diff --git a/Backend/index.ts b/Backend/index.ts
index cc1962e..f50b0cf 100644
--- a/Backend/index.ts
+++ b/Backend/index.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import express from 'express';
+import { createServer } from 'http';
 import { toNodeHandler } from 'better-auth/node';
 import swaggerUi from 'swagger-ui-express';
 
@@ -8,6 +9,8 @@ import videosRoutes from './routes/videos';
 import adminRoutes from './routes/admin';
 import devicesRoutes from './routes/devices';
 import deviceLinksRoutes from './routes/device-links';
+import commandsRoutes from './routes/commands';
+import { setupRealtimeGateway } from './realtime/gateway';
 import { ensureMinioBucket } from './utils/minio';
 
 const app = express();
@@ -30,6 +33,7 @@ app.use('/videos', videosRoutes);
 app.use('/admin', adminRoutes);
 app.use('/devices', devicesRoutes);
 app.use('/device-links', deviceLinksRoutes);
+app.use('/commands', commandsRoutes);
 
 app.use((err: unknown, _req: express.Request, res: express.Response, _next: express.NextFunction) => {
   console.error(err);
@@ -37,6 +41,7 @@ app.use((err: unknown, _req: express.Request, res: express.Response, _next: expr
 });
 
 const port = Number(process.env.PORT ?? 3000);
+const server = createServer(app);
 
 const start = async () => {
   try {
@@ -46,7 +51,9 @@ const start = async () => {
     process.exit(1);
   }
 
-  app.listen(port, () => {
+  setupRealtimeGateway(server);
+
+  server.listen(port, () => {
     console.log(`Server is running on port ${port}`);
   });
 };
diff --git a/Backend/realtime/gateway.ts b/Backend/realtime/gateway.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4047eca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Backend/realtime/gateway.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,292 @@
+import { and, eq, lt } from 'drizzle-orm';
+import { Server as HttpServer } from 'http';
+import { Server as SocketIOServer } from 'socket.io';
+import { z } from 'zod';
+
+import { db } from '../db/client';
+import { deviceCommands, devices } from '../db/schema';
+import { verifyDeviceToken } from '../utils/device-token';
+
+const HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL_MS = 15_000;
+const RETRY_INTERVAL_MS = 5_000;
+const RETRY_DISPATCH_DELAY_MS = 10_000;
+const MAX_RETRIES = 3;
+
+const commandAckSchema = z.object({
+  commandId: z.string().uuid(),
+  status: z.enum(['acknowledged', 'rejected']),
+  error: z.string().optional(),
+});
+
+const roomForDevice = (deviceId: string): string => `device:${deviceId}`;
+
+let io: SocketIOServer | null = null;
+let retryTimer: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
+
+const countSocketsForDevice = (deviceId: string): number => {
+  if (!io) {
+    return 0;
+  }
+
+  return io.sockets.adapter.rooms.get(roomForDevice(deviceId))?.size ?? 0;
+};
+
+const markDevicePresence = async (deviceId: string, status: 'online' | 'offline') => {
+  const now = new Date();
+
+  await db
+    .update(devices)
+    .set({
+      status,
+      lastSeenAt: now,
+      updatedAt: now,
+    })
+    .where(eq(devices.id, deviceId));
+};
+
+const emitCommand = (command: {
+  id: string;
+  sourceDeviceId: string;
+  targetDeviceId: string;
+  commandType: string;
+  payload: Record<string, unknown> | null;
+  createdAt: Date;
+}): boolean => {
+  if (!io) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  if (countSocketsForDevice(command.targetDeviceId) === 0) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  io.to(roomForDevice(command.targetDeviceId)).emit('command:received', {
+    commandId: command.id,
+    sourceDeviceId: command.sourceDeviceId,
+    commandType: command.commandType,
+    payload: command.payload,
+    createdAt: command.createdAt,
+  });
+
+  return true;
+};
+
+export const dispatchCommandById = async (commandId: string): Promise<void> => {
+  const command = await db.query.deviceCommands.findFirst({
+    where: eq(deviceCommands.id, commandId),
+  });
+
+  if (!command) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const now = new Date();
+
+  const delivered = emitCommand({
+    id: command.id,
+    sourceDeviceId: command.sourceDeviceId,
+    targetDeviceId: command.targetDeviceId,
+    commandType: command.commandType,
+    payload: command.payload,
+    createdAt: command.createdAt,
+  });
+
+  await db
