I purchased two of these cameras on the same date. After installing them both and monitoring their performance, I saw some clear discrepancies between them. In reviewing the camera settings, I noticed that one has a Hardware Version of 2.6 while the other has Version 1.26. I have observed that model 1.26 experiences *much* faster battery drain than model 2.6. For example, after two partly cloudy days in a row with no rain, the battery on 1.26 dropped to 80%. Model 2.6 has not once dipped below 99% (and that’s with the camera’s light turned on overnight). I’m a bit frustrated that it seems like I was shipped an older model (1.26) which clearly has deficiencies compared to 2.6. I feel I’ve done everything I can to optimize the performance of the camera and yet still the battery drain is extreme. Based on my experience, it seems they’re shipping older models alongside newer ones, with the older models having clear performance problems. I find this inexcusable and am deeply disappointed by this experience. If old stock isn’t performant, then eat the cost and recycle the materials, but don’t sell it to customers. Very dishonest. Update: I messaged Tapo Support a month ago asking about this issue and have not even received so much as an acknowledgment. Complete radio silence. I remain frustrated and completely disappointed by this experience. Update 2: Two months after messaging support, still no reply. Model 1.26 is still draining battery like crazy and model 2.6 is still doing well. I remain convinced that the older models are fundamentally flawed products that should have been removed from storefronts. Update 3: Another reason to absolutely loathe model 1.26: every time there’s a disruption in my wifi signal, the camera goes offline…and STAYS offline. It will NEVER (and I mean never) reconnect. I need to unplug my router for at least 5 minutes and then plug it back in. Only then will the camera reconnect and resume its normal (though still substandard) function. Words do not do justice to the fury I feel about this piece of garbage. Update 4 (edit): After a brief power disruption, the model 1.26 camera went offline and stayed offline (model 2.6 reconnected without any issue). For several hours (and multiple reboots of my router), model 1.26 refused to reconnect, so I climbed on a ladder and took it down to bring it inside. I performed factory reset after factory reset and watched it fail to connect to my WiFi every single time. (This took over an hour.) After doing a good deal of research online and consulting our AI overlords, it seemed highly likely that the older 1.26 model is no longer compatible with more modern routers (of which I recently installed). The AI’s recommendation? Buy an older model router and tether it to my new router. Then try to pair the older Tapo camera to it. Because I’m a complete maniac who refuses to be bested by a piece of plastic, I ordered a new (old) router. Long story short, the Tapo camera paired easily with the new (old) router. This, by no means, turns my 1-star rating review around. I did this to further prove my point. These crooks are shipping cameras so old that they won’t actually pair with new routers. This is indefensible and shouldn’t be permitted. While I’ve reinstalled my camera (battery drain is still horrendous, by the way), I’m still very unhappy. I highly recommend that everyone avoid buying this model of camera and ensure you spend a little more money on a newer variant. You don’t want to go through what I’ve gone through. Update 5: Well, it finally happened. Thieves stole some valuable items from the front of my home. For whatever reason, the camera stopped recording overnight (from about 7pm to 5am. For about 10 hours, it simply stopped working. There was no power or internet disruption that I'm aware of. It simply didn’t record. (I live in a busy city - there's always a few people walking on the sidewalk triggering the camera to record.) During this 10 hour window is when the thieves stole from me. The items stolen were in plain view of the camera. It *always* records people walking in this spot. The camera was working perfectly before and after the crime was committed. I’m going to replace these worthless cameras as soon as possible. And when I do, I will destroy these pieces of garbage so that they spend eternity in a landfill, where they belong. DO NOT BUY THESE CAMERAS.
