It looks like a standard webcam, but the Axis 205 is cleverer than that. Its internal web server and 10/100 Ethernet port mean it can be directly connected to and accessed by anyone on the network.
The 205 prefers it if you have a DHCP server. Setting up a static IP address isn’t difficult, though, using a command-line ARP (address resolution protocol) call to associate the MAC address with an IP address, or by a downloadable sniffer utility.
Axis’ preferred method of installation is via the Axis Internet Dynamic DNS Service, which is activated by a button on the back of the camera. After this, it hooks itself up to the net and contacts Axis’ website. The site then assigns the camera its own external IP address and a DNS name, after which it’s accessible via the internet at large.
The camera again automatically contacts the Axis site if its internal IP address lease expires, and if you’re not using the Dynamic DNS Service you can configure the camera with SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) settings so it’s able to send you an email whenever the address gets reassigned. There’s no provision for going via HTTP proxy servers, though, which sadly rules out external access for many company networks.
Testing across a 100Mb/s network, its framerate at the maximum 640 x 480 resolution was above 20fps, and image quality was easily sufficient for standard surveillance and monitoring purposes.
The camera’s configuration options were extremely comprehensive. Administrator and guest viewer accounts can be set up and, to avoid saturating the network, administrators are able to bring the resolution down to either 320 x 240 or 160 x 120, adjust compression from a choice of four settings, and cap maximum framerate per user at any level. The live feed can be overlaid with a line of text for ease of distinction between multiple cameras, as well as current date and time.
For semi-covert surveillance, the front-mounted operation LED may be turned off, or to be less sinister it can flash to indicate that the camera is being accessed.
Even the look of the internal web server’s pages may be changed, including options for adding a company logo image and link, and a background image. Company roll-outs are further catered for with the ability to download all settings to a local file and upload them to the same or a different camera.
The feed to Internet Explorer can come via an ActiveX control, Java applet or individual still images. Other browsers are less well catered for, with only server-push streaming or still image capture available. The push option worked well enough with Mozilla Firebird, but it refused to work using Safari on an OS X Mac, and Internet Explorer for Mac under both OS 10.2 and 10.3 only worked after a fashion, with an almost unwatchable, highly flickery image.
Given the obvious primary use of the Axis – surveillance – we were surprised the one thing the firmware lacked was motion detection; with its built-in SMTP functions, it’s a shame the camera can’t be set up to mail a snapshot to a pre-configured address when it detects movement.
Despite this limitation, though, the Axis does its job exceedingly well. It’s stable too: several days of multiple users being connected simultaneously didn’t cause it any problems.
If you’ve a need for remote monitoring or surveillance over the network, the Axis is a fine choice, just as long as you’re using a Windows platform.