Latest news with #TP-Link
Tom's Guide
5 days ago
- Tom's Guide
TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit review: Crisp video and everlasting power
Video: 3840 x 2160, 15fpsField of view: 105 degreesSensor: 8MPNight vision: Infrared and color night visionWireless: 2.4 GHz/5 GHz Wi-Fi 4Weather Resistance: IP65Power: 10,000mAh battery, integrated solar panelWorks with: Google Home, Alexa While the best home security cameras are certainly getting better, 4K cameras can still be a little pricey. TP-Link, however, is helping bring down the price, with the new TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit, which essentially combines the Tapo VistaCam 360 with a solar panel for continuous power. When you combine it all, you get a 4K security camera that costs less with the solar panel than many cameras do alone. But does TP-Link cut too many corners to get there? I used the TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit for a few weeks to find out. The TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit is available right now from Amazon for $169.99. It only comes in one colorway – white. If you don't need the solar panel, you can get the camera itself in the form of the TP-Link Tapo C560WS for $99, but I wasn't able to find a place to actually buy it. The TP-Link Tapo C660 kit doesn't necessarily break any boundaries in terms of design, but it also looks perfectly fine. All of the components have a white plastic body, with the front of the camera and solar panel coming in black. The solar panel and camera attach to a base plate that you'll screw into a wall or other surface for mounting the hardware. Like other 360-degree cameras with a solar panel, it's certainly not small or overly subtle, but it's not super bulky either. It's noticeable once installed, but for most that won't be a big deal. On the bottom of the camera can be found a rubber door that hides a microSD card slot for local storage, a reset button, and a power button. The system is also IP65-rated, meaning that it should be able to withstand all but the most extreme of weather conditions. Installing the camera and solar panel is a relatively simple affair when following the instructions in the box. You'll start by mounting the base plate to wherever you want everything to be installed. Then you'll slot the camera onto the base and screw the solar panel into its mount. Then simply plug the solar panel into the camera's USB-C port, which is located on the bottom. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. It's worth thinking about the location you want to mount the camera before you mount the baseplate though. Don't assume that just because you can pan and tilt the camera that it will be easy to get a good view of the entire space you want to monitor. TP-Link recommends mounting it at least 8 feet in the air. Indeed, at lower heights its view was a little limited, and I was unable to tilt it higher to get a better look at my backyard. The camera can't tilt up, so its view when pointed horizontally is as high as you can see with it – it's designed to look down from high up, not the other way around. To set the camera up in the Tapo app, you'll need to make sure you first follow the instructions that come in the box. I did not do this and only followed the instructions in the app, which didn't tell me to press the power button to turn the camera on. Some cameras automatically switch on when you plug in a power source, and given the fact that the LED light blinked a few times when I plugged the solar panel in, I thought that the camera was on just fine. On the contrary, after some troubleshooting, I found that I hadn't actually switched the camera on at all, and upon reading the instructions in the box, I realized that a tiny, barely labelled button under the rubber door was a power button that had to be pressed. Even though the instructions say to press the power button, I still think the app should walk through the full process, including pressing the power button too. The app notes that users shouldn't point the camera at 'swaying trees,' 'vehicles and pedestrians' and 'street lamps and sunlight,' which all seems a little ridiculous. I personally wouldn't worry too much – it's difficult to avoid trees when you're installing an outdoor camera. If you find that you get lots of notifications related to the trees, you can set up motion zones to avoid it. After actually turning the camera on, the app easily found it and added it to my account. You'll get a few setup options at the beginning, like selecting motion sensitivity based on your movement within your space. The entire installation and setup