Many sources suggest that Eufy cameras are supported, but in reality, they aren’t. They require a local hub for setup, even if you’re only planning to stream locally, and the setup process is quite frustrating.
Consider exploring other options instead. For instance, the Reolink Argus 3 Pro offers easy setup, no hub required, and excellent performance for both local and remote streaming.
I have six Eufy cameras and the local hub (which came as a package). They operate fantastic, the integration with HA is excellent, but occasionally unstable in its releases (I just test it before updating, nbd!), and there is no membership service or continuous charge associated with them.
I have been quite satisfied with Amcrest and Reolink.
+1 for Reolink. I disabled their internet access and just allowed them to use Home Assistant locally.
But one feature that I truly like is the integrated remote access. I know that is not the best option in terms of security, but it is ideal for a beginner.
Can you still view footage if you block their internet access, or do the cameras operate outside of the network?
No. However, if you have connected the cameras into Home Assistant, you can view the footage from there. This is what I have done.
If I need direct access to the cameras, I connect via VPN to my home network.
So you access Home Assistant remotely and get a live feed? And then to retrieve the camera footage, you would go directly to the nvr or computer software?
Sorry, new to Home Assistant and trying to figure out the optimal settings.
That is correct. I can see the live feed immediately from Home Assistant (which is available remotely), and if I need to access the footage (to check on something that happened in the past), I connect via VPN to the NVR (in my case, a Synology NAS). But I rarely do this; generally, I only need the live view.