TheRelay Blog
Guides, tutorials, and deep-dives on RTSP streaming, IP camera access, cloud video infrastructure, and network security.
The Pain of Getting RTSP Streams to Cloud AI Pipelines — and How We Approached It
Port forwarding RTSP to AI vendors is a security disaster. Token-scoped relay access lets you test multiple AI vendors simultaneously on your real live streams — then revoke access in one click when you're done.
Custom Camera Streaming Solutions: Cloud, VPN, or On-Premises
How TheRelay builds custom streaming infrastructure tailored to your deployment model, security requirements, and scale.
SRT vs RTSP vs RTMP vs WebRTC: Which Protocol for Camera Streaming?
An honest, technical comparison of all four streaming protocols. Latency benchmarks, security, browser support, and when to use each one.
Remote Camera Access for Security Integrators: Multi-Client Without Port Forwarding
Replace per-client port forwarding with a managed relay agent. Reduce truck rolls and simplify multi-client camera deployments.
The Best Way to Remotely Access IP Cameras in 2026
Every major method compared — port forwarding, DDNS, VPN, cloud relay, and vendor apps — with security and privacy breakdown.
ONVIF Over the Internet: Does It Work Remotely?
ONVIF WS-Discovery is LAN-only — it doesn't cross routers. Here's what ONVIF actually does and how to access cameras from anywhere.
Cloudflare Tunnel vs TheRelay for RTSP Cameras
Cloudflare Tunnel is great for web apps but struggles with RTSP's stateful protocol model. Here's exactly why and what works instead.
Stream IP Cameras to a Website (HLS, WebRTC, RTMP)
Practical guide to embedding live camera streams in a webpage with working HTML/JS code examples for each protocol.
RTSP to WebRTC: Watch IP Cameras in Any Browser
Browsers can't speak RTSP. Learn the conversion pipeline and how to get a live camera feed playing in Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.
Hikvision Remote Access Without Hik-Connect
Hik-Connect routes your video through Hikvision's servers. Three privacy-respecting alternatives with step-by-step setup.
How to Access IP Cameras Behind CGNAT
Behind CGNAT you share a public IP with hundreds of customers — port forwarding simply doesn't work. Here's what does.
Access RTSP Cameras Without Opening Ports or Port Forwarding
Compare 4 methods to access RTSP cameras remotely without port forwarding: cloud relay agent, VPN mesh, SSH reverse tunnel, and dynamic DNS — honest pros, cons, and real setup instructions.
Is It Safe to Port Forward Security Cameras?
Real CVEs, Shodan exposure stats, and why a cloud relay is a fundamentally safer architecture than opening port 554.