We present a complete analysis of the D-Link DCS-6100LH Cloud camera , a camera whose main feature is its small size, free Cloud recording and its low price of only 30 euros. This model is quite small in size, only measures 60 x 60 x 104mm and weighs 65 grams. The sensor it incorporates is 1/3 »and is capable of recording video at a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels at 30 FPS , and it is also capable of taking pictures at this resolution. The focal length is 3.3mm and it has an aperture of F2.4, in addition, it has a viewing angle of 90º horizontal, 90º vertical and 110º diagonal, so we can cover an entire room easily if we place it in the right place.
This new D-Link DCS-6100LH model incorporates a microphone on its front, to listen to everything recorded or viewed by the camera at all times. It also has infrared night visionat a distance of up to 5 meters, ideal for recording everything that happens in absolute darkness without any problem. The most important thing that all D-Link home cameras have is the totally free Cloud recording, although it is limited to only 24 hours of history and a total of 3 cameras with the same mydlink account, but the annual and monthly plans they are quite cheap if you need more. Due to the small size of this Cloud camera, we do not have a speaker, as in other models of this manufacturer, nor does it have a slot for micro SD cards, two important aspects but that we sacrifice due to the small size of this model Cloud camera.
D-Link DCS-6100LH – Full HD 1080p Camera
Buy it in
EUR
29.98
This Cloud camera is capable of detecting movement by defining a detection area, and it is also capable of detecting sound thanks to its built-in microphone on the front. Unlike other D-Link models, this D-Link DCS-6100LH does not have an AI to detect people, as it is the manufacturer’s entry range. In this way, when it detects movement globally in the room, it will notify us that there has been a movement, even if it is an object or pet and not a person.
Regarding wireless connectivity, this D-Link DCS-6100LH Cloud camera connects directly via Wi-Fi to the home network, we do not need a hub as it does with other manufacturers, it has Wi-Fi N in the bandwidth. 2.4GHz to have the best possible coverage. A very remarkable aspect is that it incorporates support for WPA3-Personal , so if our router is compatible with this security protocol, we can connect it and enjoy maximum security and privacy.
This Cloud camera integrates perfectly with the mydlink application for smartphones with Android and iOS, you can download this application completely free of charge in the official stores:
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mydlink
Developer: D-Link Corporation
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mydlink
Developer: D-Link International
With this application we will have a complete integration of the rest of the Cloud cameras and also of the rest of the Smart Home devices of the manufacturer D-Link. We will be able to establish different alerts with push notifications, and also advanced actions. Some automations that we can perform are to activate or deactivate the private mode at certain times of the day, configure several devices to work together, use Amazon Alexa and the Google assistant to send voice commands and much more.
Finally, this new D-Link DCS-6100LH model supports the RSTP, SRTP and RTP protocol to view this camera through an NVR and centralize all recordings, and even use it as a webcam for Skype by performing a specific configuration, so we have even more possibilities.
Technical characteristics D-Link DCS-6100LH
Camera
- HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels at 30 FPS).
- Night vision with infrared filter at a distance of up to 5 meters.
- 4x digital zoom
- Focal length: 3.3mm
- Aperture: F2.4
- Viewing angle: H 90º, V 90 °, D 110
Image, Sound and Video Formats
- The supported image format is JPEG.
- The video format is H.264 / MPEG-4 and it can record in 1920 x 1080 resolution at 30 FPS.
Other features
- Password authentication to access the camera.
- Weight: 65 grams
- Consumption: 4 W.
Once we know the technical characteristics, we go with the external analysis of this D-Link DCS-6100LH IP camera.
External analysis
The D-Link DCS-6100LH IP Cloud Camera comes in a small blue box, since this new camera model is very small, similar to the DCS-8000LH and DCS-8000LHv2 that we have previously reviewed, but it has a clearly different design, it is not a cylinder like the other two models.
On the front of the box of this D-Link DCS-6100LH we find its main characteristics, such as that it has a compact size and a Full HD 1080p resolution to have the highest possible resolution. Other features that we see on this front are that it is compatible with Amazon Alexa and the Google assistant, it has night vision to see in absolute darkness at a distance of up to 5 meters, it has motion and sound detection, it has recording in the cloud for free and has rich notifications.
