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Setup guide · Tested

Connect your TP-Link Tapo camera to storage you own.

Tapo cameras stream locally once you create a Camera Account in the Tapo app. Use that account in Glimpo, not your TP‑Link login.

The password is the Camera Account password. Not your Wi‑Fi password and not your TP‑Link ID. That is the most common reason a camera refuses to connect.

  1. 1

    Install the Glimpo hub

    • Install Glimpo on a Mac or Windows PC, or run the hub on a Raspberry Pi, NAS or Docker host on the same network as the camera.

    Hub install options →

  2. 2

    Make sure streaming is on

    • Creating a Camera Account in the Tapo app is what switches streaming on. There is no separate RTSP switch.
  3. 3

    Find the Camera Account password

    • Open the Tapo app and tap your camera
    • Go to Settings → Advanced → Camera Account
    • Create a username and password just for Glimpo and enter both in Glimpo
  4. 4

    Add it in Glimpo

    • Open Add camera. Glimpo scans your network and lists the cameras it finds
    • Pick “TP-Link Tapo”
    • Enter the username and password
    • Glimpo tests the login before saving, and tells you exactly what went wrong if it fails
  5. 5

    Choose where footage goes

    • Add a NAS, folder, WebDAV, S3, B2, R2 or Wasabi destination (Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive are coming soon)
    • Pick a record mode: Events (motion only), Smart 24/7 or Continuous
    • Every clip is encrypted on the hub before upload

Stream links

You rarely need these: Glimpo builds them from the brand tile or asks the camera over ONVIF. They help if you use “RTSP / other URL” or another app.

Main stream (recording)
rtsp://<user>:<password>@<camera-ip>:554/stream1
Sub-stream (grid & motion)
rtsp://<user>:<password>@<camera-ip>:554/stream2

Special characters in a password (like @ or #) must be URL-encoded in a link. Glimpo does this for you when you use a brand tile.

Good to know

  • The most common mistake is typing the TP‑Link ID password. Tapo rejects it on purpose: the Camera Account is a separate local login.
  • Glimpo records the full-quality stream1 and uses stream2 for the camera grid and motion detection, so the hub stays light.

If it doesn’t connect

Glimpo names the problem instead of “connection failed”. What each message means:

“The camera refused that username or password”
Check you used the Camera Account password from Tapo, not your Wi‑Fi password or app login. Glimpo shows how many tries are left before the camera locks itself.
“Streaming to other apps is switched off”
The camera answered but refused video. Go back to step 2 and switch streaming on.
“Nothing answered at that address”
The camera’s IP address may have changed, or it’s on a different network or VLAN from the hub. Run the scan again or check your router’s device list.
“Not on the usual stream link for this brand”
Your model uses a different path. Pick “Any ONVIF camera” so the camera tells Glimpo its links, or paste a custom link.

Full troubleshooting guide →

Related guides

All supported cameras →

Record your TP-Link Tapo cameras to your own cloud.

No Tapo Care needed, and no SD card to lose. Free while it’s in beta, or try the demo first.

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