Pick one path. You do not need all four. If you are unsure, start at the top and stop at the first option that fits. You do not need to be technical — we will do the setup with you.
Router or UniFi logins are only needed for Port forward and UniFi direct. The Glimpse box does not need those passwords, and it does not ask you to change your network. Port forward will not work if your ISP uses CGNAT (no real public IP). UniFi direct, a virtual machine, and the Glimpse box all dial out to Glimpse, so they work without inbound ports. If you have an IT team, we will give them the full technical notes for the path you choose.
Open a locked door on your router so Glimpse can reach the cameras from the internet. One forwarded port per camera — or one port per NVR if we use the recorder’s channels. This is the only path that needs a real public IP. It will not work behind CGNAT.
Choose this if you have a public IP (not CGNAT), fast internet, and only a few cameras.
You must have a UniFi gateway on site (not just UniFi cameras or switches). We install an outbound agent on that gateway. It dials out to Glimpse — no inbound ports, so CGNAT is fine. Very fast, low cost — you must give us root access.
Choose this if you have a supported UniFi gateway and few cameras.
We install a small virtual machine on a computer that already stays on at your venue. That VM dials out to Glimpse, so you do not open inbound ports. Minimum: 2 GB RAM for the VM, 100 GB virtual disk. Windows host must be Pro (Home will not work).
Choose this if you already have a 24/7 Linux or Windows Pro host that can spare those resources.
We ship a small, low-power device. You plug in power and a network cable. It calls out to Glimpse by itself — no inbound ports, no router changes, no router password. Works even if your venue has no public IP. You must buy the box, or pay a deposit, before we ship it.
Choose this for zero setup, many cameras, or when you do not want to touch the router.
| Port forward | UniFi direct | Virtual machine | Glimpse box | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In one line | Unlock inbound ports on your router. We lock them so only Glimpse IPs can use them. One forwarded port per camera, or one port per NVR when we use the recorder’s channels instead of each camera directly. Does not work if the ISP uses CGNAT. | Special install on your UniFi gateway only. Cameras, switches, or a Cloud Key alone are not enough. Requires root access. We deploy an outbound agent on the gateway; it dials out to Glimpse, so no inbound port is opened. Works on models that support the community on-boot script. Supported gatewaysMust be one of these gateways
|
A small virtual machine runs on your existing 24/7 computer and dials out to Glimpse. No inbound ports. Needs 2 GB RAM allocated to the VM and a 100 GB virtual disk. Windows hosts must be Pro — Home cannot run this. | A physical unit we send you. Plug in power and network. It builds a reverse connection out of your site, so you do not open inbound ports or change router settings. |
| Your effort | Low. Router change: one port per camera, or one port per NVR if channels are used. If you cannot do this yourself, we will assist — we must have the gateway/router login. | Low. Grant root access to UniFi. We do the rest. If you are not technical, we will assist — we must have those UniFi/gateway credentials. | Medium. Install the VM on the host and leave both running. | Almost none. Receive the parcel and plug it in. No technical knowledge required after that. |
| What we need from you | Gateway or router username and password. | Root access to the UniFi gateway. | A 24/7 Linux or Windows Pro host, plus someone who can install a VM. The VM needs 2 GB RAM and a 100 GB virtual disk. | Purchase of the box, or a deposit, before shipping. Then a free network port and power, and someone to receive the parcel. No router password. No network changes. |
| Cost | Low. | Low. Uses the UniFi gateway you already have. | Low if you already have a suitable machine. | Required. You must either purchase the Glimpse box or pay a deposit. We do not ship until one of those is done. |
| Speed to go live | Fast. | Very fast. | Medium. Depends on your IT being available. | Often slowest, because the unit must be shipped. After it arrives, it is the fastest to finish. |
| Public IP / CGNAT | Will not work behind CGNAT. Your ISP must give the venue a real public IP, and inbound port forwarding must work. | Not required. The agent on the UniFi gateway dials out to Glimpse. Works behind CGNAT and venues with no public IP. | Not required. The VM dials out. Works behind CGNAT and venues with no public IP. | Not required. The box dials out. Works behind CGNAT and venues with no public IP. |
| Cameras and VLANs | Small camera count only. One forwarded port per camera, unless an NVR exposes those cameras as channels on one port. | Small camera count only. CGNAT is fine; camera-count limits still apply. | Depends on the host computer staying up. Can reach cameras the host can already see. | Built for sites where port-per-camera does not scale. Can reach cameras across the customer network and VLANs once the box is on that LAN. |
| Security | Medium by default. High once the port is limited to Glimpse IPs only. | You give Glimpse root on UniFi. Only agree if you accept that. | Good. Nothing extra is opened on the public internet. | Good. No inbound port on your firewall. The box is a live path from Glimpse to devices on the network it is plugged into — we use that path for your cameras and the Glimpse service. You should know that before you plug it in. |
| Needs | A real public IP (not CGNAT). Strong, stable internet. Small camera count only. | A UniFi gateway is required (see supported list). Root access to that gateway. Small camera count only. No public IP required. | A machine that stays powered 24/7. Linux, or Windows Pro (Home will not work). Spare capacity for a VM with 2 GB RAM and a 100 GB virtual disk. | You must buy the box or pay a deposit. Then a free network port and power, and someone to receive the parcel. The box is small, low power, and meant to stay on all the time. |
| Skip this if | Your ISP uses CGNAT, you have no public IP, internet is slow or unreliable, or you have many cameras. | You have no UniFi gateway, your model is not on the supported list, you will not grant root, or you have many cameras. | You have no always-on PC, only Windows Home, cannot spare 2 GB RAM and 100 GB disk for a VM, or nobody who can install it. | You will not buy the box or pay a deposit, you need to start this week and cannot wait for shipping, or you want the cheapest path. |
No in-house IT? That is fine. We will walk the setup with you. For port forward we need the gateway or router login — and a real public IP; CGNAT blocks this path. For UniFi direct we need UniFi root; the agent we install dials out, so CGNAT is fine. For the Glimpse box you must buy the unit or pay a deposit; after that we only need a plug and a network port. If you already have an IT team, we will hand them in-depth technical notes for the path you choose so they can do it instead. Still not sure which path? Tell us whether you run UniFi, have a spare always-on computer, whether the venue has a public IP or CGNAT, and how many cameras are in play.