Our opinion
Foscam cameras are functional and widely applicable, both wired and via wifi. For the cameras we reviewed, we opted for a ‘worst case scenario’, i.e. the wifi connection (not recommended by security specialists). However, in the many months that we have used the Foscam cameras, we have not experienced the slightest problem. The cameras have been monitoring everything 24/7 and even during the most extreme weather situations, including a real tornado and a few heavy clouds, the outdoor camera didn’t shrink. To our surprise, the wifi connection never even failed and apparently also wifi technology is becoming more stable.
However, a lonely, yet clever spider spun a web in front of the lens at a certain unguarded moment, which made the images (not entirely as a surprise) unusable because of its thick abdomen. But this has nothing to do with the operation of camera, NAS or wifi connection. IR LEDs seem to be a popular beacon for winged six-legged animals; a tasty lunch for an inventive eight-legged hunter.
Advantages and disadvantages
Each storage method has its own advantages and disadvantages. The NAS is flexible, but is relatively expensive when a NAS has to be purchased specifically for surveillance purposes. In addition, there are additional (hidden) monthly fees in the form of the financial reservation for a future replacement. When using a NAS, a bit of network and storage knowledge is sometimes quite useful. If you want to be able to view the images on the go, you can install the Synology DS Cam app on your smartphone free of charge. With this, the Synology solution offers almost the same flexibility, more storage capacity and you can use the best of both worlds.
Although a NAS offers almost infinite functionality, a NAS dedicated for surveillance purposes may not be the most efficient way to invest in some cases. A cloud subscription, on the other hand, costs only a few euros per month and if the camera in question supports this, it is a valuable option. After the purchase and registration of the cameras, you only have to pay the annual subscription fee and you don’t have to worry about it anymore. You don’t have to worry about replacing a hard disk or a more modern NAS in the future. After all, management and storage take place elsewhere ‘in the cloud’.
12 hours ago
