Panasonic Network Camera and Pet Cam (BLC1A) Review

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(More customer reviews)The BL-C1A is listed as "requiring" both Windows and Internet Explorer. After a bit of experimenting, it seems it doesn't, and is perfectly usable with Ubuntu (or indeed any OS) and Firefox. No need for Windows at all.
So, for anybody else who wants to use the BL-C1A camera with something other than Windows here's how.
First, ignore the shiny Windows CDROM in the box. Plug the camera into your router with your own network cable (they don't supply one!) and plug in the power supply. Wait a minute. If your router is 192.168.0.1, the camera should default to 192.168.0.253 (or 192.168.1.253 for a 192.168.1.1 router, etc).
From Firefox on the local network just go to the IP addess of the camera (as above) followed by ?mode=local and you should get the camera's built in web server. (The mode=local is essential, to activate it). Create an admin userid/password, hit enter. That's it.
Configuring the cameras for static addresses, different ports etc is all done via the web interface after that point, so still doesn't need Windows or IE in any way.
With a few lines written in the manual they could drop the Windows/IE requirement.
Camera works very nicely, and so does emailing, and the viewnetcam dynamic dns service (after a bit of a battle with router settings). One warning: you can't test the viewnetcam service from the same network that the camera is on, so before you think it's not working try it from elsewhere!
Camera does the job fine for the price, one point deducted for not having any non-Windows installation instructions.

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Package Contents: Panasonic BL-C1A Wired Network Camera, bracket, power supply, mounting hardware, CD-ROM, software and instructions.
The Panasonic BL-C1A Wired Network Camera handles your digital photography needs at a price that won't hurt your wallet! This color surveillance camera allows remote video monitoring of a home or business. Remote home and business surveillance just got a lot more affordable. Receive an e-mail image when the home security camera detects motion--you'll always know what's going on at home or at your business. The 10X digital zoom and color night viewing makes sure you don't miss a detail. It's easy to install, easy to operate and requires no additional software for viewing on your PC. Indoor use only.
Server Features: Image Buffer--About 250 frames (320 x 240, standard image quality). Image transfer via e-mail (SMTP) or FTP. View snapshots and control them from a compatible cellular phoneSupports up to 12 camerasIPv4 Multi-Language Interface -English, German, Spanish, Italian, French and Japanese
Camera Features -1/4 320,000 pixel CMOS image sensor 10 digital zoomViewing Angle -53° horizontal, 41° verticalAuto exposureAperture -F2.8Illumination -10 - 10,000 lux (normal), 4-10,000 lux (night view) Motion Sensor with Email AlertAuto & manual White Balance Network Connection -RJ45 Ethernet (10Base-T/100Base-X) System Requirements -Windows 98SE, 2000, ME and XP; Internet Explorer 6.0 or later Camera Dimensions(WxHxD) -3-3/8 x 3-3/8 x 1Weight -0.22 lbsNetworking Protocols -HTTP, FTP, SMTP, TCP, UDP, IP, DHCP, DNS, ARP, ICMP, and POP3 before SMTP

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Panasonic BL-PA100KTA Ethernet Adaptor Starter Pack Includes two HD-PLC (High Definition Power Communication) Review

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(More customer reviews)I researched competing products from DLink and NetGear online and read numerous reviews. Any of the HD-PLC products should perform similarly in the same situation. Before deciding on a powerline Ethernet product be sure to understand that the quality of your home wiring and the distance the signal must travel all can affect the performance of the product. Poor quality wiring or very long electrical runs may limit performance.
What I liked most about the Panasonic product is that the kit which includes two units is preconfigured, so it works right out of the box without any special configuration. I didn't have to install ANY software to get my network running. I plugged in one unit to my Internet router, and the other unit into a power outlet in a nearby office. Once I connected the Ethernet cable, I was up and running. It was really that easy.
One nice thing with this unit is that you can run a speed test from the unit itself, with the front LED's displaying the estimated network performance. This was handy as I tried different outlet combinations to acheive the best performance. As a side note, I found that plugging the "Master" unit into an outlet as close as possible to the breaker box yeilded the best results. By putting the master as close to the break box as possible (electrica wiring distance) I was able to get a much better signal. I have the master unit in a downtairs room that is about 40' from the breaker box, and the secondary unit in an upstairs office that is about 65' feet from the breaker box.
Note that any powerline Ethernet product is susceptible to interference from other devices. Pay attention to the manual regarding the types of devies that can cause interference, and avoid ever pluggint the device into a surge protector, since that will greatly limit performance.
An additional nice feature of the Panasonic unit compared with DLink and NetGear is that the unit has a power cable. This allows me to plug it into "hidden" outlets, and then place the box in an easy to reach location. Both the NetGear and DLink products are a box that plugs directly into the outlet. This makes them more difficult to access, especially if you want to look at the box to see what it is doing. I like that the Panasonic can sit nicely on the corner of my desk and I can see the lights. I also suspect that the Panasonic will operate cooler since it can be placed in locations where there is air flow all around the unit.
Performance will vary by house and situation. I have a gigabit network switch that connects my machine directly to a server. When I copy a 50 megabyte file to my server using Windows XP, it takes 8 to 9 seconds to copy a 50 megabyte file. Running the same 50 megabyte file copy to a machine on the HD-PLC network connection took about 27 seconds. This seems to be pretty good performance overall. Note that "speed test" is only as good as what is being tested. My test was a real world test under Windows XP copying a 50 megabyte ZIP file.

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The HD-PLC (High Definition Power Line Communication) ethernet adaptor makes it possible for your home electrical wiring to serve as a link between your PC and modem. Getting online access is as easy as plugging into a power outlet. You can move your PC and connect to the internet anywhere there is a power outlet in your home!

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ASUS COMPUTER INTL - ASUS WL-330g Pocket Wireless Access Point Review

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(More customer reviews)I had purchased after not being able to get the Apple Airport card to work on my wireless network. Not only does this work GREAT, but it was quick and easy to setup and pulls the full 54g from the edge of my network!
Don't waste your money on the Apple cards, this is the way to go!

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ASUS COMPUTER (90-I2B2A0-1UAZ) WL-330g Pocket Wireless - Wireless access point - External - 54 MBps - IEEE 802.

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Panasonic DY-WL10 Wireless LAN Adapter for select Panasonic Viera HDTV's and Blu-Ray Disc Players Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm using this with a Panasonic TC-P50G20 TV. As soon as it was plugged in, I was prompted to join a wireless network. Showed all Wi-Fi available with signal strength and type, a b g or n (very nice). Works perfectly with my Apple airport,type n.Very easy setup, just followed the prompts. It comes with a 3 ft USB extension cable which made hiding it much easier. Otherwise the dongle sticks out a little if plugged directly into the left side USB port. A bit expensive for what it is, but apparently nothing else will work. PS,there was already a update for the TV that was painless to install.I find Netflix works much better(clearer picture) with this adapter and the Panasonic TV than with my LG 390 blu-ray player.

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Wireless LAN Adaptor for Blu-ray Disc Players. With the wireless LAN adaptor plugged into the USB terminal, VIERA Cast and other online content can be enjoyed wirelessly by accessing your Wireless LAN router. With a high sensitivity receiving antenna, the connection will be stable. Now you can setup your Blu-ray Disc Player or home theater system freely without worrying about LAN cable wiring. Compatible with DMP-BDT350, DMP-BTD300, DMP-BD85, DMP-BD65, DMP-BD655, SC-BT730, SC-BT330, SC-BT230, SC-BT235 and DMP-B500

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