Tag Archives: mobile

Using tinyCam on Android for SecuritySpy

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While SecuritySpy has a dedicated iOS app that provides a great remote access experience on iPhones and iPads, we currently do not produce a dedicated Android app. This is because, since SecuritySpy is a macOS application, the vast majority of our users are within the Apple ecosystem, and very few use Android devices.

At this time, the best solution for viewing live video from your SecuritySpy system on an Android device is the tinyCam Monitor app. This app is inexpensive, easy to use, and has a built-in profile for SecuritySpy that helps to simplify the setup. Here’s how to set it up.

1. Set up access to your SecuritySpy system

If you need to access SecuritySpy only over your local network, all you need to do is to enable the HTTP web server under Settings > Web, and add a user account for password protection.

Additionally, for access over the Internet, follow the setup steps outlined here: SecuritySpy Installation Manual – Remote Access.

Your SecuritySpy server should now be set up for local and/or Internet access. Verify this by going to Settings > Web > Access Info; a panel pops up that shows access addresses for local and/or remote connections:SecuritySpy Access Info Continue reading →

Remote Access via Mobile/Cellular/Satellite Internet

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[Update 8 Nov 2022: although the below solution still works, ngrok have put up their prices significantly since this post was written. We now have a new post that describes some alternative solutions, many of them free, so we recommend you refer to this one instead: Remote Access Without Port Forwarding.]

In order to connect to any server over the Internet (such as SecuritySpy’s built-in web server for remote access to your CCTV system), the server must be exposed to the Internet via a public IP address.

Most standard home and commercial Internet connections (Fibre, ADSL, Cable) provide a public Internet address, which makes setting up remote access to SecuritySpy fairly straightforward, as described in the Remote Access section of the SecuritySpy Installation Manual.

However, Mobile/Cellular Internet connections (i.e. those that use a 3G, 4G or 5G modem to connect wirelessly over the cellular network) are becoming increasingly common, as their speed and reliability increase and costs decrease. Unfortunately, most mobile Internet connections do not provide a true public IP address, but rather provide a private address within the Internet provider’s network (this is called Carrier-Grade NAT). Therefore it is not possible to set up remote access in the same way. Typically, this is the case with Satellite-based Internet connections as well.

Some mobile Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can provide a true public IP address for an extra fee, but not all do.

The solution to this problem is to use a service called ngrok, which allows you to set up a secure tunnel to your server in order to provide access to it from the Internet. Here’s how it works: Continue reading →