# Connecting a Tapo Security Camera to VLC player



## cuttlefish (Jan 18, 2007)

Apologies for an unusual problem but I've been told it can be done .......................

I bought a TAPO brand C310 security camera for my house and downloaded their App successfully on my iPad Air to connect to my WiFi (Telstra)

The TAPO network shows up fine on my iPad Settings but the instant I connect to it, it drops the Telstra WiFi connection being immediately followed by a "No Internet Connection" on the TAPO App. I then get a message that it is an UNSECURED connection with all the dire warnings etc. if I continue to use it and says I have to go into my Modem settings and lower the security level to WPA to enable to camera to connect, not keen on that idea!

The TAPO brand does not have a good history in the network security industry but I am intrigued why it insists on hijacking my Telstra WiFi connection and only use it's own unsecure network?

There are apparently ways to get around this via third party software using what I know nothing about being RTSP protocol or something???

Appreciate any advice or suggestions thanks folks!


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## zx10guy (Mar 30, 2008)

First question I have is if by your own admission that TAPO doesn't have a good history in the network security industry, why would you knowingly implement such as device for of all things home security?

From what I can gather in your post as it's a bit confusing, the set up of the device is through an app which looks for a default wireless connection from the device. Since your device is connecting to it on this default setup wireless network, of course your existing connection to your Telstra WiFi is going to drop. To my knowledge no one has come out with a wireless NIC which can connect to two wireless networks at the same time. Because your device is now connected to the TAPO default wireless network for setup, there wouldn't be any Internet connection at that time. Once you have the TAPO set up to connect to your existing network, the default wireless network being broadcasted by the TAPO will go away.

As to the message about being on an unsecured network, of course this is going to pop up as you are not required to enter a passphrase to connect to this default setup network on the TAPO. So there is no hijacking going on as you're surmising.


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## cuttlefish (Jan 18, 2007)

zx10guy said:


> First question I have is if by your own admission that TAPO doesn't have a good history in the network security industry, why would you knowingly implement such as device for of all things home security?
> 
> From what I can gather in your post as it's a bit confusing, the set up of the device is through an app which looks for a default wireless connection from the device. Since your device is connecting to it on this default setup wireless network, of course your existing connection to your Telstra WiFi is going to drop. To my knowledge no one has come out with a wireless NIC which can connect to two wireless networks at the same time. Because your device is now connected to the TAPO default wireless network for setup, there wouldn't be any Internet connection at that time. Once you have the TAPO set up to connect to your existing network, the default wireless network being broadcasted by the TAPO will go away.
> 
> As to the message about being on an unsecured network, of course this is going to pop up as you are not required to enter a passphrase to connect to this default setup network on the TAPO. So there is no hijacking going on as you're surmising.


Thanks for the informative reply. Actually I did quite a lot of online and dealer research on these products and found that most every smart home device has a history of being hacked from RING - NEST - SWANN - WYZE - ALEXA - ADT ...... the lot! TAPO being a newcomer to the security camera scene came out as being "reasonably safe" so worth a go!

But your info got my brain thinking again and the solution came by a simple RESET of the camera itself and voila, up pops the hitherto hidden option for TAPO to join the Telstra WiFi network! After that just a walk in the park setting up the cam on the App though I'm pretty sure I'm going to need a WiFi extender to go the distance around a few corners.

Not a bad little camera for AUD90.00, hard wired to 240 v plus 32 Gb SD Micro Card, getting lots of great vids of my dog walking around at night though ...............


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## zx10guy (Mar 30, 2008)

I will never use any cloud based security camera. The system I have is independent from that nonsense. As you said, all cloud based devices pose a hacking risk. The pretty recent Ring security breach is testament to that. Plus when you depend on a cloud based system, you never own the equipment. Because it just takes the manufacturer to shut off the cloud server which many of devices depend on and you're dealing with buying all new hardware even though your current one works just fine for you. I'm dealing with this with my Slingbox. Back to my security cameras, they're fully owned by me. Don't need a stupid cloud service. And I have them locked down where you one can even communicate to them from the Internet without connecting through my firewall on my SSL VPN.

You mentioned using a WiFi extender. Don't. They're the worst thing you can add to any wireless system. You're better off using a unified wireless mesh system.


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## cuttlefish (Jan 18, 2007)

zx10guy said:


> I will never use any cloud based security camera. The system I have is independent from that nonsense. As you said, all cloud based devices pose a hacking risk. The pretty recent Ring security breach is testament to that. Plus when you depend on a cloud based system, you never own the equipment. Because it just takes the manufacturer to shut off the cloud server which many of devices depend on and you're dealing with buying all new hardware even though your current one works just fine for you. I'm dealing with this with my Slingbox. Back to my security cameras, they're fully owned by me. Don't need a stupid cloud service. And I have them locked down where you one can even communicate to them from the Internet without connecting through my firewall on my SSL VPN.
> 
> You mentioned using a WiFi extender. Don't. They're the worst thing you can add to any wireless system. You're better off using a unified wireless mesh system.


Thanks for that, when I installed it outside I found it had more than enough range to connect to my home WiFi so all good! Plus I passed on the iCloud option and just rely on the SD card, the App is good for setting it all up but then it's just a pain in the neck with never ending notifications that it has spotted my dog having a leak or a tree waving around. Still all good and hap[y with the end result!


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