Yawcam (short for Yet Another Webcam Software) is a free, feature-rich application for Windows that transforms a standard USB webcam, laptop camera, or any video capture device into a fully functional IP camera (network camera). Unlike dedicated hardware IP cameras, Yawcam uses software to broadcast video over a local network or the internet.
If UPnP fails, you must log into your router (usually 192.168.1.1) and forward Port 8081 to your computer's local IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.100).
Security Warning: Opening ports to the internet exposes your camera to hacking attempts. Always set a password.
Yawcam isn't going to replace a high-end Arlo or Reolink system. It doesn't have night vision out of the box, and running a PC 24/7 uses more electricity than a dedicated smart camera.
However, as a quick, free, and highly customizable solution for a baby monitor, a DIY garage security system, or a pet cam, Yawcam is virtually unbeatable. It takes hardware you already own and turns it into a modern smart-home device, entirely on your own terms.
Yawcam is free, Windows-based surveillance software that transforms standard USB webcams into IP cameras, featuring motion detection, built-in web serving, and time-lapse capabilities. It provides a lightweight, budget-friendly alternative to dedicated security cameras by allowing remote monitoring and secure, localized, or remote image storage. For more information and to download the software, visit yawcam.com.
How does Yawcam stack up against other free IP camera software?
| Feature | Yawcam | iSpy (Agent DVR) | VLC Media Player | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Cost | Free (Donationware) | Freemium (Paid features) | Free | | Ease of Use | Very Easy | Complex | Moderate | | Motion Detection | Yes (Excellent) | Yes (AI powered) | No | | CPU Usage | Low | High | Very Low | | IP Camera Output | Yes (HTTP/MJPEG) | Yes (RTSP/MP4) | Yes (RTSP) |
Verdict: If you want a simple, lightweight, "set-it-and-forget-it" IP camera solution, Yawcam is the best choice. iSpy is better for users with 10+ cameras, and VLC is better for transcoding files rather than streaming surveillance.
To view the camera, you need to know the "address" of the computer hosting it.
ipconfig and press Enter.192.168.1.15.The short answer is yes—with caveats.
If you are a homeowner looking for a permanent, professional security system with cloud backup and phone alerts, you should buy a dedicated IP camera (like Reolink or Amcrest). They are more energy-efficient and don't require a PC running 24/7.
However, if you are a hobbyist, a renter who cannot drill holes for security cameras, a parent wanting a $0 baby monitor, or someone who loves to repurpose old hardware, Yawcam is a gift.
It turns a $30 USB webcam into a fully functional, remotely accessible, motion-detecting IP camera in under ten minutes. There is no subscription, no data mining, and no proprietary cloud lock-in. Just raw, simple video streaming.
Final Pro Tip: To get the most out of your Yawcam IP camera, run it on a dedicated low-power device. An old Intel NUC or a refurbished Windows tablet plugged into the wall draws 10 watts of power—costing less than $15 a year to run. That is a small price for unlimited, free security.
Have you set up a Yawcam IP camera? Tell us your creative use cases in the comments below.
Title: The Case of the Curious Package Thief
Characters:
The Situation:
Maya’s front porch had become a black hole for packages. Three times in two months, deliveries vanished within an hour. She suspected someone was swiping them, but she couldn't sit by the window all day.
She had an old Windows laptop gathering dust and a basic webcam. Could she turn them into a security camera without spending $200 on a new device? yawcam ip camera
That’s when Leo knocked on her door.
Scene 1: The Old Laptop Solution
“You don’t need fancy hardware,” Leo said, holding a USB stick. “You need Yawcam.”
Maya raised an eyebrow. “Yawcam?”
“Yet Another WebCAM software,” he explained. “It’s free, lightweight, and turns your old laptop into a fully functional IP camera.”
Step 1: Installation
Leo plugged the webcam into the laptop, installed Yawcam from the official website, and launched it. The interface looked simple—no confusing jargon.
Helpful Tip from Leo: Always download Yawcam from yawcam.com. Some third-party sites bundle adware.
Scene 2: The Three Magic Settings
Maya wanted to watch her porch from her phone while at the coffee shop. Leo showed her three core features.
1. Setting up the Stream (The “Watch Live” mode)
In Yawcam, Leo clicked Settings → Edit Settings → Stream. He checked “Enable HTTP stream” and left the port as 8081.
What this does: Your camera now broadcasts a live video feed. On your home network, you can see it by typing
http://[your-computer-IP]:8081into any browser.
2. Adding Motion Detection (The “Catch the thief” feature)
Leo clicked the Motion Detection tab and checked “Enable motion detection”. He drew a box right over the porch area.
Helpful Tip: Yawcam lets you ignore movement outside the box (like trees blowing). Maya drew a tight rectangle around just the doormat.
3. Action on Motion (The “Gotcha!” moment)
Now the magic: Leo went to Settings → Edit Settings → Motion → Actions. He added two actions:
Scene 3: Watching from Anywhere (The IP Camera Part)
Maya asked, “But I want to see this from my phone when I’m not home.”
Leo grinned. “That’s the ‘IP camera’ part. But your home network is like a private club. We need a door to let you in from outside.”
He explained two safe options:
Option A (Easiest & Free): Yawcam’s built-in Yawcam Assistant – just click the “Am I online?” button inside Yawcam. It automatically handles router port forwarding for many routers. Yawcam IP Camera: Turning Your Webcam into a
Option B (Safest & Recommended): Use a free DDNS service like No-IP or Dynu.
maya-porch.ddns.nethttp://maya-porch.ddns.net:8081 from anywhere.Important Security Tip from Leo: Add a password! In Yawcam → Settings → Edit Settings → Stream → Stream password, create a strong one. Otherwise, anyone who guesses your link can watch.
