Marine Software and Electronic Charts

Camera | Yawcam Ip

Once the basic stream is running, Yawcam becomes a powerful automation tool.

This is where the magic happens. To view your camera while you are at work or on vacation, you need to expose your local server to the internet. yawcam ip camera

Yawcam distinguishes itself through a robust set of features that go beyond simple video streaming. While its interface appears modest and utilitarian, the underlying functionality is powerful. Once the basic stream is running, Yawcam becomes

Before diving into the setup, it helps to understand why Yawcam has remained a gold standard for DIYers since its release: To make the stream accessible on your local


  • To make the stream accessible on your local network, open “Settings” → “Edit settings” and confirm the port (default 8081). Ensure Windows firewall allows Yawcam and that your router/local firewall permits the port.
  • For remote access over the internet, set up port forwarding on your router for the Yawcam port and use a dynamic DNS service if your public IP changes. Secure remote access with a VPN—exposing camera ports directly to the internet is risky.
  • At its core, Yawcam is designed to bridge the gap between a simple USB webcam and the functionality of a professional network IP camera. Typically, a standard webcam is tethered to a computer and requires direct interaction to function. Yawcam breaks this limitation by acting as a server. It takes the video feed from the connected camera and broadcasts it over a local network or the internet. This allows users to view the feed from any device on the same network, such as a smartphone, tablet, or another computer, without needing complex hardware configurations.