Using Google Chrome To Watch Your Security Cameras Remotely

June 8, 2018 by Anas Mustafa

In the past, you may have needed ActiveX controls if you wanted to look at your security cameras through the internet. That can be somewhat of a challenge since many of the ActiveX controls were unlabeled, and it took no effort to trigger the dozens of obnoxious error messages you might encounter with Internet Explorer. Another problem with the old system was how the ActiveX controls weren’t user-friendly. Anybody without a programming background would have a difficult time figuring out how to make it work.

Security Cameras Using Google Chrome

Enabling ActiveX Controls

In frequent users will have a hard time viewing their security camera correctly, or they might have difficulty recording videos through a web browser, which serves as evidence. Another reason you’d want to choose a different browser-based security camera is the decline of Internet Explorer. Sure, Microsoft may have changed the name to Microsoft Edge, but in truth, it isn’t any better than what it was before. According to ADT, the average loss due to burglary is around $2,361. If you don’t put preventative measures in place, it could cost you.

The Good News

Recent news has made it so that you no longer have to rely on ActiveX controls if you want to see your security cameras remotely. In fact, as of 2017, IP cameras, NVRs and DVRs will all offer support via Google Chrome. What does that mean for customers? It means that you can now network a device to place it back on the system. You might type the IP address into Google Chrome, and this brings up the surveillance footage right from Google Chrome. It’s far more user-friendly than what you had in the past with ActiveX. First, you will be sent a request to install the Chrome App. Then, as long as you load the app, you can always access the things that you want to see through your Chrome browser.

The one thing to understand about this is how it will only work with the Windows OS or a computer. You won’t be able to set up the system for a Mac. Instead, Mac will use separate plugins that take advantage of the Safari browser. It works specifically for IP, DVR and NVR cameras. If you want the app to work via the internet, you should port forward the ports that will require the DVR or the camera.

What Happens When Your Cameras Doesn’t Work in Chrome?

Perhaps you have encountered a problem that some internet users have occasionally run across. The biggest problem is how Google Chrome applies automatic updates, which means most users will already have the latest version of Chrome. Normally, that’d be great, but the issue is when the latest version of Google Chrome cripples the plugins needed to operate with the CCTV cameras.

One example of this is when you launch a web app for your camera, but it displays this notification that says no plug-in has been installed. What can you do to fix this annoying error? First, you will want to copy and paste this—chrome://flags/#enable-npap. You will get past this error into your URL setup for Google Chrome, and this will get you started.

When you try to troubleshoot this way, exercise caution not to enable or fix things that haven’t been broken. Instead, you want to enable the NPAPI plugins. After you have done this, you will click on the relaunch button. You don’t, however, want to exit from the window because the settings won’t save if you decide to do this. From that point on, you will relaunch your camera, and you will re-install your plugins. This should prepare your security cameras for safe viewing on Google Chrome.

Help from a Professional

Maybe you have decided that this all seems a bit complicated. Luckily, you have security professionals out there who will simplify the process and make it much easier. They can help you get Google Chrome hooked up for surveillance. This means that even when you left for the office or boarded a flight to Cancun, Mexico, you can still access viewing your home right from your smartphone!

In addition, some of these cameras might include a smart clip capture feature, which transmits instant alerts and notifications while outside the home. The continuous security means that your home will be well protected and you can enjoy that peace of mind directly from your smartphone. If you’re not sure how to do this, a security professional can setit up and make it much easier for you.

Watch Your Cameras from a Google Chromebook

Some people have their CCTV security system based on either Zoneminder or Motion and have bought a Google Chromebook to manage everything directly. If this is something you are interested in then first you download the CCTV View extension from the Google Chrome add-ons. This will provide you with a fast and easy way to pull up security cameras on your Chromebook. Even when you’re on the other side of the world for a business trip, you can watch as many as 20 webcams straight from the Chrome browser. You can configure the settings for the cameras, or you can look at the webcam image URLs. You access this system easily through a single click.

Setting Up CCTV View from Google Chrome

As stated, first you pull up and install CCTV View. Next, you will see the icon near your address bar. You will right-click on this icon, and you will tap on the “Options” button. Are you using Zoneminder? After you have added the CCTV View extension, you will need to add additional URLs for your CCTV imaging.For those using Zoneminder, you open the watch window and right-click on the image. Next, you will copy down the URL.

For those who use Motion, on the other hand, you will have just as simple of a time. You will see an image URL field, and this will have the server name and a webcamport. It might be defined as threadn.conf or motion.conf.

Why Home Security Matters

According to Statista, there were over 159,119 burglaries in Canada in 2016. Burglaries happen every day, and if you don’t take measures to protect yourself, who will? The police can only do so much.

If you would like more information about Canadian Security Professionals, give us a call today at 1-877-494-9911.

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Using Google Chrome To Watch Your Security Cameras Remotely

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