Does Tapo iOS app live stream via cloud or LAN?

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Does Tapo iOS app live stream via cloud or LAN?

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
Does Tapo iOS app live stream via cloud or LAN?
Does Tapo iOS app live stream via cloud or LAN?
2020-10-20 05:12:00 - last edited 2020-10-27 08:09:27
Model: Tapo C100  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version:

I have just set up a C100 camera and have a concern about privacy and security. I have the Tapo app installed on my iPhone and iPad. When I view the camera via the Tapo app at home, is the live stream from the camera completely contained within my LAN or is it going out to a third-party server (cloud)?

 

The reason I ask is that the app can still show a live stream if I deny it access to my LAN within iOS. So if the app and the C100 are on the same LAN, is the live stream being served via a cloud or directly from the C100 to the Tapo app on my LAN?

 

One other test I did was switch off WiFi on my iPhone so my iPhone was not on my LAN anymore. Yet, the Tapo app was still able to live stream video from the C100.

 

Please could someone clarify if the C100 and/or the Tapo iOS app are communicating via a cloud service or within my LAN only. I don't want any external communications between the C100 and the Tapo app.

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Re:Does Tapo iOS app live stream via cloud or LAN?-Solution
2020-10-20 06:52:43 - last edited 2020-10-27 08:09:27

@Evoke 

Good day,

Thank you very much for your time and patience.

For the Tapo cameras, they are still cloud cameras which support remote control;

So during remote control, it would communicate via cloud server when out of local LAN;

But if the camera and mobile phone are connected to the same local network, the camera would communicate with the APP via local LAN, not via the cloud;

Thanks a lot.

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Re:Does Tapo iOS app live stream via cloud or LAN?-Solution
2020-10-20 06:52:43 - last edited 2020-10-27 08:09:27

@Evoke 

Good day,

Thank you very much for your time and patience.

For the Tapo cameras, they are still cloud cameras which support remote control;

So during remote control, it would communicate via cloud server when out of local LAN;

But if the camera and mobile phone are connected to the same local network, the camera would communicate with the APP via local LAN, not via the cloud;

Thanks a lot.

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Re:Does Tapo iOS app live stream via cloud or LAN?
2020-10-20 08:11:49

@Brook Thank you!

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Re:Does Tapo iOS app live stream via cloud or LAN?
2020-10-20 09:31:16

@Brook A follow-up question:

 

If the C100 and my iPhone are on the same LAN (at home), and if I disable Local Network access to the app (Settings-->Privacy in iOS), does the app and the C100 still communicate on my local LAN?

 

My understanding is that the Local Network requirement by the Tapo app is only for discovering new cameras on the LAN.

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Re:Does Tapo iOS app live stream via cloud or LAN?
2020-10-27 08:13:26

@Evoke 

Good day,

Thank you for your kind reply.

Sorry for the delay.

Yes, you are right.

If the Local Network access to the app has been disabled, the camera would not be found on the Tapo APP when the smartphone is on the same Wi-Fi;

But you would access it remotely;

Thank you very much.

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Re:Does Tapo iOS app live stream via cloud or LAN?
2020-12-19 12:12:31

@Evoke 

Evoke wrote

I have just set up a C100 camera and have a concern about privacy and security. I have the Tapo app installed on my iPhone and iPad. When I view the camera via the Tapo app at home, is the live stream from the camera completely contained within my LAN or is it going out to a third-party server (cloud)?

 

The reason I ask is that the app can still show a live stream if I deny it access to my LAN within iOS. So if the app and the C100 are on the same LAN, is the live stream being served via a cloud or directly from the C100 to the Tapo app on my LAN?

 

One other test I did was switch off WiFi on my iPhone so my iPhone was not on my LAN anymore. Yet, the Tapo app was still able to live stream video from the C100.

 

Please could someone clarify if the C100 and/or the Tapo iOS app are communicating via a cloud service or within my LAN only. I don't want any external communications between the C100 and the Tapo app.

 

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