On the back of the box we find that this D-Link DCS-6100LH Cloud camera is installed, administered, managed and viewed through the mydlink app, the best application for camera management due to its extensive configuration possibilities. In addition, we can also manage all the manufacturer’s Smart Home devices centrally. This app is really fast, intuitive and consumes very few resources, you can download it from the official Android and iOS stores:
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mydlink
Developer: D-Link Corporation
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mydlink
Developer: D-Link International
Thanks to this application, we will be able to carry out the start-up and configuration in a few minutes. By using an architecture in the Cloud, we can access remotely very easily without having to open ports or carry out complicated configurations, it will only be necessary that the camera has an Internet connection. Finally, in this back part we will also find the same characteristics as in the front part, but explained in more detail, such as that it allows us to have night vision at a distance of up to 5 meters.
On the right side of the box of this D-Link DCS-6100LH camera, we have the legend of the different parts of the camera, the sensor, microphone and LED on the front, and the RESET button on the back. Right at the bottom we will see the contents of the package of this Cloud D-Link DCS-6100LH camera. On the left side of the box we find the main characteristics of the equipment in several languages, characteristics of which we have already spoken in the introduction to the analysis, we will also see the minimum requirements, which basically is to have an Internet connection, a WiFi 4 router and an Android or iOS smartphone or tablet.
The first thing we see when we open the box of this D-Link DCS-6100LH Cloud IP Camera is the quick installation guide. We can see a QR code, the serial number and also the MAC address of the camera itself. The contents of the box are as follows:
- D-Link DCS-6100LH Cloud IP Camera
- 5V and 1A current transformer with USB type A output
- USB type A to micro USB cable
- Quick install guide
- Ceiling or wall mounting kit.
In the quick installation guide we can see the different parts of the camera, and also a small sticker with a QR code that we must scan with our Android or iOS smartphone, to register the camera without having to enter all the data manually . We can also see that the steps are to download the mydlink app, add a new device, scan the QR code and follow the installation wizard that the mydlink app will indicate.
At the back of this quick installation guide we can see how to place this model on the wall or on the ceiling, as you can see in the drawings that follow. Of course, the wall and ceiling mounting kit comes in the contents of the package, with two screws and two dowels.
The power supply in this case comes in two parts, on the one hand we have the 5V and 1A current transformer with USB type A output, and on the other, the USB type A cable to micro USB port to power the camera. Taking into account the electrical characteristics, this model could be powered without problems through an external battery or powerbank.
This D-Link DCS-6100LH IP Camera has a really elegant design and is finished in black. On the front we will see the Full HD 1080p sensor, just below we will see the status LED of this camera that will inform us if there is a problem, we can also see the microphone just below the logo of the manufacturer D-Link. On the back we will find the RESET button of this camera.
On the right and left side of this camera we will not find any button or connector, but at the bottom is where we will have the micro USB input to power the camera. We will also find on the base of the camera a sticker with the exact model of the equipment, the serial number, the MAC address, the WiFi key to enter manually, and the PIN code to register this camera manually, without scanning the QR code we have. Finally, we will also see the hardware version of the equipment and the electrical input characteristics.
Once we have seen in detail what this new D-Link DCS-6100LH IP camera is like, we are going to install it and we will show you all the available configuration options.
Mydlink app to manage the D-Link DCS-6100LH camera
This D-Link DCS-6100LH camera is Cloud, therefore, we will not have a firmware accessible via web to view or manage it, everything will be done through the free mydlink application. This mydlink app is compatible with Android and iOS, and will be the management and display center for all IP cameras from the manufacturer D-Link. This application is one of the most complete that currently exists, it is fast, intuitive, very fast and consumes very few resources. What we like most about this app are the dozens of configuration and customization options for the different cameras, including “Automation” functions and even different profiles to turn privacy mode on / off quickly.
The first thing we have to do with this app is install it, we have it available for download in the official Android and iOS stores, then we have to register in mydlink with a valid email, log in and start configuring the camera IP.
