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WebCam Frequently Asked Questions

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  • Which camera gives the best picture?
  • Why do the images on some of your high rated cameras have such terrible color balance?
  • How far can I run my USB cable from the computer?
  • I can't get my camera to work with my messenger program, can you help?
  • I can't get my camera to FTP to my website, what's wrong?
  • If I can't use FTP to stream my camera what can I use?
  • I am logged into my FTP account but I can't seem to upload a file.
  • My webcam software seems to be working but no image is being uploaded via FTP.
  • I have a router and people can't view my webcam.
  • How do I set up my router with MSN Messenger?
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  • Which camera gives the best picture?
    Read the Webcam Reviews and compare specs and features yourself. Before you buy any webcam you must decide if its main use will be for indoor or outdoor viewing through a window. That will also determine if you need manual focus or just simple fixed focus as for a notebook webcam 2 - 5 feet away. An important factor are the driver settings, some webcams don't allow you to adjust sharpness or hue resulting in less than ideal picture quality.

  • Why do the images on some of your high rated cameras have such terrible color balance?
    Take a close look at the camera control screens. Many of the cameras only have radio buttons to select lighting conditions, such as daylight, incandescent, or fluorescent. With no slider control for white balance, it is very difficult to get accurate color. Since my walls are such an unusual color, this tends to confuse many of the cameras. If accurate color is a concern for you, look for cameras which include slider controls for white balance or hue. My "best" ratings look at overall satisfaction and image quality compared to the other cameras in the list.

  • How far can I run my USB cable from the computer?
    USB specification says 15 feet; however, on most cameras I have been able to go 20 feet with a USB extension cord. Some cameras won't work that far away. I have also been able to extend some cameras as much as 35 feet by placing a self-powered USB hub at the 20 foot point from the camera. This doesn't always work so don't be disappointed if it doesn't work for you. You can also use a USB amplified extension cord, but I find those are more expensive than a hub so not worth the trouble unless you have some special situation where a hub won't fit.
    Helpful hint: Plug the hub into the computer first and wait for the computer (Windows) to recognize and configure the hub before plugging in the camera.

  • I can't get my camera to work with my messenger program, can you help? (AOL, Yahoo, MSN)
    First, check to see if the software that came with the camera works. Can you see yourself in whatever kind of monitor came with the camera? If not, then there is most likely something wrong with the camera installation. Check the Windows Device Manager to see if there is a problem with the camera. If so try un-installing the camera and re-installing it again (if the software asks to reboot your computer, unplug the camera before rebooting). Another possible problem is that only one program can access the camera at the same time. (Unless you have special software like WebCam Splitter) If you can see yourself with the software that comes with the camera, and your messenger program reports it can't access, find or use the camera, then the most likely problem is that other software has control of the camera. Make sure that the software that came with the camera is not using the camera. Close down the camera software, (usually right clicking on the task bar tray camera icon will give you an exit option) and try your messenger again.

  • I can't get my camera to FTP to my website, what's wrong?
    That's a very complicated question. Read my FTP page for some help. I'm afraid I can't help you beyond that. FTP has too many things that can cause problems for me to be able to help you via e-mail.

  • If I can't use FTP to stream my camera what can I use?
    Streaming a webcam requires some type of streaming server. Some webcam programs come with a streaming server, like VisionGS, others like ConquerCam don't. Look for Webcam programs that have streaming capability or use a service like AOL or Yahoo. The webcam programs that stream from your computer will give better quality images than Yahoo or AOL, but you generally have to buy them and they can be complicated to set up. Another even more complicated option is a streaming media server such as Helix Server or Microsoft Media Server but these can be expensive and extremely difficult to set up if you don't already have experience with such programs.

  • I am logged into my FTP account but I can't seem to upload a file.
    Make sure you have write access to the directory your account logs you into. For example when I log into the FTP account on my website, I am placed into a root directory one level above my actual website's location. I don't have write access to that root directory so nothing will upload to it. I have to upload to the /html/ directory, one level down, to be able to store a file. Check with your hosting company to find out which directories you have write access to.

  • My webcam software seems to be working but no image is being uploaded via FTP.
    If your webcam software has an FTP logging option, turn that on and try running the camera for a bit. Then check the log file. The log will generally give you a good idea of what is going wrong (wrong username/password, no write access, etc.). Use caution with FTP logging. If you are uploading your images every few seconds, an FTP log file can become very large in a very short time, so make sure you turn off the logging feature once you solve your problem.

  • I have a router and people can't view my webcam.
    If you are trying to serve your images from your house or business, and you have a router, you will have to "map" a port through your router to the computer that is serving your images. The exact procedure for this depends on the make and model of your router. Look for Port Mapping, Port Forwarding, Firewall, NAT, or NAPT [Network Address and Port Translation], (some of the technical terms for this) controls in your router's instruction manual or menus. See my How To page for more on ports and IP addresses, you can start at step 2, option 3. If you have a firewall installed on your computer, you may need to open up a port in your firewall to allow outside computers to access your webcam software. You will have to look through the instructions to find out how each firewall is different, and there are too many for me to be able to answer that on this page.

  • How do I set up my router with MSN Messenger?
    I have noticed a lot of people coming to this page looking for information on using their webcam with MSN messenger and a router. I do not currently use MSN messenger so have no first hand knowledge of the process, but a little research turned up the following point. The new MSN messenger (Version 7) apparently uses UPnP (Universal Plug n' Play) to communicate with the router. If you have had your router for a while, it probably is not UPnP capable. According to the help pages at MSN you will need to purchase a new router that is UPnP enabled. You will also probably have to turn on UPnP in your router. Another option is to open up your computer as a DMZ (de-militarized zone) through your router. Check your router's settings for DMZ settings. This is not a recommended procedure because it bypasses the security your router gives your internal network but is an option if you have an older router. If you do this, I strongly suggest you have a computer firewall in place, such as the one included in Windows XP SP2.


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