+    .update(deviceCommands)
+    .set({
+      status: delivered ? 'sent' : 'queued',
+      lastDispatchedAt: now,
+      retryCount: delivered ? command.retryCount : command.retryCount,
+      updatedAt: now,
+      error: delivered ? null : 'target device offline',
+    })
+    .where(eq(deviceCommands.id, command.id));
+};
+
+const retryPendingCommands = async () => {
+  const threshold = new Date(Date.now() - RETRY_DISPATCH_DELAY_MS);
+
+  const pending = await db.query.deviceCommands.findMany({
+    where: and(eq(deviceCommands.status, 'sent'), lt(deviceCommands.lastDispatchedAt, threshold)),
+    limit: 100,
+    orderBy: (fields, operators) => [operators.asc(fields.createdAt)],
+  });
+
+  for (const command of pending) {
+    const now = new Date();
+    const nextRetryCount = command.retryCount + 1;
+
+    if (nextRetryCount > MAX_RETRIES) {
+      await db
+        .update(deviceCommands)
+        .set({
+          status: 'failed',
+          updatedAt: now,
+          error: 'max retries exceeded',
+        })
+        .where(eq(deviceCommands.id, command.id));
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    const delivered = emitCommand({
+      id: command.id,
+      sourceDeviceId: command.sourceDeviceId,
+      targetDeviceId: command.targetDeviceId,
+      commandType: command.commandType,
+      payload: command.payload,
+      createdAt: command.createdAt,
+    });
+
+    await db
+      .update(deviceCommands)
+      .set({
+        status: delivered ? 'sent' : 'queued',
+        lastDispatchedAt: now,
+        retryCount: nextRetryCount,
+        updatedAt: now,
+        error: delivered ? null : 'target device offline',
+      })
+      .where(eq(deviceCommands.id, command.id));
+  }
+};
+
+export const setupRealtimeGateway = (server: HttpServer): SocketIOServer => {
+  if (io) {
+    return io;
+  }
+
+  io = new SocketIOServer(server, {
+    cors: {
+      origin: process.env.BETTER_AUTH_TRUSTED_ORIGINS?.split(',').map((origin) => origin.trim()).filter(Boolean) ?? true,
+      credentials: true,
+    },
+    pingInterval: HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL_MS,
+  });
+
+  io.use(async (socket, next) => {
+    try {
+      const tokenFromAuth = typeof socket.handshake.auth?.token === 'string' ? socket.handshake.auth.token : null;
+      const authorization = socket.handshake.headers.authorization;
+      const tokenFromHeader =
+        typeof authorization === 'string' && authorization.startsWith('Bearer ')
+          ? authorization.slice('Bearer '.length).trim()
+          : null;
+
+      const token = tokenFromAuth ?? tokenFromHeader;
+
+      if (!token) {
+        next(new Error('Missing device token'));
+        return;
+      }
+
+      const payload = verifyDeviceToken(token);
+
+      if (!payload) {
+        next(new Error('Invalid device token'));
+        return;
+      }
+
+      const device = await db.query.devices.findFirst({
+        where: and(eq(devices.id, payload.deviceId), eq(devices.userId, payload.userId)),
+      });
+
+      if (!device) {
+        next(new Error('Device not found'));
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if (device.role !== payload.role) {
+        next(new Error('Token role does not match device role'));
+        return;
+      }
+
+      socket.data.deviceAuth = payload;
+      next();
+    } catch (error) {
+      next(error instanceof Error ? error : new Error('Authentication failed'));
+    }
+  });
+
+  io.on('connection', async (socket) => {
+    const auth = socket.data.deviceAuth as { userId: string; deviceId: string; role: 'camera' | 'client' };
+    const deviceRoom = roomForDevice(auth.deviceId);
+
+    socket.join(deviceRoom);
+    await markDevicePresence(auth.deviceId, 'online');
+
+    socket.emit('connected', {
+      deviceId: auth.deviceId,
+      role: auth.role,
+      serverTime: new Date().toISOString(),
+    });
+
+    socket.on('heartbeat', async () => {
+      await markDevicePresence(auth.deviceId, 'online');
+      socket.emit('heartbeat:ack', { at: new Date().toISOString() });
+    });
+
+    socket.on('command:ack', async (input) => {
+      const parsed = commandAckSchema.safeParse(input);
+
+      if (!parsed.success) {
+        socket.emit('error:command_ack', {
+          message: 'Invalid command ack payload',
