- Oct 5, 2016
- 1
- 0
I had been looking for an IP cam for a long time. There are way too many to choose from! The 9826 got such a bad rap in so many reviews I really wanted to do it some justice because it is a great little IP cam. Before ordering, I was a little bit skeptical about how the Foscam FI9826P would be to set up. But I had my camera set up in under 10 minutes and fully customized within a half an hour. Maybe it is because I own another Foscam, but it really doesn't get much more simple to set up. This is a network camera, so if you don't have any knowledge about networks you may find it difficult to set up. The instructions are a bit vague. Once unpacked and plugged in, simply scan the QR code on the instruction manual to download the app for the camera. Once you open the app, there is step by step configuration of the camera. The camera information is inputted into the app by scanning the QR code on the bottom of the camera base. Super easy. I wanted to customize my camera further by giving it a fixed IP, enabling access without LAN, saving to FTP and customizing motion control so it was necessary to log in via a web browser to the camera. I checked my router to see what IP the camera was assigned via DHCP, typed that into a web browser along with the default port (80) and I was able to access every imaginable setting for the camera. I knew from past experience that the camera interface works best with Internet Explorer. I opted to go with an external DDNS service because I already have an account but Foscam provides a DDNS IP with the product. I set up port forwarding on my router and my DDNS service and now I can view my camera from anywhere even if I am not on my home network. I save my recordings to FTP, which is also easy to set up in the camera interface, so they are offsite and safe. Foscam also offers a cloud based service but I already have a camera server in place. Either one works well. The quality of these recordings both night and day are of outstanding quality. They are encoded using H264 so they are not massive clips to store. The motion detection works really well and you can literally scan an entire room with the easy pan and tilt controls on the app. My camera is located at the opposite end of the house as the router and I have great signal and response from the camera. The camera blends well into any surroundings.
I really can't say enough good things about this camera. I have had great success with the Foscam family and would suggest downloading the .pdf manual online if you run into issues with set up as it is much more comprehensive than the quick start guide in the box.
I read forever on here before purchasing my camera. I hope this makes someone else's choice easier!
I really can't say enough good things about this camera. I have had great success with the Foscam family and would suggest downloading the .pdf manual online if you run into issues with set up as it is much more comprehensive than the quick start guide in the box.
I read forever on here before purchasing my camera. I hope this makes someone else's choice easier!
eaceful: