TRENDnet Wireless N Day/Night Internet Camera (TV-IP551WI)

Bottom Line Up Front: This camera does what it's supposed to do but you will need to be patient and conduct some web research if you're not IT savvy. Don't assume you can plug-n-play 5 minutes out of the box. This was my first stand-alone IP camera that wasn't a PC-attached video chat camera.Setup: I recommend using the included Ethernet cable on your router to get it configured as you will likely need to DL a firmware update on your PC and pass that to the camera. Since that will likely turn off the Wifi radio in the camera, you will want the wired connection there. The TRENDnet web site has the updated firmware when you're ready for it.Your router will assign an IP to the camera, write it down and set up your router to reserve that IP address for the camera in the advanced settings section of your router's control panel. You don't want a power cycle on the router to re-assign its IP assignment. Mine is 192.168.1.10 on the LAN side. Opening a web browser on any tablet or PC on your home network and typing http://192.168.1.10 (or whatever your router assigned) will show the camera's home page as it has a web server built-in. The web page will have a screen image from the camera and some menu options.Configuration: Use the provided CD and follow the instructions to get through th setup. One note right up front, motion detection will work if you have a computer OS and browser that allows unsigned, unverified ActiveX content from an external source. I had to use my daughter's Windows Vista OS and IE8 to get the camera's motion detection set-up image. If you don't see an image with a grid overlay (to turn on motion detection areas in the FOV), you won't get motion detection functionality.Email: You will need to identify an email accout from which your camera can send images from. I knew from previous experience that trying to use Yahoo or Gmail wouldn't likely be supported so I used my ISP's email account as SMTP server information was easy to find. I then setup the camera to email my Yahoo account so I get reports on my phone or tablet no matter where I am. I tried both the interval email and motion email options and they worked fine. I have not tried the scheduled email option yet.Streaming: To see streaming video from within your own home LAN, just visit the http web site for your camera's address or download a third party app. I use IPCam Lite (free) on my Apple iOS devices. You remotely turn off/on motion detection and LEDs from your smartphone. To see your camera's streaming video on the internet from anywhere in the world, you'll have some work to do.Your home's IP address: Learn it, write it down, check it often. You can use this as an alternative to Dynamic DNS services that may cost you. Since most ISPs use dynamic assignments for resdential consumers (unless you already have a static IP), you will need to set up your viewing app with this IP address to get to your house from the internet. You willl also have to poke a hole in your routers firewall to allow outside access to your camera. Each router is different in this regard so research port forwarding and how to add a port number to an IP address. For example, if your home IP address is 50.80.122.253 and you are forwarding your camera's port to port 21, you'd enter 50.80.122.253:21 in the web address.I have yet to try FTP and Dynamic DNS so no advice for those yet. Also, if you put this cam in a window to view an outdoor night scene, command the LED off and put it in Day Mode to turn IR LEDs off too. They reflect off of the window and spoil the image.

TRENDnet Wireless N Day/Night Internet Camera (TV-IP551WI)TRENDnet Wireless N Internet Camera (TV-IP551W) We at WERMS provide remote monitoring services for Internet cameras. All manufacturers provide a startup wizard and background services (Dynamic DNS) to allow remote access to live views. The fact is, the ability to capture activity triggered by motion when not viewing live is the most valuable capability of this and more expensive cameras.The motion detection features differ by manufacture. TRENDnet cameras can be set to capture and transfer images whenever motion is detected until motion stops. The Panasonic models with motion-detection can be set to capture and transfer images after motion is detected for a user defined interval even if motion is not ongoing. Both work with WERMS, TRENDnet cameras tend to produce more, yet shorter events. TRENDnet cameras have very good sensitivity adjustments and a focus ring.To get started with any Internet camera, you must connect the camera to your network with a cable. The TRENDnet cameras use DHCP out of the box to obtain an internal IP address from the router, Panasonic uses a fixed IP address XXX.XXX.XXX.253. It may be easier for you to identify the IP address in your router's DHCP table, than to use the TRENDnet wizard. With this key IP address, you can view live locally immediately and access the administration pages so you can make progress exploiting the camera's features. The default administrator username/password combination is "admin" and "admin".Next, it helps to familiarize yourself with the TRENDnet Administration/Configuration menu. TRENDnet uses Active-X (Windows), Java, and Apps for live view and some configuration tasks as apposed to the generic, device agnostic techniques. Some older Apple computers, iPads, and iPhones do not support Java and require an App for live view, but this should not deter you from this camera. Many cameras have these constraints. The TRENDnet camera's home page will display a current snapshot.You can now define a secure admin username, define wireless settings, and set the camera date and time. We recommend leaving the cable connected until all setup objective are completed. We also suggest that that settings be inserted to synchronize the camera to an Internet time server. The server "pool.net.org" should work.At this point, WERMS can quickly prepare your camera to use their remote monitoring solution and provides detailed guidance to help configure the camera and your router for live view.If you sign up for free at WERMS (werms.com), and add your TRENDnet camera for a no risk trial, you can use the simplified setup screen to setup for motion detection and FTP image transfers to WERMS. After you start accruing a motion-triggered event history, you will feel much better about attempting the live view setup steps below. The ability to detect motion and transfer images to powerful monitoring service like WERMS is the most important feature of these cameras!The steps to prepare for live viewing from remote locations can be confusing at first, however, all Internet cameras require these actions to grant access to the camera from the cloud, otherwise unwelcome visitors could access your network without permission. These steps are not required for WERMS monitoring.To allow live viewing from remote locations, you should use the TRENDnet configuration to define a static (permanent) IP address and port using the "Network" page. Make notes as you go or use the worksheet in the WERMS Setup Guide. You must enter a gateway and DNS address. Each camera should also be assigned a unique port. You will need this new IP address and port (i.e. [...]to access the camera after you save the changes. If you can access the camera with the new static IP address and port, you are ready to configure your router to allow remote access. In you router, define a port forwarding rule that will accept external requests to the defined port to the IP address and port for the camera. If done correctly, you should be able to access you camera with the router's external address port (see your router's status page). Because this address can change at the discretion of your ISP, a DDNS service can be used to provide access. TRENDnet uses dyndns.org by default.We recommend the TRENDnet line of cameras.

