Able to stream live video to any internet-connected PC, network cameras (or IP cameras, if you prefer) are an affordable alternative to expensive CCTV systems and perfect for increasing security at home.
Prices have remained fairly static over the past few years, and the £179 that D-Link's asking for its new DCS-2121 is about what we'd expect given its specs.
The DCS-2121's main claim to fame is a 1.3-megapixel CMOS sensor, enabling it to capture video up to a maximum resolution of 1280 x 1024. It also features built-in 802.11g Wi-Fi, although if your wireless network coverage is less than perfect you can make use of its 10/100Mbps Ethernet socket instead.
We didn't encounter any problems during the installation process. The camera's web-based interface is both clear and well-designed. It comes with easy-to-follow wizards to help novices get things started, but also houses enough manual features to keep experienced users happy.
Both MPEG-4 and MJPEG (Motion JPEG) streaming is offered, with frame rates of up to 30fps. Somewhat annoyingly, though, if you want to use the camera's top resolution of 1280 x 1024 you'll be restricted to MJPEG streaming at 10fps.
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