[H] surveillance camera

[Winterlight]

I want to set up a bullet proof video surveillance camera so I can keep an 
eye on my dad's room. He lives with me, and has Alzheimers. I can hardwire 
this to my network with CAT5e.

What will I need, and how do I get the video display... is this just 
transmitted across the network to software....or through the Internet via a 
web page streaming video? If the latter will this consume huge amounts of 
bandwidth? Is there a better hardware solution, rather then a web cam?

I would also like to set up a second, and maybe third cam using wireless, 
and  going through my Belkin 54g WAP .  I haven't worked with any kind of 
video surveillance, or web cams at all. I don't mind spending money. So how 
exactly would I / should I do this.

Thanks!