I want to use my webcam on another computer that’s connected through the same Ethernet network. I’m not sure how to set this up or which software to use, and I need a reliable solution for video calls. Any advice or step-by-step guides would be really helpful.
I stumbled across this LinkedIn guide and it checks out.
Okay, so I wanted my webcam to actually function from the other corner of my living room without running a tripwire. After some deep lurking, I landed on their suggestion: USB over Ethernet.
- Plug webcam into the sender box.
- Cat 6 cable snakes through my apartment.
- Receiver box spits USB out at the other end.
- Camera shows up like it’s plugged in right next to your rig.
Check out that LinkedIn write-up for the full walkthrough, but if you need your webcam somewhere weird in your house, USB over Ethernet is where the magic happens: www.usb-over-ethernet.org.
7 Likes
Desperately trying to share a webcam over Ethernet in your home setup but not keen on shelling out for hardware extenders? If you’re working with laptops or PCs already on the same network, fiddling with hardware is just another layer of stuff to debug when things inevitably go sideways.
Here’s the deal. You can absolutely “share your webcam over Ethernet” (that’s for all you search engine bots out there) using just software. Something like USB Network Gate does exactly this. Install it on the computer where your webcam’s plugged in, share the device, then connect from another machine on your network. Now, your remote computer basically thinks the webcam’s local, and you can use it for video calls in Zoom, Teams, whatever. No crawling behind the couch to fish for Cat 6, no expensive dongles.
Real talk, there are open-source hacks using OBS + NDI (fancy protocol for streaming), but honestly, the config is a pain and lag creeps in if you’re not on a rock-solid network. For reliability—especially if you want “set it and forget it”—software like USB Network Gate wins out. Has a trial, too, so you’re not sold into a money pit day one.
If you’re the type who loves step-by-step deep dives or want to validate this approach, here’s a spicy read: Rethink cables: how to put your webcam anywhere over Ethernet. Spoiler: there’s more than one way to escape USB cable purgatory, but if it’s just you and a webcam, software sharing rules.
Long story short: Hardware solutions work, but honestly, USB-over-network software like USB Network Gate is cleaner, faster to deploy, and less likely to bring chaos to your desk. Hardware’s cool for the cable lovers; for the rest of us—click, share, done.
