What You Need

In order to create a simple Webcam, you need three things:

Acameraof some sort connected to your computer
A piece of软件that can grab a frame from the camera periodically
A way tobroadcast your images on the Web

If you have your ownWeb serverand Web site, you already have a way to post your Webcam images on the Web. At its most basic, aWeb serveris simply a piece of hardware that has the ability to deliver Web-based content to a Web browser. For some people, their home computer serves as their Web server. If that's the case, a camera, a piece of software and yourPCare all that you need. If you want to use a Web server that's hosted elsewhere (for example, if you're paying anASPto host your Web server), you also need:

The ability tomove framesfrom your computer to the Web server, typically byFile Transfer Protocol(FTP). For most Web servers, this is no problem; but occasionally, a hosting company will havepoliciesin place that make this difficult.
一个相对consistent connectionbetween your computer and the Internet. Amodemconnection to anISPis fine if it is something that you keep connected most of the time, which implies that you have a dedicatedphone linefor your computer. If you have something like acable modemthat is connected all the time, that's perfect.

If you don't have a Web server or a Web site, and you don't want one, you can simply have someone else maintain your Webcam images. Lots of Webcam software comes complete with Web-based image access. They usually offer differentaccess options, including remote access, which utilizesUDP protocolto transfer your Webcam images directly from your computer to another computer. This can be done:

via Web browser, in which case the software itself establishes its ownHTTPserver so anyone using a Web browser can access the Webcam images on your PC
via traditionalFTPupload to a remote Web server

By using this type of service, you avoid having to host and/or maintain your own Web site. If you are using one of these services and you want the image to refresh itself constantly, you need a relatively consistent connection between your computer and the Internet. If your connection is not consistent, it won't hurt anything. It just means that the image won't always be up to date.