FTP, Video recording and a whole bunch of ???

[TerryV]

Hello to all and thank you to Highmac, I am going to lay out what I am trying to achieve and then a list of my equipment in the hope that I get direction to complete this. I fully expect for this thread to run for several weeks since I/we will be dealing with some creaky knees that do not allow for rapid deployment!
 I want to implement video surveillance system that can be accessed remotely and that can record say, 15 minute from each camera.
 I have two Zmodo cameras working right now and have ordered two more for a total of 4 cameras on the network.
 My equipment list: Late 2010 MacBook pro, OSX 10.13.6  > iPhone 8, iOS 12.1.4
 Linksys EA8300 router, Seagate Back-up Plus 8 TB HDD attached to the Linksys with just one partition.
I am assuming that after I get the cameras up and running on the network, I would need to get an FTP software app to set up the router and the HD. From what I have gathered so far, the Linksys prefers to talk Windows, rather than Mac. So if I am going to record all four cameras, then I would need to make four partitions on the Seagate HD, right? I can get my hands on a Win machine and I figure that I can "How to" so that I can partition the HD.
 What I would appreciate is, could some one with the knowledge, lay out a "step one, step two" for me. I am not really a computer guy, just picked up stuff here and there, so, not really deep into it. I know what an IP address is and that's about it! Thanks, Terry.

[Highmac]

Hi Terry, and welcome back
I can't help much since I'm a bit of a "rabbit in the headlights" when it comes to deep tech... However, most of our experts will be along later - round about lunchtime in the UK

[Xairbusdriver]

Welcome back, Terry!

Wish I could offer some actual help. Instead, I simply have a few questions:

It appears that those cameras already have an iOS app that should do what you want. It would help to know which model you are using. Did you buy them as one of the several dozen 'packages' listed on their web site?

I have a single wifi-connected camera that feeds a web page, but it is just a part of software that records and updates weather details 24/7/365 (shouldn't that be 365/7/24? ). The camera is capable of doing security related tasks but I don't use any of them.

[TerryV]

Hello,
       I bought two - two pack Zmodo model:ZP-IBH23-W camera packs. And, yes they do have a trial version  for a cloud subscription, but what I am trying to do is have the video feed to the external HD connected to my router. Now this is where I am unsure as to what I need to do.
 I think that I would have to partition the 8 TB drive into 4 partitions, one for each camera. The HD has to be NTFS for the router to recognize it. Wifey has company issued Win 7 laptop, so I figure I should be able to use it for that, BTW, HD is brand new, should I format it and then partition?
 I have found a page on the Linksys website relating to setting up FTP. I need to know if I set up four partitions, then I think I have to then connect the partitioned HD to the router and set up "shares" and then link each camera to its own share. I think then, once the FTP is set up I should be able to connect via a Browser to view the cameras from a remote location.
 And "She Who Must Be Obeyed" wants to know why it isn't finished yet! 

[TerryV]

May be some one sells software to do all this stuff? The two additional cameras to cover the back of the house came today, and I have synced them to my network, now, all I have to do is position and mount them, run power to them, then I'll start working on getting them to record to my HD. It's getting late and it is cool and damp outside, so that is a tomorrow job! Terry.

[Xairbusdriver]

I must say their site is not too user-friendly, some links just give 404 errors while others simply will not load in Safari, other "information" pages require one to log in.

From what I can see, they company is more interested in charging you for using their web space through proprietary software to use their system like most other cloud-based "security systems". There are links to what looks like Mac software, but they want you to 'subscribe' before showing anything about it.

I still have no idea why an FTP app is said to be required. I've never heard of needing one to set up a modem. I can understand that the company may be offering a group of daemons that simply use your FTP app to do the actual uploading. It would be cheaper to build a small script than to license the api's to build in the FTP actions into their software. I used some I created when I wanted to convert (the now officially unsupported by Apple) QuickTime format to MP3.

I'm also not sure why there appears to be a need to build all the bells and whistles from various bits and pieces when there are actually several companies offering this kind of product. They are for sale at places as "technical" as Wal-Mart to actual security companies. They all depend on the user having either one price deal for all the hardware including a sizable hard drive (DVR) or a cloud-based system where you can view the video from any web browser while paying a monthly fee.

