You just plug the camera in, create an online account, and then connect the camera to your account. In other words, there’s no real complicated configuration.
You don’t have to manually update them to fix security problems. These types of cameras are automatically updated with the latest firmware, too.
That account can sometimes be configured with two-factor authentication for additional security, which means even an attacker that knows your account’s password wouldn’t be able to view your cameras. Live video feeds and recorded video clips are available through those online accounts. Instead of providing a dumb web interface pre-configured with a default username and password, cameras like these require you use an online account system. These are designed as easy-to-use smarthome devices. Modern security cameras like Alphabet’s Nest Cam (Alphabet is the parent company that owns Google), Amazon’s Cloud Cam, and Netgear’s Arlo, for example, are different than IP cameras. Just be sure you know what you’re doing and set them up properly so people can’t snoop on you. If you’re a hobbyist with the do-it-yourself spirit, you might want to give IP cameras a go. If you’re just an average person looking for some simple security cameras, skip the IP cameras. There even are search engines like SHODAN designed to help people find these exposed camera feeds and other vulnerable Internet of Things devices. This means anyone can watch the feed just by visiting the camera’s IP address online. They leave them configured with the default username and password, and then connect them to the internet.
In practice, many people don’t set up these cameras securely. The cameras may have some built-in storage, but it’s generally your job to record their video feeds somehow, if you care to do so. These cameras can also be hooked up to a network video recorder system or a computer, letting you view and record all those camera feeds in one place. They provide a web interface you can use to view their feed. These are simply security cameras that connect to the network, either over Wi-Fi or a wired Ethernet connection. In theory, there’s nothing wrong with IP cameras. Most of the scary stories you see online about insecure cameras are about IP cameras. There are two main types of Wi-Fi-enabled security cameras: traditional IP (or networked) cameras, and modern “smart” cameras like Alphabet’s Nest Cam and Amazon’s Cloud Cam.