Dedicated baby monitors cost $100–300 and only work on their own screen. With LocalNanny and a compatible security camera, you can build a better setup for less — and it works on every phone and iPad in your house.
One LocalNanny purchase covers your whole family through Apple Family Sharing. Mom’s iPhone, dad’s iPhone, the spare iPad on the nightstand — everyone monitors from the device they already carry.
Option 1: The WiFi Setup
The easiest way to get started. No cables to run — just plug the camera into power, connect it to your WiFi, and you’re live.
Note: Reolink cameras have RTSP and ONVIF disabled by default. You’ll need to enable both in the Reolink app settings before LocalNanny can connect.
Set it up: WiFi Camera Setup Guide
Option 2: The Wired Setup
A single Ethernet cable handles both power and video — no WiFi signal to drop, no interference. The most reliable setup for a permanent nursery monitor.
Set it up: PoE Camera Setup Guide
Works on Every Device in Your House
When you buy LocalNanny, Apple Family Sharing means everyone in your family group gets access — at no extra cost. Set it up once and it just works everywhere:
- Mom’s iPhone — monitor while you’re in another room
- Dad’s iPhone — check in while you’re downstairs or at work (on the same WiFi)
- Spare iPad — leave it propped up as a dedicated bedside monitor
- Babysitter’s phone — they can listen in while they’re in the house, but the feed isn’t accessible outside your network
No buying a second screen. No sharing one device. Everyone monitors from whatever they have in their hand.
My Camera Came With an App. Why Not Just Use That?
It’s probably not great. Have you tried it?
Camera manufacturer apps are built to sell cameras, not to be good software. They almost always require creating a cloud account, stream your video through their servers (adding latency and a privacy tradeoff), and push you toward subscriptions for basic features. The interfaces are clunky, the notifications are aggressive, and the apps often stop working when the company discontinues support or gets acquired.
LocalNanny was built by a parent who ran into the same problem — a camera that came with a bad app, cloud accounts, and video routed through some company’s servers. The goal was simple: a monitor that streams directly to your phone, works without internet, plays audio in the background while you use your phone normally, and doesn’t require an account or a subscription. That’s it.
LocalNanny streams video directly from your camera to your phone over your local network — no account, no cloud, no middleman. The interface is clean, background audio actually works, and your video never touches the internet.
Why Not a Dedicated Baby Monitor?
| Dedicated Monitor | This Setup | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $150–300 | Under $100 |
| Subscription | $10–20/month | None |
| Devices | One screen | Every iPhone and iPad |
| Video quality | Low–medium res | Up to 4K |
| Night vision | Basic | Security-grade |
| Works without internet | Usually | Always |
| Privacy | Cloud servers | Your home only |
Dedicated monitors are designed to be simple, but that simplicity comes at a high ongoing cost. This setup is still simple to set up and gives you a lot more for less money.
Get Started
Then pick your camera and follow the setup guide for your connection type:
- WiFi Camera Setup — easier install, works great for most homes
- PoE Camera Setup — most reliable, best for permanent installs
- Compatible Cameras — tested cameras that work with LocalNanny
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