Modem video camera

[Pat Barry]

This is the easiest approach. There is webcam software out there that will capture an image on a regular basis then establish a connection to the internet (be it dial-up or broadband) and upload that image to a remote server where you can then view it at your convenience. Active WebCam and WebCam Monitor are two that come to mind. Active even has some tips for using their software with a dial-up connection: http://www.pysoft.com/ActWebCamHelp/Connecttion.htm

This is excellent - thanks for finding this Garth. I will explore this solution. Its a push system rather than the pull system I had been originally thinking about but it certainly seems like it will get he job done. Do you by chance use this yourself?

[Myk Rian]

I had software like Garth mentions that came with a Creative webcam. It had all kinds of functions and options.

[Garth Almgren]

No, I haven't used it myself - it's been a few years since I played around with trying to get a webcam online. Now I just use my security camera system, which has it's own web interface that I can always access through my broadband connection.