D-Link DCS-2132 in the test

The cheapest camera in the test awaits with a convincing picture quality. Although their viewing angle is small for the surveillance of whole rooms, the colors and the contrast are right.


Restricted app


Unlike usual, the D-Link does not store their recordings on a cloud server on the Internet. They land on a micro SD card in the camera, which one must however buy. This has the advantage that private data remain in their own four walls. Only when watching videos via app or via the online portal www.mydlink.com the camera sends a video stream through the network. That all images are transferred in an encrypted manner, relativizes this advantage somewhat. Above all in public hotspots, for example at the airport or the hotel, attackers could reach personal information.


Conclusion


The DCS-2132L copies copies of your clips to a private FTP server, if required, as theft protection and data backup. However, in order to gain access to all settings, the user has to log on to the administration page of the camera with an Internet browser - and first of all find their IP address. If you do not have experience with network technology, you may have already failed to read the English manual.


The free app mydlink Lite for Android and iOS devices helps you install and brings the image of the camera to the smartphone.


Compared to other remote control programs, their function is somewhat limited. So the user has to read the recording date and the time rather cumbersome from the file name. There is no way to store clips on the smartphone, such as sending them to friends or family members. The download of recordings is only available on the computer.


There were no transmission problems in the test. Only the loudspeaker in the camera should remain off: even with a minimum level, it tends to whistle backwards when the talk function is active.


The small D-Link camera D-DCS-2132 offers a lot of picture quality for money. If you are familiar with IP technology and do not shy away from configuration on the computer, you save expensive cloud services and still have your apartment in view. It is less suitable for using only on the smartphone.