How To Turn Your iPhone Into a Security Camera.
Since the Apple iPhone entered our lives, it has become a trendsetter. Apart from the look and feel of the phone, we have been honored with many third-party apps that have improved our quality of life.
From simple communication, different ways of web browsing and selfies, to achieving great results in Candy Crush and listening to your favorite tunes, iPhone has given us so much.
But you probably didn’t know that your versatile privacy device can also be used as a security camera. You also probably never even wondered why this might be useful.
In truth, a real security camera would be a much better investment for the very reason you need a security camera in the first place. However, as a last resort, an iPhone may be all you need.
While the iPhone is not a smart replacement, it can help you capture video that would otherwise go unnoticed. For example, you wake up every morning, turn on your coffee, put on your slippers, and walk to the front door to get your daily newspaper (do people still deliver newspapers?).
When you open the door, you see your paper where it should be, only there is a gift that is not very pleasant to look at or smell on. Which of the neighbors’ pets poops on your newspaper? Say hello to the iPhone security camera.
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Okay, this example might be incredibly niche, but you get the point. To keep you from crying in case your iPhone goes missing, we recommend using an old iPhone that you may have lying around.
How to turn your iPhone into a security camera
To catch someone in the act with an iPhone’s CCTV camera, you first need to jailbreak or jailbreak them. This is another reason why using your iPhone this way might not be the best option. But some people like to do this kind of thing.
If that’s you, chances are you’ve already jailbroken your phone somewhere in the process. For those of you new to jailbreak, you will need the Cydia app.
Jailbreak
Please be aware that jailbreaking an iPhone will void your warranty in addition to infringing Apple copyright. We also cannot go into details as the jailbreak method differs depending on the version of iOS your iPhone is currently using.
The best way to get around this warranty complication would be to jailbreak the iPhone. Whichever option you choose is up to you as long as you have access to and install the Cydia app.
After installing Cydia app, you will be able to download and install Veency iPhone VNC Server on your iPhone. VNC stands for Virtual Network Computing, which means you can link your iPhone and computer together.
This will allow you to view everything on the iPhone screen in a window on your computer. There are other apps that can do this, but we prefer the Veency method as it is one of Cydia’s most useful apps.
Installing virtual network computing
- Search for Veency using Cydia. When you search, chances are you’ll open both Veency and Veency SBSettings Toggle. Focus on Veency.
- Install Veency. The package you are looking for must be owned by Jay Freeman (@saurik) and located in the Cydia / Telesphoreo repository.
- After that go back and set the Veency SBSettings Toggle. This will allow you to turn Veency off when you are not using it, saving valuable battery life and making your phone more secure.
- Set any password for Veency, just make sure it’s secure. You can do this by finding Veency in your iPhone’s settings.
- Then you will need to install VNC on your computer. TightVNC is great for anyone using Windows and Unix-like (including Linux) operating systems. RealVNC is the best option for those using a Mac. RealVNC is also available on other operating systems, including Raspberry Pi and Solaris.
- After setting up the viewers for iPhone and computer, enter the IP address of your iPhone, which can be found under Wi-Fi. Section -Fi in Settings.
- Click Accept on your iPhone to allow VNC connections between devices.
Camcorder becomes a security camera
You should now be able to view your iPhone’s image directly on your computer monitor. To complete the conversion, you’ll want to use the iPhone video recorder app to turn your iPhone’s megapixel camera into a video surveillance device. Something like Cycorder that’s just in the Cydia app.
For something more natural and less necessary for hacking, we recommend Presence Video Security Camera. You can not only view footage from surveillance cameras in real time, but also configure the application as an alert device. If you have multiple wireless sensors installed, you can connect them to the app and create a complete home surveillance and security system.
Once you select the camera recorder app and install it on your iPhone, you can watch the live video feed right on your monitor. Now that your iPhone and your computer network are in sync, you can turn your camcorder on and off, adjust settings, play music, and more right from your computer.
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