process only took me around 15 or 20 minutes, which isn't bad. The VistaCam 360 that comes in the TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit offers a 4K resolution with a 105-degree field-of-view. True to the high resolution, footage looked great. It was generally crisp and detailed, and allowed me to easily see finer details like pieces of mulch in my backyard. That may not be all that helpful – but the good detail translates to being able to capture things like number plates, faces, and other larger text, from further away. It also means that if you want to zoom in (the camera supports up to 18x digital zoom), you'll get a more detailed view than you would on a lower-resolution image. The color reproduction was solid too. Colors certainly weren't as vibrant as what you might get from a smartphone or better camera, but for the purpose of security cameras, image quality was more than vibrant enough. The camera doesn't support HDR, so you might find you run into some issues if you have dark shadows right next to bright sunlight, but I didn't run into any issues like that in my testing and with my positioning. The low light-performance was pretty good too. The camera supports color night vision with a built-in spotlight, but you can also opt to use its infrared sensor instead. In both cases, it detected motion reasonably quickly, however in both cases I also found that it didn't necessarily capture ultra-crisp images. Image quality was still perfectly fine, and it was easy to make out what was happening, but it wasn't quite as crisp as the Reolink Altas PT Ultra, another 4K camera with color night vision support. Still, that's certainly not to say that it was low-quality. Footage looked good, in both well-lit and poorly-lit environments. Audio wasn't bad either. I was able to have a conversation through two-way audio, and I could hear the other person perfectly fine in both cases. It gets loud enough for its purpose. The motion-tracking on offer by the camera worked well. It was pretty responsive, and tracked me moving at fast-walking speeds. I definitely could outrun it, but that's not uncommon. The camera returns to position after tracking motion too, which is surprisingly something that not all do — it's one of our chief complaints with the Eufy C220, for instance. The TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit works through TP-Link's own Tapo app, but it also integrates with Google Home and Amazon Alexa. Through those connections, you'll be able to see live footage and access some controls with voice. Unfortunately, there's no Apple Home support, and without camera support in the Matter spec, no way to add the camera to other ecosystems without complicated workarounds. Thankfully, the Tapo app works quite well. On the main screen of the app, you'll see tiles showing your Tapo devices, and you can then tap on one to access a live feed and settings. Unfortunately, you can't have camera snapshots in the main screen, so to see anything through the camera, you'll need to tap into it. Other tabs in the app include dedicated tabs for Camera, Vacuums, and a 'Smart' tab that suggests automations. From the camera's settings, you can jump straight into two-way audio, turn the built-in spotlight on and off, and pan or tilt the camera. One neat feature is that you can set up so-called 'Viewpoints,' or positions for the camera that you can then quickly access without having to manually pan and tilt each time. You can then use those views in automations – so you could have the camera automatically point at a gate to your backyard at night, and at your plants during the day. There's also a patrol mode that has the camera move between your set positions, however the app warns that this may impact the lifespan of the motor. Features like Viewpoints are handy additions for pan/tilt cameras, but not all features are really set up for cameras that can move. You can set up motion detection zones, but when you move the camera view, those detection zones move with it – meaning they're set to detect motion in places that might not make sense. Perhaps a way around this would be to have the camera stitch footage together for the purpose of setting up motion zones. Regardless, the way it works now doesn't really make much sense for a camera that's designed to move. That said, the detection features are generally robust. You can set up different detection types (motion, person, pet, and vehicle) for different detection zones, and the camera is able to track motion automatically. One of the best things about this camera in particular is the fact that it supports local storage – so if you don't