How to Set Up a Webcam

Just got a new webcam and want to learn exactly how to set up a webcam so that someone other than your goldfish can watch it? If so, you'll be glad to know it's not particularly difficult to set up a webcam. All you need is computer, the Webcam itself, Webcam software, and an Internet connection. In fact, you don't even need a specially designed webcam. With the right connection, a standard or digital video camera can be used for webcam images, too.

Installing the software
The first thing you'll need to do, regardless of the type of webcam you have, is install the software (driver) to run the camera. Most webcams come with this software. Before you try to install it, make sure you do actually read through the instructions first. With some cameras, the camera has to be plugged in (to the USB port) before you can install the driver, others want you to plug the camera in after you've installed the driver, and still others show you a message during the driver installation telling you when to plug in the camera. The order really does matter and if you do it the wrong way, the camera may not work.

That said, getting the software and camera to play nice with each other is often easier said than done, even when you do follow the directions. If you've installed everything according to the directions and the camera still isn't working, first try re-booting (with and without the camera plugged in). If you're still getting a "driver cannot be started" message, it could be your driver, type of camera, operating system or a combination. In this case, you'll need to do some experimenting.