Non-Internet Wireless and Webcam

[Arsonal]

I've been tinkering with an idea in the back of my head for some time (among the billions of other things). We do not video our services, and our nursery or children's church workers are not able to view/hear services. I do not like that because they really can feel left out after awhile (the nursery worker could atleast listen in a little if the babies were quiet and all).

So here's the idea:

Set up a webcam from the sanctuary PC to pick up the sermon/stage area (hopefully audio as well?). Set up a non-internet wireless network to a PC in the nursery area that is well within a wireless range. Broadcast the webcam footage live to the nursery PC via the wireless non-internet network. Possibly record the video for later use (put onto internet?).

My big question is, IS THIS POSSIBLE? I've ran a home wireless network before with file/print sharing and am pretty sure (not totally sure though)I could do it without an internet signal. I just don't know if I could broadcast a webcam feed without internet.

Our church tends to get a lack of participation in the nursery area and I think having a "connection" to the service could help out. We have a spare PC somewhere that would probably work if I can find it, and I have a wireless router in storage. If this would work, the cost of a webcam would make this a beneficial endeavor for my church.

Any advice/suggestions?

If this works, it may lead us into the whole putting video on the net once our webpage gets finished (I'm still waiting on content from church members on that one).

[kbob]

we do something similar, though in reverse. We have webcam styled cams in the nursery and children's church areas, with a feed back to the sanctuary where we display 8 cams at the same time.

We did this using a security cam setup, and strung it together using wired lan cabling. The reverse should be even simpler...

I would suggest wired if you can get away with it-the last thing you'd want in the nursery is wireless generated static blasting out of the speakers at high volume-wired would simply be more reliable. Not sure of the apps needed to make it work without the security cam setup-but those can be had for less than $1000 I believe, some much less.

[LeAnn B]

We also have a lack of participation in the nursery (which has resulted in the same person having to do nursery duty every week). But we would only be able to do it wireless. So if you figure out how to do it please let me know!

LeAnn

[Arsonal]

When I ran a wireless network before, I never had a problem with static in speakers, so I'm a little confused. Can you elaborate if you don't mind? I would prefer wired, but I don't think the work involved to get the wiring done would be approved at this point in time.

I'm about knee deep into my google searches of "broadcast webcam without internet" and the like, but haven't found anything solidly saying it can be done without using the internet. Networking (internet or not) uses IP addresses, and I believe that is how the webcam broadcasts its signal to wherever. I'm almost positive I can set the network up - it's the camera and broadcast/feed I don't know about. I may get a cheap webcam to see what happens. I have no experience with them, but I think I could tell it to broadcast the feed to the IP address of the other computer and make it work?

I'll post here if I get it working one day. It may take awhile because I'm in the midst of working 9 or 10 days straight - I forget which one I'm on right now .

[Arsonal]

Okay, one result in my research said to install netmeeting which appears to be from Microsoft. That answer was from this forum:

http://www.computing.net/networking/...orum/4809.html

[Bryan Surrett]

Last year we purchased a webcam to monitor our construction and that was a wireless cam. We were able to access it via a web browser by typing in its' ip address. Why are you trying to "broadcast webcam without internet" anyway? Security concerns? With a similar setup to ours the nursery could see the webcam (provided the wireless signal is strong enough) with any pc and wireless access card. The problem you need to address is the sound. Your webcam will need to broadcast the audio as well since the audio feed from the sound system going to the nursery would be real time (if you already have the audio feed in place.)

[dovprst]

Originally Posted by Arsonal

Okay, one result in my research said to install netmeeting which appears to be from Microsoft. That answer was from this forum:

http://www.computing.net/networking/...orum/4809.html

I didn't go to the link, but I know Netmeeting will work. I have used it that way many times to watch my kids in another room. (When I can't just get up and see what all the yelling is about ). I had to have 2 cams though (one on each end). I don't know if it can be done with just one cam.

[cjlowe]

Oh, it's definitely possible.

A simple way to do this would be to use something free like Windows Media Encoder or VLC at one end, and Windows Media Player, or VLC, at the other. Then one system just gets pointed to the stream from the other.