Raspberry Pi: build a surveillance camera and web server - how it works

Even if it sounds complex - with a Raspberry Pi you can build a web server and a surveillance camera very quickly. We explain the exact procedure in this article.

Raspberry Pi: Set up your own web server

You can easily use the Raspberry Pi as a web server, whether for classic websites or for surveillance cameras.

1. To do this, first execute the "ifconfig" command in the terminal and note the IP that is in the "eth0" section after "inet addr:".
2. Then install Apache using the "sudo apt-get install apache2" command. You should also install PHP and MySQL using the "sudo apt-get install php5 mysql-server -y" command.
3. To load your own website into the server, use the "sudo chown -R pi / var / www / html" command to give yourself access to the folder. In this folder you will already find a file called "index.html", which you can adapt to your requirements.
4. To access the server, use an Internet-enabled device that is connected to your network to call up the IP address noted at the beginning in the browser.

Set up web server for surveillance camera - in 10 steps

To build a surveillance camera with the Raspberry Pi, which is also accessible via a server, you need the Raspberry Pi camera module, which you can plug into the port provided on the Pi.

1. Then start the "Raspberry Pi Configuration" and activate the camera under the "Interfaces" tab.
2. Use the commands »sudo modprobe v4l2_common« and »sudo modprobe bcm2835-v4l2« to install two small Video4Linux modules.
3. Then add them with the commands »echo" v4l2_common "| sudo tee -a / etc / modules «and» echo "bcm2835-v4l2" | sudo tee -a / etc / modules «to the / etc / modules file.
4. If you now use the »ls / dev / video *« command to display the video devices, the camera should also appear.
5. In the next step, use the "sudo apt-get install motion" command to install a tool called "Motion" and edit the configuration file with "sudo nano / etc / default / motion". Enter the "yes" command in this "start_motion_daemon =" and save the file.
6. Also create a new directory with the command »mkdir / home / pi / cam« and enter it with the commands »sudo chgrp motion / home / pi / cam« and »chmod g + rwx / home / pi / cam« necessary rights.
7. Now you have to edit the motion configuration file with »sudo nano /etc/motion/motion.conf«. Set the "daemon" to »on«, select "target_dir" »/ home / pi / cam« and set the "stream_localhost" to "off". Tip: You can search for certain settings with [CTRL] + [W].
8. Then select "640" as "width", "480" as "height" and "10" as "framerate" so that the images are not delayed when the Internet is slow.
9. Now select the value "5000" as "threshold", set "ffmpeg_output_movies" and "output_pictures" to "off", set "8081" as "stream_port", "75" as "stream_quality" and "10" as "stream_maxrate" " firmly. Finally, set the "stream_motion" to "on".
10. Finally, start the surveillance camera with the "sudo service motion start" command. To access the stream, enter the noted IP and the suffix ": 8081" behind it (as a port) in the browser.

In the next practical tip we will show you how you can build your own NAS with the Pi.