+          errors: parsed.error.flatten(),
+        });
+        return;
+      }
+
+      const command = await db.query.deviceCommands.findFirst({
+        where: eq(deviceCommands.id, parsed.data.commandId),
+      });
+
+      if (!command) {
+        socket.emit('error:command_ack', { message: 'Command not found' });
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if (command.targetDeviceId !== auth.deviceId) {
+        socket.emit('error:command_ack', { message: 'Not authorized to ack this command' });
+        return;
+      }
+
+      const now = new Date();
+
+      await db
+        .update(deviceCommands)
+        .set({
+          status: parsed.data.status,
+          acknowledgedAt: now,
+          updatedAt: now,
+          error: parsed.data.status === 'rejected' ? parsed.data.error ?? 'rejected' : null,
+        })
+        .where(eq(deviceCommands.id, command.id));
+
+      io?.to(roomForDevice(command.sourceDeviceId)).emit('command:status', {
+        commandId: command.id,
+        status: parsed.data.status,
+        acknowledgedAt: now.toISOString(),
+        error: parsed.data.error,
+      });
+    });
+
+    socket.on('disconnect', async () => {
+      // Small delay allows fast reconnects to reuse presence without flapping.
+      setTimeout(async () => {
+        if (countSocketsForDevice(auth.deviceId) === 0) {
+          await markDevicePresence(auth.deviceId, 'offline');
+        }
+      }, 500);
+    });
+  });
+
+  if (!retryTimer) {
+    retryTimer = setInterval(() => {
+      retryPendingCommands().catch((error) => {
+        console.error('Failed retrying pending commands', error);
+      });
+    }, RETRY_INTERVAL_MS);
+  }
+
+  return io;
+};
diff --git a/Backend/routes/commands.ts b/Backend/routes/commands.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..26f2327
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Backend/routes/commands.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,212 @@
+import { and, desc, eq } from 'drizzle-orm';
+import { Router } from 'express';
+import { z } from 'zod';
+
+import { db } from '../db/client';
+import { deviceCommands, deviceLinks, devices } from '../db/schema';
+import { requireAuth } from '../middleware/auth';
+import { requireDeviceAuth } from '../middleware/device-auth';
+import { dispatchCommandById } from '../realtime/gateway';
+
+const router = Router();
+
+const commandCreateSchema = z.object({
+  sourceDeviceId: z.string().uuid(),
+  targetDeviceId: z.string().uuid(),
+  commandType: z.enum(['start_stream', 'stop_stream', 'ping', 'update_settings']),
+  payload: z.record(z.string(), z.unknown()).optional(),
+});
+
+const ackSchema = z.object({
+  status: z.enum(['acknowledged', 'rejected']),
+  error: z.string().optional(),
+});
+const commandParamSchema = z.object({
+  commandId: z.string().uuid(),
+});
+
+const querySchema = z.object({
+  sourceDeviceId: z.string().uuid().optional(),
+  targetDeviceId: z.string().uuid().optional(),
+  status: z.string().optional(),
+  limit: z.coerce.number().int().min(1).max(100).default(25),
+});
+
+router.post('/', requireAuth, async (req, res) => {
+  const parsed = commandCreateSchema.safeParse(req.body);
+
+  if (!parsed.success) {
+    res.status(400).json({ message: 'Invalid request body', errors: parsed.error.flatten() });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const authSession = req.auth;
+
+  if (!authSession?.user?.id) {
+    res.status(401).json({ message: 'Unauthorized' });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (parsed.data.sourceDeviceId === parsed.data.targetDeviceId) {
+    res.status(400).json({ message: 'sourceDeviceId and targetDeviceId must differ' });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const [sourceDevice, targetDevice] = await Promise.all([
+    db.query.devices.findFirst({
+      where: and(eq(devices.id, parsed.data.sourceDeviceId), eq(devices.userId, authSession.user.id)),
+    }),
+    db.query.devices.findFirst({
+      where: and(eq(devices.id, parsed.data.targetDeviceId), eq(devices.userId, authSession.user.id)),
+    }),
+  ]);
+
+  if (!sourceDevice || !targetDevice) {
+    res.status(400).json({ message: 'Both source and target devices must belong to the authenticated user' });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const validRoleDirection = sourceDevice.role === 'client' && targetDevice.role === 'camera';
