Live stream camera setup

To re-stream to the streaming provider, webcam.io needs to access your cameras stream URL using the RTSP or HTTP protocol.

This (most probably) requires DynamicDNS and Port-forwarding in your router to permanently allow a direct connection to your camera from outside your network.

Step 1: Set up Port-Forwarding

We need a direct access to your camera in your local network. This means, if you have a router on a dialup internet line, you need to set up port-forwarding in your router:

How To Forward a Port (portforward.com).

Example setup: External port 554 -> 192.168.0.1 (local camera IP) port 554

Step 2: Set up Dynamic DNS

(optional if you have a static IP address)

This is required to have a non-changing hostname for your router (to access the camera by URL later).

Most routers support dynamic DNS (DDNS) setup in the configuration.

We assume hostname myrouter1234.dyndns.org for this example.

Step 3: Find the camera stream URL

If you do not have the stream URL in your camera manual, you can try the ispyconnect camera database.

In example, for the “Hikvision 2CD2042” camera, listed here, we can use the path /Streaming/Channels/101 and protocol rtsp://

Now, the complete Cameara Stream URL to access your camera from outside your network is:

rtsp://myrouter1234.dyndns.org:554/Streaming/Channels/101

or, if you use a password in your camera

rtsp://USERNAME:PASSWORD@myrouter1234.dyndns.org:554/Streaming/Channels/101

You can test the stream with VLC app (File -> Open Network… then inserting the URL).

Next step

Continue by selecting a stream provider (tutorial):

Other streaming services should work, if it provides a RTMP(s) protocol address to send the H.264 encoded stream to.