Non-Chinese solar CCTV that works over LAN?

[Drellingore]

I think I'm looking for the impossible - CCTV cameras that are not made by shady Chinese companies, that have intergrated solar panels and batteries, and can work without internet access.

 

I want to provide site security for my barn conversion. I've got internet access there via the mobile phone network (a MikroTik LHGG LTE6 kit, for the curious), a wifi LAN, and a Raspberry Pi running a Tailscale VPN server.

 

I reluctantly bought a Reolink solar CCTV camera, but only discovered after climbing ladders and drilling holes that the damned thing only works via a Reolink server. You can't connect to it directly via LAN. It's constantly polling Reolink servers to see if your phone app wants to view the stream, at which point it (I think) starts relaying the feed via their servers.

This is fairly ridiculous from a security standpoint, even if you trust Chinese companies. If you add in the fact that I'd rather not add to a potential botnet and surveillance network made by companies who enable the monitoring of ethnic minorities, it's untenable.

I'm struggling to find an alternative. Any thoughts?

If you could save us both a bit of time and emotional energy by not replying with "why do you care, what have you got to hide, lose your tinfoil hat," that'd be great

Edited January 19 by Drellingore

[TonyT]

Wouldn’t a 4G router and normal Wi-Fi camera work, add a 12 volt battery, 230 volt inverter, solar charge controller and panel and away you go

[Drellingore]

20 minutes ago, TonyT said:

normal Wi-Fi camera work, add a 12 volt battery, 230 volt inverter, solar charge controller and panel and away you go

 

Aye, it probably would. I was hoping to avoid homebrewing all the solar power stuff, as I need about three or four to cover the whole site, and they're in exposed places. This might be the only option though!

[Pocster]

I look at all these kind of things and I must admit never seen anything like that . Doing your own shouldn’t be that hard - but appreciate you have 4 to do ! . Can you not perhaps reduce that by using a strategically placed ptz camera ?

[Alan Ambrose]

Maybe just block the outgoing traffic at your router and see if it acts fine as a local camera? I would think it would, but only a few mins to find out if you’re router knowledgeable - which it sounds like you are.

[Drellingore]

On 19/01/2024 at 17:22, Alan Ambrose said:

Maybe just block the outgoing traffic at your router and see if it acts fine as a local camera? I would think it would, but only a few mins to find out if you’re router knowledgeable - which it sounds like you are.

 

Thanks - tried that (inadvertently when the LTE modem lost connection) and it doesn't work.

[Alan Ambrose]

Suggest unplug internet connection then ping & portscan camera to verify onvif port is there / connect with a local camera app. That’s what e.g. blueiris would be using locally.