Josh Hendrickson
With the Consumer Electronics Show nearly upon us, D-Link let us know about its upcoming cameras, which can differentiate between humans and objects without the cloud. D-Link’s also pledged support for EasyMesh—the MESH standard any company can use.
Look, Mom! No Cloud!
While security camera companies like Nest already offer person detection, these almost always require the cloud and a subscription. Intelligent notifications are useful because it’s annoying digging out your phone to check a notification, only to find your camera caught a car driving by. However, the additional costs of intelligent notifications (both in bandwidth and subscription fees) can be a pain.
D-Link wants to solve these issues with on-camera processing. Its new cameras use artificial intelligence to process the video and pick out humans and the sound of breaking glass. Because it accomplishes the task locally, D-Link said the process should be faster and less taxing than uploading and analyzing data on the cloud.
D-Link is bringing this new feature to two cameras: the DCS-8302LH indoor/outdoor and the DCS-8526LH pan and tilt indoor. Both are slated for release later this year.
The DCS-8302LH Indoor/Outdoor Camera
The DCS-8302LH (a truly descriptive name, right?) features 1080P resolution recording at 30 frames per second (fps) and night vision capabilities. In addition to the artificial intelligence for smarter notifications of people and sounds of glass breaking, this camera features a built-in siren, an ethernet jack for wireless backhaul, two-way audio, and WPA3 encryption.
The camera can record to a microSD (up to 256 GB), Network Attached Storage (NAS) units, or an optional cloud subscription. It functions as an indoor or outdoor camera, which is handy if you like to use one camera for both.
D-Link says the DCS-8302LH will retail for $120 when it becomes available sometime in the third quarter of 2020.
The DCS-8526LH Pan and Tilt Camera
If you want to record all the angles in your home, the DCS-8526LH might be more your speed. This Wi-Fi camera pans and tilts, so if you place it in the right location, you can record multiple rooms, or both the front door and your entire entryway. Unlike the DCS-8302LH, this one is for indoor use only.
It records 1080p resolution at 30 fps, and, thanks to its panning capability, offers a 360-degree view that works in conjunction with motion tracking.
The DCS-8526LH also includes local processing for person detection and sounds of breaking glass. It can record to microSD cards, a NAS, or the cloud. It also supports two-way audio, WPA3 encryption, and wired backhaul, and includes a privacy lens.
D-Link says the camera will retail for $99.99 and will be available sometime in the second quarter of 2020.
EasyMesh and 5G Modems
Last year, the Wi-Fi Alliance introduced a new mesh standard for Wi-Fi routers that will enable interoperability between brands. Right now, for example, if you buy a mesh router from eero, it won’t work with a Google mesh system.
EasyMesh promises to fix this if manufacturers adopt it. If they do, any two EasyMesh routers will work together, even if they’re made by different companies.
D-Link said it’s adopting this standard for all its mesh routers moving forward, which will make it one of the first manufacturers to embrace the interoperability concept.
The company has several mesh routers in the pipeline for 2020, including three Wi-Fi 5 mesh routers, four Wi-Fi 6 mesh routers, a scalable mesh router, a mesh Wi-Fi 6 extender, and an entire home mesh system.
The routers are virtually identical, with maximum theoretical bandwidth separating the units—spend more, and you get more. Prices range from $99.99 for the AC1750 Mesh Wi-Fi 5 Router up to $269.99 for the entire home system. These products will be released between the first and third quarters of 2020.
D-Link also announced three 5G gateways—two for indoor use and one for outdoor. The indoor 5G and 5G NR Enhanced gateways utilize sub-6 GHz frequencies that support “many service providers,” while the outdoor unit supports both sub-6 GHz and mm-Wave frequencies.
D-Link said all three should be released in the first quarter of 2020, and pricing will be set by the service providers.
