this post was submitted on 22 Jan 2026
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Initial setup with Reolink is hit or miss. You're right that those settings are off by default, which sucks. The better cameras host their own WebUI with which you can login and make changes with no app required, but the cheaper ones cut that corner and need the app. With that said, yes it is an initial hoop you might have to jump through, but once done and isolated you'll never have to deal with it again. It's a worthy trade off for the affordability and featureset IMO, but of course it could always be better.
Except they're not all that affordable for the features. Not many that are POE, and their MP/optizoom compared to cameras half their price isn't great. I can get Amcrest or Vikylin for less, and have everything that Reolink doesn't out of the box. You also have to be careful with them that you don't get Reolink NVR-locked cameras.
I've heard Reolink touted a lot and so far I'm not seeing the advantage.
I got a doorbell camera with full Home Assistant support and a 180 fisheye camera for around $100 each (don't remember the exact price). I could use the built in recording until i got my NVR setup and it scaled with me. I thought they were great value.
Now, if you want just a bunch of standard cameras to cover your house with, maybe those other options are better, I'll save your post and take a look if I'm ever in the market. I'm not a camera expert, just a tech/home auto enthusiast so they work for what I want.