+
+  if (!validRoleDirection) {
+    res.status(400).json({ message: 'Commands are currently allowed only from client -> camera devices' });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const link = await db.query.deviceLinks.findFirst({
+    where: and(
+      eq(deviceLinks.ownerUserId, authSession.user.id),
+      eq(deviceLinks.cameraDeviceId, targetDevice.id),
+      eq(deviceLinks.clientDeviceId, sourceDevice.id),
+      eq(deviceLinks.status, 'active'),
+    ),
+  });
+
+  if (!link) {
+    res.status(403).json({ message: 'No active camera-client link found for command routing' });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const now = new Date();
+
+  const [command] = await db
+    .insert(deviceCommands)
+    .values({
+      ownerUserId: authSession.user.id,
+      sourceDeviceId: sourceDevice.id,
+      targetDeviceId: targetDevice.id,
+      commandType: parsed.data.commandType,
+      payload: parsed.data.payload ?? null,
+      status: 'queued',
+      lastDispatchedAt: now,
+      updatedAt: now,
+    })
+    .returning();
+
+  if (!command) {
+    res.status(500).json({ message: 'Failed creating command' });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  await dispatchCommandById(command.id);
+
+  const refreshed = await db.query.deviceCommands.findFirst({ where: eq(deviceCommands.id, command.id) });
+
+  res.status(201).json({
+    message: 'Command queued',
+    command: refreshed ?? command,
+  });
+});
+
+router.get('/', requireAuth, async (req, res) => {
+  const parsed = querySchema.safeParse(req.query);
+
+  if (!parsed.success) {
+    res.status(400).json({ message: 'Invalid query params', errors: parsed.error.flatten() });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const authSession = req.auth;
+
+  if (!authSession?.user?.id) {
+    res.status(401).json({ message: 'Unauthorized' });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const commands = await db.query.deviceCommands.findMany({
+    where: eq(deviceCommands.ownerUserId, authSession.user.id),
+    orderBy: [desc(deviceCommands.createdAt)],
+    limit: parsed.data.limit,
+  });
+
+  const filtered = commands.filter((command) => {
+    if (parsed.data.sourceDeviceId && command.sourceDeviceId !== parsed.data.sourceDeviceId) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    if (parsed.data.targetDeviceId && command.targetDeviceId !== parsed.data.targetDeviceId) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    if (parsed.data.status && command.status !== parsed.data.status) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    return true;
+  });
+
+  res.json({ count: filtered.length, commands: filtered });
+});
+
+router.post('/:commandId/ack', requireDeviceAuth, async (req, res) => {
+  const parsedParams = commandParamSchema.safeParse(req.params);
+  if (!parsedParams.success) {
+    res.status(400).json({ message: 'Invalid commandId', errors: parsedParams.error.flatten() });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const parsed = ackSchema.safeParse(req.body);
+
+  if (!parsed.success) {
+    res.status(400).json({ message: 'Invalid request body', errors: parsed.error.flatten() });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const deviceAuth = req.deviceAuth;
+
+  if (!deviceAuth) {
+    res.status(401).json({ message: 'Unauthorized' });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const command = await db.query.deviceCommands.findFirst({
+    where: eq(deviceCommands.id, parsedParams.data.commandId),
+  });
+
+  if (!command) {
+    res.status(404).json({ message: 'Command not found' });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (command.targetDeviceId !== deviceAuth.deviceId) {
+    res.status(403).json({ message: 'Only target device can acknowledge this command' });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const now = new Date();
+
+  const [updated] = await db
+    .update(deviceCommands)
+    .set({
+      status: parsed.data.status,
+      acknowledgedAt: now,
+      updatedAt: now,
+      error: parsed.data.status === 'rejected' ? parsed.data.error ?? 'rejected' : null,
+    })
+    .where(eq(deviceCommands.id, command.id))
+    .returning();
+
+  res.json({ message: 'Command acknowledged', command: updated });
+});
+
+export default router;