Linking a Kindle Fire to a security camera can be done relatively easily, says Rick Maybury
I should like to wirelessly link a security camera (yet to be purchased) located in a bedroom window at the front of our bungalow, to an Amazon Kindle, so that we can see anyone approaching our property from any room in our home. Is this possible and would it have to be linked through our BT hub?
Keith Hicks, by email
Providing that you have a Kindle Fire tablet, rather than a basic e-reader (the ones with black and white e-ink screens), then yes, it can be done. You will need an IP (Internet Protocol) wireless video camera and a Google account so that you can download a suitable viewer app from the Google Play store. This is needed to display the live image from the camera and, where applicable, remotely control other functions like pan, tilt, zoom, and focus. Your BT hub is the other vital ingredient in this setup and it links the camera to your home network (and the Internet) though a Wi-Fi connection, or better still, by a network or LAN cable. This makes it more secure and improves reliability, especially if the Wi-Fi signal is weak or prone to interference from other networks. The initial setup is often the biggest hurdle with an IP camera and it is usually much easier, and quicker to do it through a web browser on a PC, connected to the camera by LAN cable. This also speeds up the configuration of secondary features, like motion detection, email alerts and remote viewing over the Internet. Once the setup is complete you can dispense with the cable and access the cameras at home or through any convenient wireless hotspot.