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mydlink
Developer: D-Link International
DownloadQR-Code
mydlink
Developer: D-Link Corporation
Step-by-step installation wizard
In the main menu of the application we will have all the cameras registered in the application, if it is the first time you use this app, then it will appear completely empty. All we have to do is go to the left section of the app, and click on “Add device” to register a new IP camera. Once we have clicked on this area, we will have to scan the QR code that we have at the bottom of the camera (on the base), or directly on the configuration card, which has exactly the same QR code. Once we have scanned it, the application will tell us that we must make sure that the IP camera is connected, and with the LED on the front flashing orange. Before continuing to the next step, it is necessary that you have activated the location or GPS of the mobile,
The application will try to connect directly with the IP camera via WiFi, in case of failure, we can manually connect with the WPA2 password that we have on the sticker at the bottom of the camera, or the app itself will tell us. It is totally necessary to connect via WiFi to the camera to be able to configure it, this model does not have Bluetooth as other D-Link models do.
Once we have connected to the camera, it will indicate the WiFi network to which other cameras from the manufacturer D-Link are connected with this same account, but we can click on “No, I do not want to connect to this network” so that it automatically detects all the WiFi networks around us and configure the WiFi from scratch. Once we have clicked on «Next», we will have to connect directly to our WiFi network, if it does not do it automatically we will do it manually.
Once done, the device will be linked with the cloud of the manufacturer D-Link, and will allow us to configure the name of the device, and also configure the designated contacts to make a quick call in case of motion detection. We can load this designated contact from the contacts, or enter it manually.
This D-Link DCS-6100LH IP camera does not have a micro SD card slot, therefore, we will only have recording in the cloud, yes, it is totally free thanks to the mydlink service. When activating cloud recording, mydlink will automatically create an automation rule: if it detects motion, it will notify us via Push and automatically record video clip in the cloud.
We must take into account the mydlink payment plans, the “Premium” plan will allow us to have up to 5 cameras with recording in the Cloud, we will have up to 14 days of history and we can also keep up to 500 video clips in mydlink Cloud. Once we have clicked on “Later”, we will see the main menu with the new camera added.
Once we have seen how to register this D-Link DCS-6100LH camera in mydlink, we are going to see all the display and configuration options.
Display and configuration options
In the display menu of this camera, we can activate or deactivate the microphone of the camera, to have sound or not. We can also take snapshots (photographs) and even record videos on our smartphone. On the right side we can put the full screen display, and at the bottom we can see that this camera always records in 1080p resolution, it does not allow 720p.
In the upper right icon we can enter the “Event and video” section, this will allow us to see all the video clips that have been recorded in the cloud, and we can also see a history of whether the camera has been disconnected at any time, and when it was reconnected. The same happens with the privacy mode, we can see when it has been enabled or disabled.
In the “Settings” section we can change the name of the IP camera, activate or deactivate the privacy mode, configure motion detection with the action area and sensitivity, as well as cloud storage (which is free) . We can also activate or deactivate the microphone of the camera, configure the night vision so that it is in automatic, always activated or always off.
We can also activate the anti-flicker, that is, activate 50Hz or 60Hz, in addition, we can invert the image in case we place this IP camera on the ceiling. We can also activate / deactivate the LED that we have on the front of the camera. Next, we have the possibility to configure the designated contact or contacts, that if we have not previously configured it in the configuration wizard.
If we want to configure the WiFi network with another wireless network, we will have to reset the camera to factory settings, and reconfigure it from scratch, there is no possibility of keeping the configuration and changing the WiFi network. This does not happen with cameras that incorporate Bluetooth BLE because it allows you to configure it directly. We will also have the possibility to configure the automatic time zone, see the firmware updates and configure the update policy.
We must not forget that the mydlink app allows us to configure the Home, Away and Suspension «Landscapes», this will allow us to activate or deactivate the privacy mode of the cameras, and also activate or deactivate the automation profiles (motion detection and / or sound). In the “Automation” section is where we can configure motion and sound detection, so that it alerts us with push notification and recording in the cloud, ideal to have everything under control. Finally, in the “Program” section we can activate or deactivate the privacy mode and automation at a certain time that we want.
