---
layout: default
title: Multicam
parent: Quicktips
has_children: false
permalink: /quicktips/multicam
description: >-
    How to setup multi Webcams with mainsailOS.
---

# {{ page.title }}
{{ page.description }}

__Disclaimer__  
Thank you [Charlie_Powell](https://community.octoprint.org/u/Charlie_Powell) for letting us adapt your guide for mainsailOS!  
The original guide can be found [here](https://community.octoprint.org/t/setting-up-multiple-webcams-in-octopi-the-right-way/32669).
{: .info}

## Prerequisites
You need:

- mainsailOS v0.5.0 or higher
- ssh access
- at least two cameras

__WARNING__  
**If you are working on a existing installation, make a backup!**
{: .warning}

## Creating the configuration files
mainsailOS supports an infinite number of webcam*.txt-style configuration files. They can be placed in
`/home/pi/klipper_config`.

In the UI, got to 'Settings > Interface' click on (1) and save as `webcam2.txt`.

:image:

Now you should have two identical files:
1. `/home/pi/klipper_config/webcam.txt`
2. `/home/pi/klipper_config/webcam2.txt`

## Editing the original configuration file for a specific camera
Find out the path to the camera by ID. This makes it much easier to stop /dev/video0 and /dev/video1 from switching on you.

Run `ls /dev/v4l/by-id`, copy your camera id and paste it into the editor in mainsail. For example:

```bash
$ ls  /dev/v4l/by-id/
usb-046d_0825_88C56B60-video-index0  usb-046d_0825_88C56B60-video-index1
```
I'll use the first one `usb-046d_0825_88C56B60-video-index0`


__Note__  
Not sure which device is which? You can run lsusb to match a name to an ID.
{: .info}

Then edit `/home/pi/klipper_config/webcam.txt` in by clicking on it in mainsail.

Set `camera="usb"` at the top, and the `camera_usb_options` line to indicate the device:

`camera_usb_options="-r 640x480 -f 10 -d /dev/v4l/by-id/<device long id>"`

__Note__  
Using a Raspberry Pi camera? Set camera="raspi" at the top of the file, and you can ignore referencing the cameras by device ID.
{: .info}

## 3. Editing the second configuration file
There's two things that need adjusting here: the port mjpg_streamer will be running under, and the device again.

__Note__  
Using 1 RPi camera and 1 USB camera? You don't need to reference them by ID, since camera="raspi" vs. camera="usb" is enough.
{: .info}

Find the long ID of the second camera, as you did for the first one.

Editing `/home/pi/klipper_config/webcam2.txt` like described above.

As above again, set camera="usb" and set camera_usb_options but this time using the ID for the second camera:

`camera_usb_options="-r 640x480 -f 10 -d /dev/v4l/by-id/<device long id>"`

Adjust the port, by editing camera_http_options:

`camera_http_options="-n -p 8081"`

The port should reflect the number in `webcam*.txt`:
```
webcam.txt => -p 8080
webcam1.txt => -p 8081
webcam2.txt => -p 8082
webcam3.txt => -p 8083
```

__INFO__  
mainsailOS comes already setup with four nginx reverse proxies for port 8080 to 8083, so you can configure 4 webcams easy with this guide,
for more webcams you need to configure the nginx config, which we dont recommend!  
It includes editing nginx configuration, which is easy to mess up and having mainsail stop working as well.  
If you need more than four webcams, hop onto our [Discord](https://discord.gg/skWTwTD){:target="_blank"} and we will help you.
{: .warning}

## 4. Test it works
Restart webcamd click the button, 
and try and find your second camera under `http://<your-ip>/webcam2/`.
If it doesn't work, check in the webcam log under the filemanager log section for details.

If it works, you can use the URLs in mainsail:

Stream: `http://<your-ip>/webcam2/`

__DONE__  
Congratulations, you set up multi webcam with mainsailOS!  
If you want to add more, just follow the guide again and increment the webcam*.txt number i.e. webcam**3**.txt and so on.  
The webcams are easy accessible through your `http://<your-ip>/webcam`, `http://<your-ip>/webcam2` and so on.
{: .success}