Linksys Wireless-G PTZ WVC200.(webcams)(Product/service evaluation)

Byline: Alan Stevens

Linksys Wireless-G PTZ WVC200

Keep an eye on your business with this professional-quality internet camera

If you want to see who's in reception, monitor the car park or keep an eye on the stock room from home you'll need a lot more than a basic webcam. However, professional CCTV equipment can be expensive, not to mention time-consuming to maintain. We tested the new Linksys Wireless-G PTZ (Pan/Tilt/Zoom) Internet Camera, and found it to be a flexible and very usable alternative for small businesses looking for an affordable surveillance solution.

The Linksys camera (model number WVC200) is encased in a protective plastic bubble which can either be mounted on the desktop stand provided or fixed to a wall or ceiling. It's not really rugged enough to be deployed in an exposed location, but would be fine in a lobby or warehouse where it will be protected from the worst of the elements.

Unfortunately, there's no Power over Ethernet support, which is disappointing, but the WVC200 does have an 802.11b/g wireless interface, so locating the camera shouldn't be that difficult. We mounted it on a wall in an entry way and simply ran an extension cord through the false ceiling to the AC adapter supplied.

You do have to connect using a cable to configure the basic network settings but that can be done before it's fixed in situ, and as part of our setup we configured the camera to connect to a WPA-protected wireless access point and were then able to dispense with the fixed wire altogether.