All the cameras I investigated prior to buying my one model, can be viewed on any computer and web browser by simply using the default file location of the video on whatever local drive it uses. No FTP app nor modem required.

May be some one sells software to do all this stuff?

Yes, several companies do. That, in fact, is Zmodo's business. Costs will be based on camera resolution, low-light capabilities, web space and band width choices and software quality and support speed.

Sorry to sound so negative, I just don't understand your needs.

[krissel]

The particular model you purchased says it can record to a mini SD card. Why don't you just do that?

I've been working with Arlo, Zmodo and Ring units. Each has its advantages and each its aggravations. Zmodo has excellent quality video, is super sensitive and is great in low light conditions. It also seems to "anticipate" motion and has no lag in recording. I don't pay for the online recording and just check in daily if I get a notification.

The Arlos I have are battery run and can be placed anywhere. BUT, they use special, very expensive batteries and the video is not that great and has a couple second lag so you miss the beginning or the whole thing if it is something moving fast. They have a free 7 days online storage.

The Ring is frustrating to use. It is constantly sending me notifications of cars going up the street way out of range, then doesn't even blink if I drive right up to the garage 10 feet away. One thing I do like is the neighborhood watch program which allows people to post videos of strangers and ask if anyone knows them. I had a guy come to the back door and ring the bell, look around, then leave. Very suspicious. I posted it and someone else recognized him as a local chef who sells catering services. Whew.

Anyway, I wish I could help you Terry with your setup but you may be trying to reinvent the wheel and I'm too prehistoric. 

[Xairbusdriver]

Thanks. Kris! I'll keep an eye out for a "local chef offering catering" at my back door! BTW, did he have a mustache Swedish?!

[TerryV]

Hi Krissel,
              For whatever reason, these cameras are not equipped with card slots, so I have to figure out how to record from them. Luddite paranoia fuels my dislike of giving up control of my cameras to someone else! Besides, I don't have the steady income to pay a recurring fee, and experience has taught me it's harder to get a corporation to stop billing you once they have your credit card.
 Another thing that has me alarmed (to go back to the paranoia thing), is that since I installed the first two cameras, I have an unknown "network device" on my home network. I identified it via it's MAC address as belonging to the manufacturer of the Zmodo cameras! The device is active and I haven't been able to delete from my network. I have researched it and followed the Linksys procedure, but that only works if the device is offline. As of right now, I put the unknown device into Parental Controls set to "Never Allow" access to the internet, and I turned on MAC Address Filtering and set that unknown device's MAC address to "Do not allow access to network". Not sure, but that allays some of the paranoia!    Terry.

[Xairbusdriver]

I use a small, free app called LanScan that provide info on just about any device with a Media Access Control (MAC) number connected to your network. The Zmodo devices should be seen since they have a MAC address and are connected. You should see any other devices such as printers, scanners, modems, computers, mobile devices, etc. that are networkable. It makes no difference whether they are WiFi or Ethernet. If your Zmodo devices did not appear in that kind of list, you would not be able to use/see them. You can also use this Terminal command to see anything connected to you network:

networksetup -listallhardwareports

That will also report how it is connected: WiFi, Ethernet, ThunderBolt, Bluetooth, wood screws, etc. OK, the "wood screw" is not use for networking...

[TerryV]

Hi Xairbusdriver,
                       The Linksys software has a "Network Map" that shows all devices connected, this "Unknown Device", as I labelled it, showed up on the map as just a generic, "Network Device". At first I thought it was wifeys company issued Win 7 laptop, as we had just returned from a jaunt down south to her company HQ. At this point I had all ready installed the first two of the Zmodo cameras, and I expected for her laptop to automatically pick up the wi-fi network as it always has, so when she actually did connect with her laptop and I recognized name of her laptop on the network, I realized that something was wrong, because I now had this generic "Network Device" and her laptop with is familiar name! At that point, I knew which were the cameras 'cause I just installed 'em and knew where they were on the map. I did a check of MAC address identifiers, and that is how I know whose this "Unknown Device" is. I unplugged all the cameras and "UD" is still there. I cleared the Network Map as suggested by Linksys page, which cleared my third & fourth cams as they were unplugged and therefore, offline at that time. Terry.