How to connect a webcam directly to a wifi dongle !

[GLADYS]

Is it possible to connect a webcam or other camera to a wi-fi or bluetooth dongle plus of course a 5v dc supply without a pc inbetween ? , what's the minimum interface needed to produce a transmitting camera that can be received on another dongle pluged into a pc ? . Is it ( simply ! ) a question of a piece of software to tell the two what to do ? ( which could be on a pic chip or similar or one of the new chips with onboard os ) ? , your's , gladys .

 

[Blueteeth]

In short, no.

Webcams/digital camera's are 'devices' usually on USB, but some may work on firewire. The USB interface requires a 'host' to communicate with a device, or many devices on the bus. The same goes for a wifi dongle. So you would need at the very least a host interface between the two. And THEN you have to think about the software side, since a 'wifi dongle' will just transmit/recieve data given to it from the host - any wireless network it connects to would ahve to know what that data actually means.

Probably the easiest/most conveneient way would be with a small PC. Smallest, but more time consuming (even if you already know C coding and the USB protocol insideout) would be a microcontroller with 'on-the-go' USB. That is a USB device inside the microcontroller, which has limited capability to perform as a host.

Would be nice to make a wireless camera/webcam, but I'm not sure theres much of a market for a relatively cheap 'wifi cam'. I'm sure there are wifi cameras around, but wifi/bluetooth has limited range, so I'm guessing any available devices would be pretty expensive. Saying that, china seems to come up with all manner of consumer goods - not the most reliable, or the best quality, but certainly cheap and dandy.

**broken link removed** ?

 

[BrownOut]

Hi GLADYS,

If you just want a wireless camera to transmit to a host, there are lots available. I use "Super Circuits", which is a distributor for security cameras, and they have a line of wifi cams. Warning; they aren't cheap!

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Would be nice to make a wireless camera/webcam, but I'm not sure theres much of a market for a relatively cheap 'wifi cam'. I'm sure there are wifi cameras around, but wifi/bluetooth has limited range, so I'm guessing any available devices would be pretty expensive.

WiFi cameras are commonplace, check any computer supplies store - I bought mine from Amazon.

WiFi has pretty decent range, and of course you can access it from anywhere in the world over the Internet.

 

[Blueteeth]

Man, I'm behind lol Last webcam I had I got free with a can of deodourant...