Wireless Webcam vs Multiple USB Cables (1 Viewer)

As the title of the post suggests, I'm trying to decide between spending money on a wireless webcam or extending the range of my current webcam via a sequence of USB cables and hubs. I'm doing this solely so that various grandparents can see their pride and joy, even when he refuses to come and sit in front of the PC.

Ideally, I think I'd prefer the wireless option, but I have no idea of how well theese type of cameras work.

Does anyone out there have direct experience of using a wireless camera? If so, are there any you'd recommend? Is is easy to set one up (i.e. plug and play)?

Any advice is gratefully received and you're dealing with a technical novice (to say the least) here, so please keep any responses as dumbed-down as possible.

Haven't got one myself but the majority will use Wi-Fi so you'll need a wireless router as well which you can also use to connect your PC to either via wireless (though you'll need a wireless adaptor card) or via CAT5.

If you go ahead the basic connections would be broadband connection to wireless router (setup your connection details on the router) > wireless router to PC (wired or wireless) plus wireless router to web camera.

Minkey said:

Haven't got one myself but the majority will use Wi-Fi so you'll need a wireless router as well which you can also use to connect your PC to either via wireless (though you'll need a wireless adaptor card) or via CAT5.

If you go ahead the basic connections would be broadband connection to wireless router (setup your connection details on the router) > wireless router to PC (wired or wireless) plus wireless router to web camera.

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Thanks for the reply.

I have a wireless router for our internet connection itself (the signal box is in a different room to the PC and the supplier wanted a small fortune to move it). Would this do the job, or would I need a separate one?

Alc said:

Would this do the job, or would I need a separate one?

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Nope you should be good to go the wireless router should pick up the webcam as a new device (you might have to have SSID on the router unless you want to configure it manually).

You should be able to find loads of reviews online.

You could just sit him in front of one of the kids sites on the PC like say Thomas The Tank engine etc, hey presto it won't be that long before you'll have to fight him to get at the PC yourself

Minkey said:

Nope you should be good to go the wireless router should pick up the webcam as a new device (you might have to have SSID on the router unless you want to configure it manually).

You should be able to find loads of reviews online.

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I did, thanks. I just though it would be better to get 'first hand' comments on how well they work. Thanks for the help.

You could just sit him in front of one of the kids sites on the PC like say Thomas The Tank engine etc, hey presto it won't be that long before you'll have to fight him to get at the PC yourself

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Make no mistake, if he's not specifically wanted there, there's no moving him. I even picked up an old, second-hand keyboard, just so he can drag it round the house, then sit and hammer on it.
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