Install LocalEye and link it to localeye.cam

1 Get LocalEye onto the server

Download the LocalEye package. It is a single .zip file. It is the same file for every system.

Download LocalEye

scp jp_nvr.zip YOUR-USER@YOUR-SERVER-IP:~/

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y unzip
unzip jp_nvr.zip -d jp_nvr
cd jp_nvr

cd $HOME\Downloads
Expand-Archive jp_nvr.zip -DestinationPath C:\jp_nvr_setup
cd C:\jp_nvr_setup

cd ~/Downloads
unzip jp_nvr.zip -d jp_nvr
cd jp_nvr

unzip jp_nvr.zip -d jp_nvr
cd jp_nvr

You should see: the folder you are in (ls, or dir on Windows) contains a folder called deploy among other files. If it shows just one folder instead, cd into that folder.

2 Run the installer

sudo sh deploy/install.sh

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File deploy\install.ps1

sudo sh deploy/install.sh

sudo sh deploy/install.sh

It installs everything and asks a few questions. Press Enter to take the answer shown in [brackets].

What the installer sets up

It is safe to run again later: it upgrades the software and keeps your settings, data and recordings.

To skip the questions (for example, in a script), give your answers as options. The same options work on every system, including with install.ps1 on Windows:

sudo sh deploy/install.sh --yes --name "My Home" --timezone America/New_York

You should see a list of steps it completed, including go2rtc API answering on :1984, and then a box that says Web UI: http://192.168.x.x:5000. Write that address down: it is where you open LocalEye.

3 Tell go2rtc where your cameras are

go2rtc keeps a list of streams. A stream is just a name you choose plus the address of one camera. You edit the list in one file:

sudo nano /opt/go2rtc/go2rtc.yaml

notepad C:\go2rtc\go2rtc.yaml

sudo nano /opt/go2rtc/go2rtc.yaml

sudo ee /opt/go2rtc/go2rtc.yaml

Find the line that says streams: and add your cameras underneath it. Keep two spaces at the start of each line, and use spaces rather than tabs:

streams:
  front_door: rtsp://admin:YourPassword@192.168.1.50:554/stream1
  front_door_sub: rtsp://admin:YourPassword@192.168.1.50:554/stream2
  garage: rtsp://admin:YourPassword@192.168.1.51:554/stream1

• The name (front_door) is yours to choose: letters, numbers and underscores. You will pick it again in step 4.
• The address starts with rtsp://, then the camera's username and password, then @, then its network address and port.
• The optional _sub stream. Many cameras give a second, lower-quality stream. If you name it the same plus _sub, LocalEye uses it for the live wall and for motion detection, which keeps everything light. If your camera has only one stream, skip it.
• Special characters in a password must be written as codes inside the address: @ as %40, # as %23, / as %2F, : as %3A, and a space as %20.

What does my camera's address look like?

It depends on the make and model, so check your camera's manual for its RTSP address. These common formats are examples to start from (IP is the camera's address on your network):

go2rtc reads many other kinds of camera too, such as ONVIF and plain HTTP streams. See the go2rtc documentation for every kind of address it understands.

Save the file and restart go2rtc so it reads your changes:

sudo systemctl restart go2rtc

schtasks /End /TN "LocalEye\go2rtc"; schtasks /Run /TN "LocalEye\go2rtc"

sudo launchctl kickstart -k system/cam.jpspy.go2rtc

sudo service go2rtc restart

You should see: on the server itself, open http://127.0.0.1:1984 in a browser. It is go2rtc's own page, and it lists each stream you added. Click stream next to one to watch your camera. If the server has no screen, run curl http://127.0.0.1:1984/api/streams on it instead (curl.exe on Windows): each stream you added should be listed. If a stream does not work, fix it here before going further (see troubleshooting).

go2rtc's page does not open from other computers: LocalEye keeps go2rtc listening on the server itself, because it has no password. From any other computer or phone you watch your cameras in LocalEye (step 4).

Tip: instead of one big file you can put each camera in its own file in /opt/go2rtc/conf.d/ (C:\go2rtc\conf.d\ on Windows). Every .yaml file there is loaded automatically.

4 Add the cameras in LocalEye

1. On any computer or phone on your network, open the address the installer showed you, http://YOUR-SERVER-IP:5000.
2. The first time, LocalEye asks you to create the admin account. Choose a username and a strong password, and keep them safe.
3. Go to Settings → Cameras and click + Add camera.
4. In the go2rtc stream box, pick the name you chose in step 3. The box suggests the names go2rtc has.
5. Choose what the camera should do: Record 24/7, Record on motion, or Off (view only).
6. Repeat for each camera, then save.

You should see: open Live from the menu, and your cameras appear with video. If the stream box has no suggestions, LocalEye cannot reach go2rtc (see troubleshooting).

5 Create your account here and claim a name

1. Create an account on localeye.cam (or sign in if you have one).
2. On your dashboard, claim a name, for example myhome. That becomes your address, localeye.cam/myhome.
3. Click Add a site and give this server a name, for example Home. One name can cover several places, so add one site for each server you run.
4. The dashboard shows a one-time code like ABCD-2345. It works once and expires after 15 minutes. Leave that page open.

6 Link your server with the code

1. In LocalEye, go to Settings → Modules and switch on Remote access (localeye.cam). Until you do, the Remote access tab is hidden.
2. Open the new Settings → Remote access tab. Under Link this server, type the code and click Connect.

You should see the screen change to Linked, then Online. On your localeye.cam dashboard the site shows a green dot, and localeye.cam/myhome now lists it.

The code only proves the server is yours: your server keeps its own secret key, and what it shares with this site is just its name and addresses, never video, faces or passwords.

Prefer the command line?

cd /opt/jp-nvr && sudo -u nvr venv/bin/python manage.py portal-pair ABCD-2345
sudo systemctl restart jp-nvr-recorder

cd C:\jp-nvr; .\venv\Scripts\python.exe manage.py portal-pair ABCD-2345
schtasks /End /TN "LocalEye\jp-nvr-recorder"; schtasks /Run /TN "LocalEye\jp-nvr-recorder"

cd /opt/jp-nvr && venv/bin/python manage.py portal-pair ABCD-2345
sudo launchctl kickstart -k system/cam.jpspy.nvr-recorder

cd /opt/jp-nvr && sudo -u nvr venv/bin/python manage.py portal-pair ABCD-2345
sudo service jp_nvr_recorder restart

Add --tunnel after the code to switch on the tunnel from step 7 as well. You can also do all of this while installing, by adding --pair ABCD-2345 --tunnel to the installer command in step 2.

7 Open it from anywhere

At home, people on your network can already use the server's own address. To reach it from outside, pick one of these:

Option A: the tunnel (easiest, no router changes)

1. In Settings → Remote access, tick Reach this server from anywhere through the portal (no port forwarding needed) and save.
2. Within a few seconds the page says Tunnel connected and shows your address, like https://home--myhome.localeye.cam/. The short form localeye.cam/myhome/home forwards there.

Your server makes an outgoing connection to this site, which is why your router needs no changes. Anyone who opens that address still signs in to your LocalEye.

Option B: your own address or a private network

If your server is already reachable some other way, such as a VPN or Tailscale, put that address in Settings → Remote access → This server's public address. This site then sends people there, and nothing passes through it. (On Linux and FreeBSD the installer can install Tailscale for you with --tailscale; on Windows and macOS, get it from the Tailscale site.)