want to subscribe to a cloud plan, you don't have to. There's a microSD card slot built right into the bottom of the camera, and you can insert cards up to 512GB – which TP-Link says is enough for around 16 complete days of recording. Additionally, you can password-protect the microSD card in the Tapo app, which is handy. If you prefer, of course, you can still subscribe to a plan. The Tapo Care plan costs around $3.49 per month, per device, however at the time of this writing you could get a 10-device subscription for $11.99 per month (discounted from $34.99 per month). If you pay yearly, you'll get a bit of a discount (16% at the time of this writing). That equates to $34.99 per year for a single device, or up to $119.99 per year for up to 10 devices. The subscription includes 30 days of encrypted video storage for events, rich notifications, video summaries, and so on. These are all common features for cloud plans, and it's common to not get access to them without one. The TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit is a good option for those who want 360-degree pan/tilt support and a 4K resolution. However, it has some seriously tough competition, even in this price range, from the likes of the Reolink Altas PT Ultra. The Reolink camera also has a 4K resolution, supports actual continuous recording with a solar panel, and has a slightly wider field-of-view. On top of that, it has slightly more versatile positioning, and still works with Alexa and Google Home. For most users, the Reolink model is probably the slightly better option. That said, the TP-Link Tapo C660 Kit is still a solid security camera with a versatile app and helpful features, and if you already have Tapo devices and want to use them all in the same app, you're certainly not getting a sub-par product by buying the C660 Kit.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
UK households urged to move routers away from their mirrors and beds
The placement of your Wi-Fi router is extremely important - there are six items in your home that can absorb or disturb your connection, leading to slow internet speeds You can instantly boost your internet speeds by simply moving your Wi-Fi router away from six items in your home. The location of your Wi-Fi router is crucial as it can significantly affect the performance and reach of your internet. Certain materials can absorb or disrupt your connection, causing issues with streaming, making calls or working remotely. One such material is metal, including steel. You might be surprised at how many items in your home are made of metal, such as appliances, devices and fixtures. This comes after a major broadband provider introduced a new £60 charge and issued a deadline to act. READ MORE: The Summer I Turned Pretty has major twist and fans are on the edge of their seats Six items can affect your Wi-fi. Before ringing up your provider or shelling out for a pricier packag e, try repositioning your router to see if its placement is the problem. This simple move could save you a tidy sum, reports the Express. Objects you should keep your Wi-Fi router away from Wi-Fi signals struggle to penetrate metal materials, and many household appliances, pieces of furniture and fixtures contain significant amounts of metal. For the best results, keep your Wi-Fi router as far away from these metal objects as possible. Additionally, many homes have metal laths in the walls, which can also interfere with the Wi-Fi signal. Therefore, you should keep your router away from any thick walls. Other culprits that can cause your internet speeds to plummet or your signal to drop are thick concrete and ceramic tiles. Additionally, devices such as microwaves, smart speakers and baby monitors can absorb Wi-Fi signal because they use the same radio waves. The optimal spot for your Wi-Fi router is as central in the room as possible, elevated off the floor and away from thick walls, particularly corners. When selecting the best router for your home, comparing factors like speed, coverage, and the number of connected devices make all the difference. Google Nest Wifi; TP-Link (Archer A7); Asus (RT-AC86U); Netgear (Nighthawk R7000); and Linksys (Velop) are all internet favourites, recommended for their performance and reliability. if you're a household of internet savvy smartphone and tablet users, its also suggested to consider the router's ability to support your web activity. To support your speed, your choice should be able to support a greater speed greater than what you receive from your ISP (Internet Service Provider). If you are not engaging with the full speed you are paying for, that's money down the drain.
