Hello - in order to use webcams from different laptops - do I need to run the server on EACH pc? Or can I just run the client on the 2nd and 3rd computers with only #1 running as the server?
Any help setting this up would be greatly appreciated! 
Each laptop need to run a Netcam Studio X or Service (or webcamXP).
The free version would do for such purpose and at the end you it’s possible to connect them all to one “main” instance afterward.
Connect them like it they were network cameras and select Netcam Studio or webcamXP as brand and use the ip address from the laptop (static ip are recommended).