Install on Shared Hosting?

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gbeyer
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2019 5:46 pm

Install on Shared Hosting?

Post by gbeyer »

Hello, I found a post from 2010 in which someone asked if ZM could be installed in a shared hosting environment. One reply said yes, the other no, but it could be done on a VPS.
I'd like to refresh the topic, since the question was asked nine years ago, and things may have changed with ZM since then. Who is right - yes it can, or no - only with a VPS (my hosting provider offers this, so could upgrade to VPS). I found out we're currently on a CentOS6 server.

I plan to use ZM to monitor a quick-service restaurant, with 5 cameras at two store locations. Two of the cams are PTZ. I currently record using the camera vendors "cloud" service, however they are unreliable, support is off-shore, and none-too-sharp, so need to find a better solution.

I record on a motion detection basis, but the store being busy, there is nearly always motion detected during store hours. At night, almost no motion is recorded.

Please let me know if you need more info the answer the question.

One last question - can ZM control my PTZ cams (Amcrest) within it's interface?

Thanks very much for your help.
Maximo1970
Posts: 97
Joined: Sun May 28, 2017 4:29 pm

Re: Install on Shared Hosting?

Post by Maximo1970 »

Although I'm sure you can install ZM onto a shared hosting server, why would you want to do that? Not only do you risk someone else being able to access your data, you have little control over the performance of the server. In addition I think you'll find the installation process is quite a complicated affair, so best to be avoided.

Personally I would recommend going down the VPS route, it's likely to work out better in the long run.
rockedge
Posts: 1173
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 1:46 pm
Location: Connecticut,USA

Re: Install on Shared Hosting?

Post by rockedge »

the most reliable way to do it would probably be set up a computer with ZM installed and running in each store. The cameras are connected to their local machine through the router. Using a Dynamic DNS service (like dyn.com) assign a domain name to each location's router. Then thru a machine at your remote site running ZM you could either configure monitors using the store's zoneminder streams.

Or using the Dynamic DNS service assign to each store's router a domain name like http://some.alias.for-router.org:someport/camera-url
where each camera has a port assigned so you can distinguish between each camera's stream URL easily. Then with a central zoneminder installation from a remote office collect each camera stream.

There are other methods and the multi-zmserver is definitely an option for you
https://zoneminder.readthedocs.io/en/st ... erver.html

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jperkins
Posts: 50
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2021 11:08 am

Re: Install on Shared Hosting?

Post by jperkins »

IMHO your going to need hosting that is dedicated to IP cam security. regular web hosting isnt going to cut it. a VPS ( virtual private server ) may work but it isnt going to be cheap. Something like this could work . https://www.camcloud.com/features or https://www.cameraftp.com/CameraFTP/pri ... video.aspx Note I dont know anything about these services nor have used them. Additionally your internet service at the location need to have sufficient bandwidth to upload all the video simultaneously to the remote location.

You got good advice earlier about setting up your own (secure) computer at the premises.
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burger
Posts: 390
Joined: Mon May 11, 2020 4:32 pm

Re: Install on Shared Hosting?

Post by burger »

jperkins wrote: Wed Mar 10, 2021 6:01 pm IMHO your going to need hosting that is dedicated to IP cam security. regular web hosting isnt going to cut it. a VPS ( virtual private server ) may work but it isnt going to be cheap.
There's no reason you can't use a generic VPS, but you have to spec accordingly. You'll need a VPN, and a big enough pipe that the bandwidth doesn't get throttled or maxed out, and enough HDD space. You VPN the cameras in the LAN to the VPS and then record. It's trivial, but you might find limitations based on the FPS, the Resolution, and number of cameras. Camera streams are network intensive. This is why LANs are recommended. Otherwise, you are clogging up internet traffic with your cameras. If you only have a few 640x480 cameras, a VPS can be done cheaply, especially if they don't run 24/7, but if you think you are going to run a number of 4K cams, you will be paying a lot for bandwidth every month.

Accessing the cameras over the WAN has security implications, so you have to do your homework there. Either use a VPN or see:
https://wiki.zoneminder.com/Ubuntu_Inst ... _Webserver
https://wiki.zoneminder.com/ZMNinja#Security

Shared hosting has more limitations than a VPS, so there's no reason to choose that when a VPS will work just fine.

There's also no reason you can't have both a LAN and VPS setup. No licensing restrictions here remember. This is Free software.
fastest way to test streams:
ffmpeg -i rtsp://<user>:<pass>@<ipaddress>:554/path ./output.mp4 (if terminal only)
ffplay rtsp://<user>:<pass>@<ipaddress>:554/path (gui)
find paths on ispydb or in zm hcl

If you are new to security software, read:
https://wiki.zoneminder.com/Dummies_Guide
jperkins
Posts: 50
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2021 11:08 am

Re: Install on Shared Hosting?

Post by jperkins »

... generic VPS, but you have to spec accordingly. .... AKA "not cheap" :D
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burger
Posts: 390
Joined: Mon May 11, 2020 4:32 pm

Re: Install on Shared Hosting?

Post by burger »

jperkins wrote: Wed Mar 10, 2021 9:05 pm ... generic VPS, but you have to spec accordingly. .... AKA "not cheap" :D
I'm not sure... I haven't done any rough calculations, but It's going to depend upon bandwidth. There are VPS providers with block storage slabs, where you can get 1TB for $5 a month along with a $4 a month VPS. So for about $10 a month, you could probably run ZM with a few 640x480 cameras. That's not much money.

It would get expensive, if you ran 4K, no doubt.

What we need is some numbers to do some quantitative measurements.

Regardless, running cameras over the WAN is bad practice, because it clogs up the internet, so it should be discouraged. But, if it's low res cameras, it's not as bad. It should be done with discretion. Low res, and Low FPS. Industrial settings / automation might be ok. License plate monitoring would not be.
fastest way to test streams:
ffmpeg -i rtsp://<user>:<pass>@<ipaddress>:554/path ./output.mp4 (if terminal only)
ffplay rtsp://<user>:<pass>@<ipaddress>:554/path (gui)
find paths on ispydb or in zm hcl

If you are new to security software, read:
https://wiki.zoneminder.com/Dummies_Guide
jperkins
Posts: 50
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2021 11:08 am

Re: Install on Shared Hosting?

Post by jperkins »

@burger

I believe we are being played by spam bots.
WendyParr , Gracekb for sure. and this last one more than likely. Of course have been wrong many times about many things
EDIT - thanks to the moderator for removing the above mentioned posts
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