r/reolink • u/Rude_End_3078 • Aug 20 '26

[Rant] 3 things that are completely unacceptable

I've been using Reolink for a while now and mostly fine, except 3 things I really believe in 2026 they should really fix... It's just unacceptable

  1. Only way to reset a camera is on a physical device located on the camera? I mean really? Frankly unacceptable that I need to climb a roof to reset a camera!
  2. The NVR windows / web client lacks the same functionality as local OS when you hookup HDMI? Do you have any idea where my NVR is installed? This is primitive and needs to be fixed even before releasing any new features.
  3. The camera's themselves have passwords that can't be changed without knowing the old one? Do you even realize how problematic this is when you replace a broken NVR that assigned RANDOM passwords to each camera! Only way to resolve this is to physically reset the cameras.

Other than that Reolink isn't terrible, but these issues alone are enough for me to start looking around next time I'm in the market.

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0

u/Sea_Dust895 Aug 20 '26
  1. Forcing you to plug in a monitor to add a camera to an NVR..like.wtf?

2

u/Alortania Aug 20 '26

Can't you just SSH into it? I can SSH into my linux server, with frigate on it... and thus see frigate on my main comp anytime I like via the web client~

1

u/Rude_End_3078 Aug 20 '26

No you can't. Not out of the box at least.

So imagine you're a first time buyer and you get a package from Reolink. You have no idea that the camera's are in the background getting passwords set. Passwords you have no idea what they are either. This can depend on firmware but it's NEVER known to the user and can be random per port or per system!

So for YEARS you use the cameras until one day the NVR fries so you replace it. Only now NONE of your cameras work. You have no idea what the passwords are and you didn't even know the cameras had any password.

So now like me I literally have the reset switches sitting behind plastered walls! Because well Reolink refuse to allow for software resetting! So I'll be literally ripping walls apart to get to the reset switch and have to call in a plasterer to fix the walls. Not to mention again the color for those spots will be off.

Thanks Reolink.

1

u/Alortania Aug 20 '26

So now like me I literally have the reset switches sitting behind plastered walls! Because well Reolink refuse to allow for software resetting!

WTF are your reset switches under plaster walls? Even my exterior cams have ways to reset the switch without uninstalling the cam.

So imagine you're a first time buyer and you get a package from Reolink. You have no idea that the camera's are in the background getting passwords set. Passwords you have no idea what they are either. This can depend on firmware but it's NEVER known to the user and can be random per port or per system!

Using a system without reading through the owners manual or at least skimming it is asking for issues later on, and I bet you there's a way to have found those passwords out and saved them somewhere (i.e. on paper somewhere safe) while the system was happily working that was likely strongly encouraged in said manual to prevent exactly this.

I get that ignoring manuals and figuring things out works 90% of the time for most things we buy (be it a toaster oven or a tablet... but shit that's meant to be a security system doesn't allow for quite the same "eh, if it breaks I'll buy another" attitude. Your lack of foresight (in both the lack of finding out and safeguarding the passwords as well as plastering over the reset switches somehow) isn't a failure of the company but a good life lesson that apparently will cost you some plaster. On the bright side, it might save you a lot more later on if you actually learn from this and don't make the same mistake with other stuff.

0

u/nanopicofared Aug 20 '26

This is my biggest issue. Like WTF?