Recording tests with the D-Link DCS-6100LH camera
In the following video you can see the image quality of the D-Link DCS-6100LH camera. We have recorded with her in a large room (living room) both day and night, we have also done the same in the garage at home, so you can see how infrared works.
As you can see, the image quality is remarkable in daytime environments, it looks pretty good and you can even see the letters on the table without any problem. We must bear in mind that this room is the living room and is about 30 square meters, therefore, we have to cover a fairly large space. In the case of the garage, the same, we have a space of about 30 square meters and everything looks great with artificial light.
In the case of night environments, the image and video is sufficient, we have seen how by activating the infrared, they are only capable of reaching up to 5 meters, therefore, it will only work in small rooms, in addition, when we activate the night vision the camera looks somewhat blurry. It does not happen with other camera models (more expensive) that in night environments looks outstanding as well.
We have also taken pictures with the D-Link DCS-6100LH camera in both rooms, both day and night, so you can see their quality. On this occasion, it seems that in night environments it is not completely blurry, unlike video.
As you can see, the image quality of this D-Link DCS-6100LH is remarkable in daytime environments, but only sufficient in nighttime environments. If you are going to put the camera in a large room, we recommend choosing another model, because its infrared night vision is not powerful enough to cover the entire space.
So far we have come with our analysis of the D-Link DCS-6100LH camera, below, you can see the strengths and weaknesses of the equipment.
Strengths
- Remarkable image quality in daytime environments with Full HD 1080p resolution.
- Really small cloud camera size.
- Wi-Fi N connectivity to communicate with the router wirelessly (2.4GHz), it supports WPA3-Personal.
- Microphone to hear everything that happens on the other side.
- Seamless integration with mydlink and the rest of the devices in the family.
- The power cable is micro USB like that of mobile phones, we can use this camera even with power banks.
- Motion and sound detection, with free recording in the Cloud.
- Infrared LEDs for night vision at a distance of up to 5 meters.
- Ease of set-up, configuration and daily use.
- Price: outstanding, we can find it for about 30 euros, we cannot have more for less money.
Weak points
- Image quality in night environments and large spaces is sufficient.
- It has no speaker (only microphone).
- It does not have a micro SD card slot, but recording to the Cloud is free.
Last conclusions
This D-Link DCS-6100LH camera is the cheapest we can buy with cloud recording, it is an entry-level IP Cloud camera, therefore, we must take into account its limitations. This model has the main necessary features, Full HD 1080p, microphone and infrared, but we do not have a speaker for two-way audio nor do we have a slot for micro SD cards. What we do value a lot is the incorporation of WiFi with support for WPA3-Personal, therefore, this camera is prepared for home environments where we have this type of security in the WiFi network.
Regarding the detection options, we have motion and sound detection, but no detection of people with AI. The display options and camera settings are the same as always, in this case nothing has changed compared to other models, what has most caught our attention is that we will not be able to reduce the resolution to 720p as it happens with other models. Of course, although this IP camera only costs 30 euros, we have completely free cloud recording, therefore, even the cheapest D-Link camera has this feature, unlike other manufacturers where the Cloud is always paid. , and if it is free, they are only for cameras that are worth more than 150 euros.
Regarding the quality of the image, both in photography and video, it is remarkable in daytime environments, and even if we have the ambient light in front of the camera, it looks quite good in these difficult lighting conditions. However, in night environments is where this camera suffers the most, its infrared only reaches up to 5 meters away, therefore, you will not be able to place it in large rooms such as living room, cellar or garage, but it is also that, in these environments At night the image quality is sufficient, because it looks a bit blurry in certain circumstances, unlike other models with a slightly higher range.
D-Link DCS-6100LH – Full HD 1080p Camera
Buy it in
EUR
22.09
Our evaluation of this D-Link DCS-6100LH Cloud Camera after testing its performance for two weeks, checking all the options in the mydlink app, and the price of only 30 euros, is 8.5 / 10 .
We hope you liked the analysis, if you have any questions you can put a comment and we will respond delightedly.
