition, a DDNS server was required if we didn’t have a fixed IP address, plus we had to deal with firewall issues and so on.
In short, it was quite tedious, especially for people with limited technological knowledge.
The new generation of P2P (Peer-to-peer) IP surveillance cameras greatly simplifies the installation process. In just a few steps, we can connect the surveillance camera to a device such as our smartphone or a laptop.
How do P2P IP surveillance cameras work?
The operation could be summarized as follows: each P2P IP camera has a unique identifier number (UID), something like our telephone number. Each UID is registered.
This ID number is used to ping the server to enable connection via the application installed on our mobile device or a computer. From then on, the user can see everything that’s happening remotely, in real-time. The P2P server is simply used to ping and create the link between the camera and the application.
Advantages of P2P IP surveillance cameras
If we had to summarize the main advantages of a P2P IP surveillance camera, we’d mention the following:
- Quick and easy configuration. Basically, you need to download an application and scan a QR code.
- Immediate, real-time remote viewing.
- Surveillance can be stored on external media such as micro SD memory cards.
- Playback of remotely stored surveillance videos.
- Access to the camera from different types of device, even simultaneously in some cases.
- Cost savings. These cameras are increasingly accessible to all.
- They are ideal for homes, offices, businesses, educational establishments, etc.
What should you consider before getting a P2P IP surveillance camera?
Before buying a P2P video surveillance camera, you need to read a few reviews about the brand you’re planning to buy. Some brands have established a solid reputation over the years, while others are simply copies or clones of well-known brands.
It’s also important to know whether the display applications also work on the mobile devices we have. We know, for example, that some brands have ineffective apps for certain types of devices; for example, some work well on Android, but not on iOS or vice versa.
Image quality and resolution are also important for many users. Not all cameras have the same resolution, and this is something we need to check before making a purchase. Some cameras, for example, offer 1080p, others 720p, and some even exceed these standards.
Audio is also important for some people. Not all cameras broadcast with crisp, clear sound, and we need to make a good check, if this subject is of particular importance to us. We also need to know whether the audio channel is bidirectional, in other words, whether we can also use the camera for chatting and not just for hearing.
The question of security is also vital. Today, most cameras offer video transmission, properly encrypted with fairly effective security protocols. We’re talking SSL encryption, WPA2-AES, HTTPS, etc.
Conclusion
P2P IP surveillance cameras build upon the advantages of traditional IP surveillance cameras, avoiding tedious procedures such as opening ports on the router, configuring the firewall, using DDNS, etc. These security cameras offer the advantage of viewing our home or work environments from any device.