Forbes
29-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Netgear Expands Its Wi-Fi 7 Portfolio With The Launch Of Affordable Orbi 370 Mesh System
Wireless networks have to work hard to keep up with today's families with their high-data usage when ... More streaming movies, playing games or working from home. When I think of Netgear Orbi, I imagine high-speed Wi-Fi mesh systems with Rolls-Royce specifications and a price tag to match. There's no doubt that Netgear has captured the upper end of the consumer wireless mesh market. At the other end of the spectrum is TP-Link with its Deco Series of mesh networking systems which is growing all the time. Now Netgear is bringing some competition to the consumer end of the market with the launch of its new and affordable Netgear Orbi 370 Series. Taking TP-Link head-on, the networking giant has produced a budget Orbi system that brings high-performance Wi-Fi 7 Mesh networking to the consumer market for ultra-fast internet and whole-home Wi-Fi coverage, as well as advanced security and privacy features at a sensible price. Netgear says that almost 50% of wireless mesh systems sold are now Wi-Fi 7. The adoption of the latest and fastest generation of Wi-Fi is accelerating fast as more people update their laptops and smartphones. It's why Netgear has expanded its Orbi portfolio by releasing the Orbi 370 Series, which puts the new technology within reach of more consumers, enabling them to experience the speed and efficiency of Wi-Fi 7, which is now supported by the latest wireless devices. Next-Generation Wi-Fi 7 Mesh The Orbi 370 Series offers next-generation Wi-Fi 7 performance that can unlock the full potential of new wireless devices without making the user pay over the odds. The Orbi 370 is designed for moderately demanding Wi-Fi needs and provides speeds up to 5Gbps which is fast enough to future proof many wireless networks. The Orbi system can be extended as households growing or their needs change. Users can quickly and easily add an extra Orbi satellite to expand coverage when moving to a larger home. With the average wireless home network serving around 20 devices at once, there can be a lot of strain on the Wi-Fi system. The Orbi 370 Series can help by providing smooth video calls, buffer-free movie streaming, responsive and immersive gaming, alongside reliable smart home automation with the Internet of Things. The new Orbi 370 Series Mesh System from Netgear has smaller units measuring less than eight-inches ... More tall. Netgear Orbi 370 Series Mesh System Netgear's Orbi mesh systems have advanced and powerful features that can do much of the heavy lifting on a network, enabling families to work from home, study after school or watch movies. Thanks to Wi-Fi 7 technology, Multi-Link Operation and bandwidths of 240MHz in the U.S., the Orbi 370 Series can combine the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands to boost wireless speeds, reduce latency and increase performance. The Orbi 370's main router has a 2.5Gbps internet or WAN port that can make the most of today's fiber-optic internet service plans. The Orbi 370 also has integrated 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports on the router and satellite units for more flexible wired or wireless connections when using demanding devices such as smart TVs, gaming consoles or PCs. This latest and most affordable Orbi series also has a sleek and minimalist design that's smaller than the more expensive Orbi units. 'With the Orbi 370 Series, we're making next-generation Wi-Fi more accessible than ever for today's connected families,' said Jonathan Oakes, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Netgear's Home Networking Division. 'We designed this system in response to the growing demand for reliable and trusted Wi-Fi connectivity. Orbi is an unbeatable combination of speed, coverage, and value, without compromising quality or security, all backed by Netgear's trusted expertise in mesh networking. To Serve And Protect A router is the digital front door of a home and that makes it vulnerable to hackers and bad actors. To address this risk, Netgear has taken the step of beefing up its routers to make them stronger and the first line of defense against evolving cyber threats. The new Netgear Orbi 970 router os the flagship Orbi system and has 10 and 2,5Gbps WAN ports plus ... More four 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports. Orbi systems are equipped with firewall protection and advanced security technologies that proactively defend against vulnerabilities and provide live security patches to boost protection against new and rising threats. Additionally, Orbi systems come with built-in security features such as automatic firmware updates, VPN support, the latest WPA3 security, access control and guest Wi-Fi network options. These security features are included out of the box with Orbi systems and there are no monthly fees required for fundamental protection. For those who want even more protection, the Orbi systems also come with a 30-day trial for Netgear Armor Powered by Bitdefender. This technology provides advanced threat protection across connected devices in the home and adds privacy with VPN when connecting at home or on the road. Put Your Armor On Unlike traditional antivirus products for computers, Armor is a security solution that runs at the router level for added protection of all the devices on the home network, whether they be computers, security cameras, baby monitors or other IoT devices. This eliminates the need to buy individual anti-virus protection for every device using