--- title: TP-Link Tapo Cameras on Your High Desert Connection url: https://hdiss.net/support/camera-tapo/ business: High Desert Internet Services (HDISS) phone: 775-575-9593, 775-391-5660 email: info@hdiss.net mailing_address: Home base: 200 S Virginia St, Suite 760, Reno NV 89501 (dispatch office, not a walk-in store). Mail: Billing Dept., PO Box 11353, Reno NV 89510 hours: Office open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, seven days a week. Network watched around the clock. type: Fixed wireless internet service provider (homes and small businesses), web hosting, customer email, domain registration service_area: Northern Nevada - Washoe, Lyon, Storey, Churchill and Douglas counties and Carson City; availability is checked address by address (line of sight to a tower) plans: Bronze $50/mo up to 500 Mbps down, up to 200 Mbps up; Silver $75/mo up to 800 down, up to 200 up; Gold $99/mo up to 1 Gig down, up to 200 up; ask about the up to 1 Gig / 1 Gig ultra-low-latency service no_online_purchase: true (check your address or call; existing customers pay at https://www2.fernley.net/hdiss/onlinepay/paymentform.cfm) since: 2002 --- - [Home](https://hdiss.net/) - [Help center](https://hdiss.net/support/) - TP-Link Tapo cameras on your High Desert connection Help center / TVs, cameras, phones and printers # TP-Link Tapo cameras on your High Desert connection TP-Link's support pages say most Tapo cameras connect only on 2.4 GHz, with a few newer models also on 5 GHz, and say each camera needs about 5 Mbps of upload for live streaming, depending on resolution. An SD card keeps recording if the camera loses the router. [Call 775-575-9593](tel:7755759593) [Call 775-391-5660](tel:7753915660) [Webmail](https://hdissmail.hdiss.net/mail/) [Pay Online](https://www2.fernley.net/hdiss/onlinepay/paymentform.cfm) A security camera on a house. Stock photo: Adobe Stock. [Photo credits](https://hdiss.net/photo-credits/) Tapo cameras are made by TP-Link, which also makes routers. The cameras do not need a TP-Link router, only a 2.4 GHz network and enough upload. The page we could reach gives a figure that is higher than some other brands, so plan with it. ## Steps - Check the model's band TP-Link's FAQ says most Tapo cameras are 2.4 GHz only and names a few models, including the C260, C460 and C840, that support 5 GHz. The C120 is 2.4 GHz only. - Make a 2.4 GHz name available during setup Tapo requires an internet connection during initial setup. Use [the band-split article](https://hdiss.net/support/router-split-2-4-and-5-ghz/) if your router merges bands. - Plan on each camera needing about 5 Mbps of upload TP-Link's FAQ says each camera needs about 5 Mbps for live streaming or uploading, and says the recommended bandwidth varies by camera and resolution. - Add up the cameras that stream together Three cameras viewed at once come to a total that needs about 15 Mbps on this basis. - Use an SD card for continuous recording TP-Link says SD card recording continues if the camera loses its connection to the router. - Lower the resolution if your upload is short TP-Link's Australian FAQ suggests lowering resolution when upstream is limited. - Test and watch the signal Use [the speed test guide](https://hdiss.net/guides/how-to-run-a-speed-test/), and check the camera's signal in the app. ## Do I need a TP-Link router to use Tapo? No. The cameras work on any router with a 2.4 GHz network. If your router is a TP-Link, see [TP-Link Archer](https://hdiss.net/support/router-tp-link-archer/) or [Deco](https://hdiss.net/support/router-tp-link-deco/). ## How much data will the camera use? Every service level carries a data transfer limit in the service agreement; ask info@hdiss.net for the size. Use over the limit is billed at $1 per gigabyte in a billing cycle. Guide: [how much data do security cameras use](https://hdiss.net/guides/how-much-data-do-security-cameras-use/). ## Why does the camera disconnect from the app? The app reaches the camera through the internet. If your connection drops, remote viewing drops while an SD card keeps recording. See [the five checks](https://hdiss.net/support/no-internet-five-checks/) for a house-wide drop. ## What if the camera keeps saying offline? Check the 2.4 GHz name first, since most Tapo cameras cannot use 5 GHz. Then check the signal: a camera at the edge of Wi-Fi range drops in and out. Move it closer or add a node. If other devices on the same Wi-Fi are fine, restart the camera by taking its power off for a minute. TP-Link says SD card recording continues if the camera loses the router, so a short gap in the live view does not always mean a gap in the recording. Check the card timeline in the app before you worry. If the live view drops at the same hour each evening, other devices are probably using the upload; the bandwidth guide shows how to look. ## Do I need to go outside or touch the antenna for this? This task never calls for a ladder. The outdoor radio and the cable that runs to it should not be touched by anyone but our technician. ### Sources - [tp-link.com/us/support/faq/2742/](https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/2742/) (TP-Link, Tapo Cameras: Setup, Features and Settings, seen in a search summary 2026-10-15; not opened) - [tapo.com/au/faq/754/](https://www.tapo.com/au/faq/754/) (Tapo, General Questions about the Tapo Camera, seen in a search summary 2026-10-15) ### Talk to a person - Call [775-575-9593](tel:7755759593) [775-391-5660](tel:7753915660) Open 9-5 every day - Email [info@hdiss.net](mailto:info@hdiss.net) [Check my address](https://hdiss.net/check-availability/#check) ### Related help - [Security cameras: how much upload each camera uses](https://hdiss.net/guides/security-camera-upload-use/) - [How much data security cameras use in a month](https://hdiss.net/guides/how-much-data-do-security-cameras-use/) - [Split 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz so a smart device can join](https://hdiss.net/support/router-split-2-4-and-5-ghz/) - [No internet: five checks before you call](https://hdiss.net/support/no-internet-five-checks/) - [Contact support](https://hdiss.net/support/contact-support/) ## More tvs, cameras, phones and printers [Connect a Roku or Roku TV and fix buffering](https://hdiss.net/support/tv-roku/) [Connect an Apple TV and fix buffering](https://hdiss.net/support/tv-apple-tv/) [Connect an Amazon Fire TV and fix buffering](https://hdiss.net/support/tv-amazon-fire-tv/) [Connect a Google TV Streamer or Chromecast and fix buffering](https://hdiss.net/support/tv-google-tv-streamer/) [Connect a Sony, TCL or Hisense Google TV and fix buffering](https://hdiss.net/support/tv-google-tv-sets/) [Connect a Samsung smart TV and fix buffering](https://hdiss.net/support/tv-samsung-smart-tv/) ## Related questions ### Does Tapo have cloud storage? Check TP-Link's site. ### Is 5 GHz better? Faster, shorter range. ### Can I use PoE? Some models. ### Does the Tapo app need a TP-Link ID? It asks for an account. ### Can I use two cameras on one SD card? No, one card per camera. ## Call us. A person answers. 775-575-9593 and 775-391-5660, 9 to 5 every day. Email [info@hdiss.net](mailto:info@hdiss.net). Never climb to the antenna or touch the outdoor radio; that is our job.