Help Connecting DVR to Internet through cellular router

[variador 0]

Hello,

 

 

Been struggling with this problem for a while and lately a lot.

How to connect a CCTV DVR to the internet where no land line internet service is available.

Tried Ethernet Bridges with hotspots and have currently stepped it up to a cellular router. No joy yet

This is tough to search without getting all the messages about trying to access the DVR with a smartphone.

Can also find messages about connecting to IP cameras and cellular routers.

I have experience connecting landline DHCP, Static IP, and port forwarding but still get stuck occasionally.

 

If anyone could answer any one of these questions it would be appreciated;

Are there particular brands of DVR that work best with cellular routers?

Are PC based DVRs easier to connect with cellular routers?

Can the PC based DVRs take advantage of the NO-IP or DYNDNS tracking agent. No experience here

I want to connect a DVR to the internet through a cellular router. Is there a better way to say this? Search this?

Can anyone point to any discussions about connecting CCTV DVR to Internet with cellular connection?

Is there a better forum than Computers/Networking?

Does anyone currently have a DVR connected to the internet through a cellular router/connection?

 

An answer to any one of these questions would be appreciated

 

Thanks

Don C

[Numb-nuts 1]

Love to help you Don but I'm stumped, I can't wait to hear the solution.

[tomcctv 190]

Which cell networks are available in the area

 

You say hotspot ...... Does one show up ?

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I was referring to a personal hotspot. It is a device with a cellular connection that let's you connect to it wirelessly to get the cell connection that it has.

The immediate problem you have with a hotspot is that they don't have Ethernet ports so you can't connect a CCTV DVR to them.

I am in Chicago Illinois. Verizon and AT&T are the lead providers. My Verizon iPad can get up to 50 MBPS down with at least 6 up. My AT&T iphone can come in at the same. The upload on both networks can get very high but I don't remember exactly.

Both networks are LTE.

The building I am in can only get a .768 MBPS land line connection that is shared. Essentially we have no control of the others using the bandwidth. Ran a speed test the other morning and got .14 Mbps down and .16 Mbps up. Seriously, I have a picture so I don't get confused or told of misinterpretation. This makes the cellular connection look very good yes?

Problem is DVRs need open ports and standard cellular connections don't let you open ports.

Came hear looking for detailed solutions that others have found.

This is comparable to wanting to run a CCTV DVR in your car and have it accessible from anywhere in the world, while you are driving. We are using Everfocus Ecor264 X1-16 DVRs. The 16 stands for 16 channel. You could get a good 360 view with 16 channels eh?

We only want some bandwidth in the building. It was OK till our bandwidth could go to nearly zero without our control.

We do have a choice, install comcast. That install would cost $8700 dollars. Comcast would pay the first $5000 but we would have to come up with the $3700 OR find a way to make cellular work. The DVR has been installed for a couple years and going to all IP cameras has it's own expense.

Anyone else with a problem like this?

 

Thanks

Don

[variador 0]

Success!

This is a way that will work for anyone in the states anyway. Been hoping for a person or two to mention a way that worked for them.

I will say the exact equipment used but there is one thing that is a must for this particular setup. That is a cellular data card with a static IP. With the static IP card and the right router you can control the ports. Being able to open the correct ports is the obstacle in the way of connecting a CCTV DVR to the internet with a cellular connection. This is what port forwarding is all about. Opening ports. Regular cell connections have no controllable ports.

Getting back to the the static IP card, I tried to get one from AT&T for two days, actually a weekend and two days. Don't know why but getting one static IP data card from AT&T is close enough to impossible that I stopped trying. Verizon sells them for a one time fee of $500 and then you get a data plan that charges like any other data plan they have.

Didn't try that, found another way thanks to the 3G store. Found the 3G store online while looking for a cellular router. Can't open ports without a router. The 3G store has found a service called Millenicom that has cellular static IP cards. All said and done you get the card with 20 GB for $100 a month. It is a monthly plan and can be cancelled at any time. The startup fee is $50. The bandwidth is as good as your LTE or 3G connection. I got 12 Mbps down and up with no tweaking.

In the states a 20GB a month cellular plan is a great price. IF and this is a big if now, if you didn't get in on an unlimited plan which chokes we hear at 4gigs, and if you need 20GB a month.

OK, if you haven't stopped reading at the $100 a month then you only have to get past the $500 plus router. These routers are really awesome. I picked a Pepwave Max BR1. What is so awesome? Check this out. You can have Two data cards, a USB cellular modem, and an Ethernet connection all plugged into the same router. The connections can be prioritized and load balanced. Load balancing can help you from not running over your monthly allotted data. The connections can be prioritized so that if one stops the next one in line takes over. This makes port forwarding seem like pre school stuff and this is where the 3G store can help with tech support that I found great. .

OK, back to the DVR setup. My router only has the cellular static IP card (Verizon, btw) in it. Once you get this far you are ready to roll. If you know how to get your DVR hooked up on the land line side so it is accessible from anywhere with an internet connection then you will be able to get this to work for you too.

There are two other methods I figured out that I will post later but this way is the straight up way that let's you use the apps that were made to work with your device. In my case the iphone Everfocus apps or PC method that runs with the IE browser.

I love and prefer IPcamviewer but for some reason it has some kind of problem getting the data from the DVR so I have to use the Everfocus apps that are good but not as good as IPcamviewer.

So that is how I was able to get a cellular connection to work with the DVR type we are using for now. This setup could go anywhere Verizon has service. Even in a moving vehicle. The router is even 12v DC. Want to know where your service truck is and how they are driving? With your cell phone app you could practically be riding right alongside them. You should be able to listen and talk to them too if the DVR has that capability.

Technology is wonderful isn't it? Maybe a little expensive for now but that always gets better.

 

Thanks

Don