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How To Use Your Windows Laptop As A Security Camera

In this article, we will see how to make use of our Windows Netbooks & Laptops, as a security Camera for keeping an eye. For that matter, one can make use of your Desktop PC also if a webcam is attached to it. Generally, all Netbooks, laptops available today, do come with built-in webcams.

Your Netbook will take pictures in a set interval or whenever there's motion using motion detection option and save the snapshots locally to your PC or upload to a ftp server and you can view this from some other location; for example, if you want to keep an eye on your pet at home while you are away.

There are many software available for this but we will check up with few free ones. The idea of this article is to make you aware of using your Netbooks, laptops as a security camera, though you can't compare this with the regular professional Security, surveillance cams. So instead of going into software details or their many options, I have  just provided an idea so that you can play around with various options and set them accordingly.

1] Webcam Timershot

First is the Microsoft PowerToys for Windows and WebcamTimershot is one of the PowerToys provided.

But this doesn't have motion detection option. And it works only with Windows XP.

For users of Windows Vista and Windows 7, there are many such free software, we will check a couple of them below. 2] Yawcam One of them is Yawcam – Yawcam is short for Yet Another WebCAM software. It has many features including Motion detection support. Video streaming Image snapshots Built-in webserver Motion detection Ftp-upload and many more. For more detailed option please check the site. So you can set your Netbooks with Motion detection so, as soon it senses some motion, it will capture the image. As a result, it will take fewer pictures whenever required as against timed shots which will keep on taking pictures at set interval. 3] Avacam Another such free app is Avacam which also has lots of options including motion detection. For normal use the Free edition is enough, though a paid ver is also there of Avacam. Also remember to Set your Monitors off whenever you want, and set hard disk, System to Never off from or set them accordingly from your Power Options in the control panel. Also, check your Sleep/hibernate options and disable them. So now it's up to you to put this into imaginative use! How you position your netbook,  whether you use it to catch some intruder or want to keep an eye on your pet, etc. You might want to also check out iSpy. Can I use webcam as IP camera? Yes, you can certainly use the webcam as an IP camera. It is pretty straightforward if you have a Windows 11/10 laptop. There are multiple IP camera apps for Windows PC. For example, you can download DroidCam, IP Webcam, Iruin 4K Webcam, etc. All of them are free and very easy to use. How can I use my webcam as a WIFI camera? To use your laptop webcam as a Wi-Fi camera in Windows 11/10, you must use third-party software. There are so many apps available in the market if you use an Android mobile to broadcast the streaming. For example, you can download the IP Webcam app from the Google Play Store. On the other hand, DroidCam is another handy option you can opt for.

Best Free IP Camera Apps For Windows PC And Android Phones

This article contains some of the best IP camera apps for Windows PCs and Android Phones so that you can use your mobile as a webcam for a PC. The best thing is that you can use some of these apps with Microsoft Teams, Skype, or any other video conferencing app on your computer.

An Internet Protocol camera, or IP camera, is a type of digital video camera that receives control data and sends image data via an IP network. We will be discussing the following free IP camera apps for Windows 11/10 and Android:

DroidCam

Iriun 4K Webcam

IP Webcam

Let's find out more about these apps.

1] DroidCam

DroidCam is one of the best solutions out there that allows you to use your mobile as a webcam for Windows PC.

The user interface of Windows and Android apps is pretty good, uncluttered, and easy to use. It is possible to connect your phone via a Wi-Fi connection, USB cable, or Wi-Fi server. However, if you have Bluetooth-compatible hardware attached to your PC, you can use the Bluetooth Server option.

First, install the app on your phone and download the client on your PC and run them. Following that, paste the Device IP on the desktop client as shown on your phone. Once you click the Start button, it starts using the phone camera instantly. Visit the official website to download the app. 2] Iriun 4K Webcam Iruin 4K Webcam is another tool to use your mobile as a portable webcam for Windows computers. The handiest feature of this app is that you can choose the video resolution. It is possible to select between 640 x 360px to 3840 x 2160px. However, the resolution also depends on the mobile you are using. If you have a 720p screen and choose the 4K resolution, it will show the 720p. The only problem with this app is that your desktop and mobile must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. It might be hectic for you to establish a connection between your phone and PC as it doesn't offer Bluetooth Server or USB cable connectivity. Visit the official website to download the app. 3] IP Webcam If you want a minimal setup, but the same output, IP Webcam is probably the best choice for you. Although the user interface of the Android app looks outdated, it works without any error. As usual, users are required to connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network. One essential feature is that you can check the video feed using the Windows client and the browser. If you use the browser mode, you will get tons of more settings than the Windows client. However, if you want to use it with Microsoft Teams or Skype, the desktop client is mandatory. Check out the official website to download apps. There are tons of other IP camera apps for Windows and Android. However, there are mainly two problems. First, most of them show watermarks. Second, they are paid apps. However, all these apps are free to use, and they do not display any watermarks. Next, we will see how to use IP Camera apps with Microsoft Teams and Skype.

How To Use Your Android Phone As A Webcam For Streaming And Video Calls

If you have an Android phone with good cameras, you can use it as a webcam for video calls.    Unsplash

Your Android phone can actually work as a webcam for your laptop or PC.

The process isn't too complicated and it requires only a few steps.

This is helpful in situations where your laptop's camera isn't good or if you have a desktop.

Ever since work from home became the new normal, we've had to adjust to make quite a few adjustments. One frequent activity that's part of our professional routine is attending meetings and interviews. This means having a good webcam for your virtual meetings. Most laptops come with a webcam but some of them have bad cameras, and if you're using a desktop computer then you need to use an external unit. But if you have a spare Android smartphone with good cameras then you can simply use that as your laptop or desktop webcam. Not just video calls but you can also use your phone webcam for streaming as well.

Yes, you can use your Android phone as a webcam, and the process isn't too complicated either. There are certain things you need to have if you want to use your phone as a webcam. Your phone and computer should be connected to the same network. You will also need to download an app for this from the Google Play Store. One popular app for this is DroidCam.

Once you have all of this follow the steps below to use your phone as a webcam.

Download the DroidCam app on your phone and desktop.

Open the app on your phone and allow permission for camera and microphone.

Do make sure to choose the front camera on the DroidCam app.

Open DroidCam on your desktop and select the Wi-Fi icon.

Now check for the IP and port information on the DroidCam app on your phone.

Enter the same details on the desktop app, and then click start.

Once the connection is successful you should see the camera feed on your desktop.

You can then select your phone as the camera for your videos during meetings. DroidCam will actively show your camera feed but your phone's display will be turned off. DroidCam is compatible with video apps like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Skype.

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