Zmodo outdoor wireless cameras
- Thread starter mjf_1211
- Start date
looney2ns
IPCT Contributor
Zmodo is a trash brand. Stay away.
Don't use wifi cams at all if you expect reliability.
Stick with Dahua, Hikvision or Ipcamtalks own brand of cameras.
Study this on a real computer. Cliff Notes.
area651
Getting comfortable
trying not to sound negative but just being honest, you get what you pay for. Reolink, LAView, Nest, Ring, all those economy cameras will give you a quality you're likely to be unhappy with. When it comes to wireless, the network is quickly overwhelmed (if you can achieve keeping them connected) and it's an especially experience if you're using a regular, ISP provided or economy wireless router.
I install what the customer can afford. I have used pretty much every system out there bar none. Just stick with POE and never use wifi. It all depends what you are looking to do with them. The off brands won't last as long but some of them have decent picture quality. We even used a no name Zosi and while it wouldn't be my choice its still up and running almost 3 years later and they are satisfied with it. Its all in what kind of end result you are looking for.
fenderman
Staff member
- Mar 9, 2014
- 36,891
- 21,417
The low-end crap you are installing produces poor images in low light and at night. Most end-users don’t know how easy it is to install the systems and end up with inferior systems because of the mark ups by installers
looney2ns
IPCT Contributor
I've installed and designed many axis systems as well. Some people just can't afford the cadillacs and have to settle for something less.
Where I work we are not permitted to install Dahua or Hikvision. I have installed many of these for customers though.
Where I work we are not permitted to install Dahua or Hikvision. I have installed many of these for customers though.
mat200
IPCT Contributor
- Jan 17, 2017
- 17,408
- 29,357
Welcome here @mjf_1211
Recommend reading a bit more on zmodo before you spend any money on it:
Zmodo / Funlux suck how they manipulate the game.
If you have already purchased it, I recommend returning it.
Had them from 2016 until now. Over 30 of them. Ok in 2016, very subpar now, have not updated and almost all others are better. I was invested in the system though and kept buying,
PLUS!! They recently FORCED a firmware update on my cameras whereby I lost the only key feature they offered.... Motion-activated video clips. That is not gone and in order to get back I have to pay expensive subscription fees to their partner hosting firm SmartZ. This is unethical and fraudulent removing an already paid feature with product purchase and requiring monthly $$$. There is legal precedents in the software/electronic industries where this is illegal. Below is my letter to BBB, FTC, WA consumer protection, WA State Attorney General's Office.
I am filing this complaint regarding the actions of Zmodo and its associated platform Smartz, which have resulted in the loss of essential device features for which I paid in good faith.
I purchased over 30 of the following Zmodo product(s):
Product(s): minis, doorbell, pivots, outside cameras, wireless
Dates Purchased: 2016 through 2025
I can provide Proof of Purchase for most of the 30+ cameras purchased on Amazon.
When I purchased these devices, they were advertised and sold with specific features—such as local recording, playback, app compatibility, LAN access, and continuous operational support. Recently, Zmodo pushed out mandatory firmware and platform changes that removed or disabled key features, including:
*Loss of the most important feature- short video clips when motion activated.
*** claim migration to a new Smartz app that does not support previous functions as the cause. Reality is Smartz is their new hosting partner and they forced a Zmodo firmware upgrade and changed platform that stripped away the video clip function without expensive subscriptions. They claim that this is caused by using the Smartz app after May 2025 which is not true. My loss of the feature coincided with me selected their 7 day free trial in the Zmodo app for 24/7 video.
***They claim Inability to roll back firmware despite reduced functionality
*** They also deleted my account on user.zmodo.com which ALSO forces one to sign up for their partner's Smartz expensive hosting plane when creating new account.
Smartz is their partner firm that now does their hosting.
These changes have materially degraded the product, rendering it unable to perform the functions that were advertised and present at the time of purchase and for years up to recently. In my view, this constitutes:
-Deceptive or unfair business practices
-Failure to deliver the product as advertised
-Removal of paid-for features without consent
-Potentially, an intentional push toward paid cloud services by disabling previously free options
I attempted to resolve this by contacting Zmodo, but their weak claim is that I had opened an app since May that forced a firmware update. This is not true and even if it was, just not change the situation.
I am requesting the following resolution:
Restoring the functions of my 30+ cameras to their original function that I paid for or a full refund on all devices so that I can be made whole and repurchase cameras from an ethical company whose cameras actually work as described.
These changes were made unilaterally by Zmodo and were not part of the original agreement when I purchased the equipment. As a customer, I should not lose core product features due to an update that I did not request and could not refuse.