the network. Another optional feature with Orbi is Netgear's Smart Parental Controls, which can help manage children's screentime, provide online safety and promote good online habits for the whole family. Basic Smart Parental Controls are available free of charge, but a subscription fee applies for the premium plan after a 30-day trial. Netgear says it is committed to protecting the privacy of customers and promises never to monitor information about the websites the user visits or to monetize any of their network data. Netgear claims it wants individuals and families using its systems to be confident that their online activity is safeguarded with strong privacy and security measures. The Netgear Orbi 370 RBE373 three-pack consisting of router and two satellite units goes on sale for ... More a competitive $349.99. Support For Multi-Gig Internet As well as offering the higher speed and lower latency of Wi-Fi 7 technology, the new Orbi 370 Series is backward compatible with Wi-Fi 4/5/6/6E. The system also supports Multi-link Operation, which combines two Wi-Fi bands at once for a faster data backhaul by sharing the 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless bands. It also has a fronthaul that uses the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands to improve network reliability, reduce latency and provide reliable speeds. Because internet connections are getting faster, the Orbi 370 supports multi-gig speeds with a 2.5-Gigabit Internet port. The 2.5 Gig internet port can be used with multi-gig cable and fiber plans and is compatible with all internet service providers. Both the router and the satellite units of the Orbi 370 have multi-gig wired Ethernet ports for plugging in wired devices like a printer or network-attached storage. Alternatively, users can set up a multi-gig wired connection between the router and the satellites to create a high-speed wired backhaul. An Orbi mesh system can be set up and controlled using the Orbi App. This lets users manage their network from anywhere in the world. The app lets them pause the internet, run internet speed tests, track Internet data usage or set up a separate guest network and more. The NETGEAR Orbi 370 Series is available today in the U.S. from Amazon and Best Buy. The price for the RBE373 three-pack of a router and two satellite units is $349.99. The two-pack router and satellite kit (RBE372) costs $249.99. Individual add-on satellites cost $149.99 each. The Netgear Orbi 370 Series will launch in the U.K. and E.U. later this year with a slightly different specification and a reduced top wireless speed of 3.6Gbps. This is due to a frequency restriction for military use. The three-pack kit will be priced at €349.99 / £299.99, the two-pack kit at €249.99 / £209.,99 while add-on satellites will sell for €119.99 / £99.99 each. The Orbi Wireless Mesh Family comparison table of specifications.
Mint
22-07-2025
- Mint
Wi-Fi routers can track your presence and movement at home. Here's how it works
At home, most people think of Wi-Fi only as a tool for internet access. Modern routers, though, are much more than that. Many can now follow movements inside your house. This is real technology, not science fiction. The signals moving between your router and devices can detect when you stand, walk, sit, or even breathe. Indian homes are seeing these smart features more often as brands bring new devices to market. A Wi-Fi router sends out signals to your devices. When you move, these signals bend and scatter. Even a small shift on the sofa or a person walking to the kitchen changes the way signals travel. The router collects data about these changes. Special software reads the patterns. Without cameras or microphones, it can tell if someone is in the room, whether people are moving around, or even if someone is asleep. Recent routers, including those from TP-Link, Xiaomi, D-Link, and Indian brands like HomeMate, have extra antennas and work across wider frequencies. This means the sensing is more accurate and works through walls and doors. Motion detection is now part of home automation. When movement is noticed, lights can turn on, or the air conditioner can start. In some hospitals and elder-care homes, motion sensors track breathing or spot if someone has fallen, offering care without needing to watch with cameras. For many people, privacy is a top concern. Wi-Fi motion sensing does not record images or sound. It tracks patterns in signal strength which can hint at where and when you are home, how you move, and when the house is empty. In India, most devices make this tracking feature optional. You have to switch it on in the companion app. Settings let users adjust how sensitive tracking is, set up alerts, or turn off tracking at any time. People use motion-sensing routers for different reasons. Security is one main use, as sensors can trigger alarms or warnings if someone enters when the house should be empty. Energy savings matter too, with lights and appliances turning off when nobody is around. Some use these tools to take care of elderly family members or to keep an eye on pets. All these uses are possible with regular home Wi-Fi and do not need high-end smart home systems. As Internet speeds rise and Wi-Fi standards improve, expect more routers and devices to offer motion detection. The technology relies on how signals move around your living space. Of course, privacy will keep being discussed. Strong rules and settings help people keep control over tracking. For now, the ability to sense movement quietly is already a part of many routines, whether for safety, convenience, or care.