Scene 4: The Package Thief Revealed
Three days later, Maya was at a café when her phone buzzed. Yawcam’s motion detection had saved a new image.
She opened the folder (she had set Yawcam to save images to Google Drive for instant cloud backup). There it was: a clear shot of a person in a red hoodie walking off with her new monitor stand.
She called Leo. “Got them!”
Leo reminded her: “Yawcam also has FTP upload – you can send images to a free FTP server or even to a spare Dropbox folder using a third-party tool.”
Scene 5: Extra Helpful Tricks Maya Discovered
Over the next week, Maya found Yawcam could do even more:
Happy Ending
Maya never caught the thief (the photo was too blurry for police, sadly), but the packages stopped disappearing. Why? She printed the thief’s photo and taped it to her door with a note: “Smile, you’re on Yawcam.”
The porch stayed safe. And her old laptop found a new purpose.
Final Helpful Summary for You:
| If you want to... | In Yawcam, go to... | |---|---| | Watch live from another device on your home network | Settings → Stream → Enable HTTP stream (port 8081) | | Watch from outside your home | Use Yawcam Assistant or a free DDNS (No-IP) | | Detect motion and save images | Settings → Motion Detection → Enable + Save image action | | Get an email alert when motion happens | Settings → Motion → Email (configure your SMTP) | | Password-protect your stream | Settings → Stream → Stream password | | Start Yawcam automatically on boot | Settings → Startup → Run Yawcam as a service |
One last helpful note: Yawcam works best on Windows (7, 8, 10, 11). For a simple, free IP camera software that runs on an old PC, it’s hard to beat. Just don’t forget to close the stream when you’re not using it — or protect it with a password.
Now go turn that dusty laptop into a watchdog. 🎥📦🚪
Yawcam (Yet Another Webcam software) is a free Windows-based surveillance software that allows you to turn standard webcams and IP cameras into powerful security tools. Setting Up Your IP Camera in Yawcam
To connect an external IP camera to Yawcam, follow these primary steps:
Locate the Stream URL: Find the MJPEG or RTSP URL for your camera (e.g., http://192.168.0). You can often find this by right-clicking the video in a browser or checking the manufacturer's documentation. Windows-only (officially)
Change Device Type: In the Yawcam control panel, navigate to Settings -> Device -> Change to device... and select IP Camera from the dropdown menu.
Enter Credentials: Paste your camera's URL into the provided field. If your camera is password-protected, enter your login details in the camera settings within Yawcam.
Enable Streaming: Click the Stream button on the main panel to start broadcasting. Key Features for Home Security
Motion Detection: Yawcam can be configured to take pictures or record video whenever motion is detected.
Alert Notifications: Set up the software to send an automated email with an attached image whenever motion is triggered.
Yawcam AI: A new generation of the software that focuses on advanced object detection and tracking for multiple camera setups.
Built-in Web Server: View your camera feed through any web browser by accessing your computer's IP address on the default port, 8081. Essential Configuration Tips
Static IP & Port Forwarding: To access your camera from outside your home network, you should set a static IP for your PC and forward port 8081 on your router.
Dynamic DNS: If your home IP address changes frequently, use a service like DynDNS or No-IP to create a permanent hostname for remote access.
Run as a Service: You can set Yawcam to run as a Windows service so that it starts automatically when your computer boots, even before you log in. Yawcam IP cam setup, how?
Developing a feature for Yawcam depends on whether you are working with the Yawcam Classic or the newer Yawcam AI. Yawcam AI (Modern Version)
Yawcam AI is the recommended platform for new feature development as it is built with modern web technologies and supports sophisticated automation via webhooks and scripts.
Custom Actions via Webhooks: You can develop a feature by creating an external service that listens for HTTP requests. When an event is triggered (e.g., a person or vehicle is detected), Yawcam AI can send a JSON payload to your server to trigger custom logic like opening a smart lock or logging data to a database.
Run Executable/Script: You can write a custom script (e.g., in Python or a .bat file) that Yawcam AI executes locally upon detection. Users have already developed scripts to automatically convert recordings to H.265 to save storage space.
MQTT Integration: Use the built-in MQTT support to connect your camera to home automation platforms like Home Assistant. This allows you to "develop" features by creating automation routines outside of the Yawcam core.
Custom AI Models: You can add new YOLO-based AI models to the software. If you need to detect a specific object not in the default library, you can train a model and import it via the AI Models settings. Yawcam Classic (Legacy Java Version)
Yawcam Classic is a Java-based application and is less flexible for external development but still offers specific integration points. Yawcam - Yet Another Webcam Software
http://[PC-local-IP]:8081/ to see the stream.The primary advantage of Yawcam is its price—it is completely free. It also maximizes the utility of older hardware, allowing users to repurpose webcams that would otherwise be obsolete. The software is lightweight and does not consume excessive system resources.
However, there are limitations. Because it relies on a host computer, the computer must remain powered on for the camera to function. This consumes more electricity than a standalone IP camera. Additionally, setting up remote access (viewing the camera from outside the local home network) often requires router configuration, specifically port forwarding, which can be intimidating for novice users and presents security risks if not done correctly. Furthermore, because Yawcam relies on Java, users must keep their Java installation updated to avoid vulnerabilities.