An acceptable low-end IP cam, but it turned out to be much bulkier than I expected-- about twice the size of the comparable  D-Link DCS-932L .Like most cameras in this range, the Trendnet suffers from a very modest 1MP sensor (VGA resolution). It also struggles with seeing through glass. In bright light, reflections onto the glass (from inside) cloud the image, and in the dark, you'll only see the glass. The substantial depth-of-field makes focus less important, but also means any window screens show up clearly in your image.I only set up local access (not cloud), which is easy if you possess modest technical comfort. Just plug the Trendnet into your wired network, and browse to the IP assigned to the camera (if you're lost at this point, go with the install software instead). The interface is nearly identical to just about every consumer IP camera I've used, and largely self-explanatory.Unlike higher-end cameras (ie, Axis), the camera's web page shows only a still image unless you use Java or ActiveX (making it difficult for mobile or alternative platforms, and Java on the desktop is a security mess). Although you can hit reload for a refresh, it's not the same as a stream. Besides Dlink's app, there's a number of apps / online services intended to get around this limit, but my specific goal was to have a camera service that worked entirely within my LAN.Besides the unexpected size, the camera also has a cumbersome, large stand/mount.Mine is going back since I was looking for a smaller camera, but for general use it's an acceptable model. If you're space constrained, look at the Dlinks instead.

Cumple con sus caracteristicas , resolucion suficiente para aplicaciones domesticas , buena vision nocturna.He hecho ya una actualizacion de firmware y sin problemas (otra marca se quedo bloqueada en la misma operacion ).Solo un problema , cuando intento conectarla mediante wifi a una red con WPA o WPA2 es imposible , y en sus caracteristicas pone que las soporta , aunque posiblemente sea debido a una incompatibilidad con mi router (Xavy de telefonica) , con otra camara que tengo IP-572WI pasa lo mismo.Conectadas con PLC funcionan bien .Tambien funciona bien con Android y ddns.

Purchased three of these camera's for use in my barn to view sheep lambing and connect to IPad using extended Wi-Fi network and Trendnet mobile app. Initial setup of cameras not too easy but finally have system working well. Cameras provide clear colour image when plenty of light available, otherwise provides a clear gray image. Night vision using IR provides excellent images. Overall once cameras are setup they are very good and have been working in barn at temperatures down to -10C (better than I expected!) in fact so pleased with performance that I've ordered two more.

Got a really good price on this can and decided to give it a go. There is a bit of a learning curve getting it to work on the web, it helps to be tech savy.Used wps button to connect to router. Used dlink's free DNS to get an address for my dynamic IP. Then set up a virtual server on my D-Link router and Viola.

Daylight image is good, unfortunately night vision is not that great. Really missing PTZ controls for that price. Web interface requires Java installed on PC, which is unfortunate, since camera can send just simple MJPEG, and other third party tools can work with that.

Use a few of these to monitor our country home when we are not there. Worked well for the price after I figured out how to route it through a dynamic DNS service. Unfortunately after a few months it kept dropping the connection and finally would not stay on.