Time Business News
18-07-2025
- Time Business News
How to Use 192.168.1.1 to Secure Your Home WiFi Network
Netgear nighthawk routers has a default assigned IP address which helps them to connect with the internet and other devices. These addresses can be changed after use with there subnet. Also, user can use this IP to adjust the router's settings and configure the device. Just apply these below given instructions to reach inside the 192.168.1.1 login interface and configure a few important settings. There are simple to apply major steps to use the 192.168.1.1 IP address to get to the Netgear router interface and access it. Open Chrome. Or Firefox. Doesn't matter. In the address bar (not Google), type this: 192.168.1.1, hit enter. Now you'll see a login box. If you've never changed your router's username or password, it's probably something super basic like: Username: admin admin Password: admin or password Look on the bottom of your router if you're stuck. There's usually a sticker with the default details. Heads up: If you're still using those factory defaults, anyone in range could potentially mess with your settings. Time to fix that… This is where people mess up. Your WiFi password and your router login are two different things . Changing just one isn't enough. Here's how: Go to 'Administration' or 'System Settings' (the name varies depending on brand) Look for something like 'Change Router Password' or 'Login Settings' Create a new username + a real password (not something like 'admin123') You just closed a wide-open door. Good move. Next, head to the 'Wireless' or 'WiFi Settings' section. You'll see something like: SSID (that's just the WiFi network name you see when you're connecting) WiFi Password Change the name of your network. No more 'TP-Link_9C2' or 'NETGEAR54'. That tells people exactly what router you're using—aka gives hackers clues. Use something random or personal (but not your name or address). Then update the password: Make it at least 12 characters Mix upper/lowercase, numbers, and symbols Don't use common words or your dog's name This is what stops neighbors and strangers from mooching or snooping. Simple fix. Big impact. If your router still says WEP or WPA, that's ancient and crackable. Seriously—WEP is so weak someone could break in while ordering a coffee next door. Go to 'Security Settings' or 'Wireless Security.' Set it to: WPA3 (best) Or WPA2 AES if WPA3 isn't an option Do not pick 'WPA2-TKIP' or 'mixed mode'. That stuff's outdated junk. WPS is that 'push-to-connect' button. It feels convenient, but it's actually a security hole. Hackers can brute-force it way too easily. Look for a WPS option—disable it. Done. You can disable the WPS of the extender (if connected), from the Mywifiext (Netgear wifi extender setup) window on your computer. Most routers have a built-in firewall, but sometimes it's not even enabled by default. Dumb, right? Look under Security or Advanced settings and make sure: The firewall is ON Remote management is OFF (you don't want someone accessing your router from across town or the world) Firmware is your router's 'brain.' Manufacturers push updates to fix security holes, but your router doesn't always install them on its own. Find the 'Firmware Update' or 'Software Upgrade' section. Some routers can check for updates automatically—use it. If not, go to the brand's site, search your model, and update manually. One update can close dozens of known backdoors. Got people over often? Kids' friends? Relatives who visit and ask, 'What's the WiFi password?' Create a Guest Network: Keeps your main devices (laptop, smart home gear, cameras) totally separate If their phone's compromised, your stuff stays safe You can even limit speed and time You'll find this in 'Wireless Settings' or 'Guest WiFi.' Not only the Netgear devices are assigned with the 192.168.1.1, the netgear extenders are assigned with a different IP address 192.168.1.250. this IP address is used to setup and configure the extender on your computer. Hope, these instructions helped you to reach inside the setup page. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
