How to locally (within LAN) and publicly (over internet) access an IP camera using only one IP?

Is this possible? If so, how to set it up?

Currently, I access my IP camera via 192.168.1.2:8888 when at home, and some_public_ip:8888 (portforwarded) when out. It's really a hassle having to switch from one configuration to the other each time I start up my IP camera monitoring app on my smartphone/tablet.

silvernightstar

Posted 2013-09-30T07:49:25.377

Reputation: 291

You'll need to point a domain name to your IP address (assuming your home IP is static). This does raise concerns about security though which you will need to read up on. – Dave – 2013-09-30T08:15:21.163

Thanks, but I'm not sure if that would work. I'm already using DDNS to point a particular domain name to my public IP. And when I'm home, I'm still unable to access my IP camera using that domain name (and thus the need for the additional config of 192.168.1.2:8888 for local access). – silvernightstar – 2013-09-30T09:10:29.767

So, your public IP is pointing at your local computer yes? – Dave – 2013-09-30T09:21:37.870

1Seems like it's an issue with your home router. I know some of those doesn't allow hairpin connections (connections from inside to the public interface of the router). – Kent – 2013-09-30T10:06:54.350

@DaveRook no, only public IP's port 8888 is being forwarded to 192.168.1.2:8888 (the IP camera) – silvernightstar – 2013-10-01T04:33:49.480

@Kent Would you know of a resource where I could check whether my particular modem (Prolink ) supports hairpin connections? (I've checked that my router does) – silvernightstar – 2013-10-01T04:41:46.840

@silvernightstar: I don't know of any resources about specific router models. I only know there are some routers, in a general context, that doesn't allow hairpin connections. – Kent – 2013-10-01T12:08:38.243

Answers

I had this same issue with not being able to access my IP camera from my inside private network using my public IP address. I have a Linksys router and found under the security settings internet NAT redirect filtering. Once I disabled this I can now just use my public IP address even while on the inside.

Edward

Posted 2013-09-30T07:49:25.377

Reputation: 135

You can accomplish by having a DNS server on your network. (sounds expensive but some routers have the DNS role on them).

Create an A record to match your DDNS record but to point to the internal IP instead. This way when you are inside your network the router will send your request to the DVR internal IP.

Ex: DDNS Record. MyDVR.ddns.org points to 1.1.1.1 (my WAN IP) Internal DNS Record. MyDVR,ddns.org points to 192.168.1.1 (My DVR LAN IP)

When connected everywhere on the internet. your MyDVR.ddns.org URL will resolve 1.1.1.1 so it will connect to your WAN IP and NAT will forward to your DVR.

When connected whiting your LAN. your MyDVR.ddns.org URL will resolve 192.168.1.1 So it will connect directly to your DVR.

Some router also allows to create firewall rules to route the traffic back to the DVR but in some instances this create a risk that can be exploited by pentesting software.

William Quevedo

Posted 2013-09-30T07:49:25.377

Reputation: 1

The only other way to do this is to have a separate dedicated outside IP address that is just for the camera. Computers on the LAN will see the current camera as on the same LAN, so you are using the internal IP address for the camera. Computers outside the LAN (i.e. over the internet) are seeing your modem's/router's IP address, which forwards just that port to the internal IP address.

What I did was simply to set it up in my camera software as if it were two separate cameras, one with the internal address & one with the external. Then it's just a matter of clicking on the right camera in the software (and easy to tell, as one shows an image & the other doesn't.)

Debra

Posted 2013-09-30T07:49:25.377

Reputation: 4 000