Why you should NOT buy FOSCAM cameras

I used to own two FOSCAM cameras, which used to (mostly) work with Linux. They would ask you to install a proprietary plugin (that doesn’t work in Linux) to view their camera feed, but if you selected the MJPEG feed everything would still work with Linux or other OS’s without installing the plugin.   (And you could manage them via the web interface with no problems.)

HOWEVER, after their latest firmware upgrade, their web management interface will NOT allow you to log in unless their proprietary plugins are detected. This means that you can not manage them from Linux. I asked them for a way to downgrade the firmware and they refused.

These cameras are now useless for use with Linux, and they are also useless unless you are willing to install foscam’s proprietary software on our (windows/mac) system.   And if you trust FOSCAM to put code on your computer, you should read this: Bug Exposes IP Cameras, Baby Monitors or look here: Foscam : Security Vulnerabilities and reconsider letting them install software on your computers.

And then there are things like this:This is Why People Fear the “˜Internet of Things’

13 thoughts on “Why you should NOT buy FOSCAM cameras

    • I’m afraid I have no saved firmwares for these cameras, (I’ve sold the ones I had) but perhaps somebody else will see your question and be able to help.

  1. I succeed to downgrade the firmware version and system version.
    As result I don’t have advanced features of firmware version, but the win is that I don’t need to use .exe plugin that new browsers don’t support. And can work w/o plugin installation.

  2. Foscam cameras are by no means plug & play! I have 5 Foscam camera’s and if you like to jump through hoops every few months to upgrade firmware these are for you. Also extremely unreliable, alarms & recording do not work as advertised. Might work in their labs but not out in the real world.

  3. I have had 8 foscam IP cameras for more than 5 years now and they work just fine. Excellent image quality at a decent price.

    The mobile app js a bit of a pain, though. Remote connections fail from time to time. And support is non existent.

  4. Purchased two foscam cameras and may just get rid of them….I dont do windows or mac..need linux software. Has anyone found any software that will work with them. I have been eyeballing zoneminder, but I hate to do that install and it still not work. I tried onvifviewer, and that is taking a crap on login to the camera.

  5. Yep, literally fuck foscam!
    I have two of their shit and they barely work with ftp!

    They are certainly running linux inside but don’t support it as desktop OS. Fuck em!

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