D-Link DCS-950G (DO NOT BUY)

You don't have to believe me - read all the posts! I thought I would
ignore the posts and purchase one - since my set-up was going to be
simple and straightforward ... but even then, this Camera couldn't
perform its most basic job. The built-in web server tends to stop
responding periodically.

I have been on the phone with D-Link, and they have been pretty much
useless. They have no clue how to support their product (if its not in
their knowledge base - then its not a problem).

Over the last couple weeks, I have done some extensive investigative
work trying to replicate the problem and determine the root cause.

I have found out the following...

Main Problem: Port 80 stops responding periodically.

At the time of the problem, I performed a port scan on the camera -
Here are the results

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>nmap 192.168.1.150 -A -sV

Starting Nmap 4.01 ( http://www.insecure.org/nmap ) at 2006-04-15 11:48
Eastern
Daylight Time
Interesting ports on 192.168.1.150:

(The 1669 ports scanned but not shown below are in state: closed)

PORT STATE SERVICE VERSION
5000/tcp open UPnP?
5001/tcp open commplex-link?
5100/tcp open admd?
MAC Address: 00:61:64:6D:2D:30 (Unknown)
Device type: general purpose
Running: Linux 2.4.X|2.5.X
OS details: Linux 2.4.0 - 2.5.20
Uptime 0.837 days (since Fri Apr 14 15:45:25 2006)

Nmap finished: 1 IP address (1 host up) scanned in 123.447 seconds
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When the Camera is working....
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
nmap 192.168.1.150 -A -sV

Starting Nmap 4.01 ( http://www.insecure.org/nmap ) at 2006-04-15 12:57
Eastern
Daylight Time
Interesting ports on 192.168.1.150:
(The 1668 ports scanned but not shown below are in state: closed)
PORT STATE SERVICE VERSION
80/tcp open http (GoAhead-Webs embedded httpd)
5000/tcp open UPnP?
5001/tcp open commplex-link?
5100/tcp open admd?
MAC Address: 00:61:64:6D:2D:30 (Unknown)
Device type: general purpose
Running: Linux 2.4.X|2.5.X
OS details: Linux 2.4.0 - 2.5.20
Uptime 0.002 days (since Sat Apr 15 12:56:22 2006)

Nmap finished: 1 IP address (1 host up) scanned in 116.527 seconds
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So realizing that it is using the GoAhead Web Server
(http://webserver.goahead.com/webserver/webserver.htm), I did some more
research and it turns out, THE GoAhead WEB SERVER IS FULL OF BUGS.

http://data.goahead.com/Software/Web....8/release.htm

After going through the list, I suspected that I was experiencing
....(http://data.goahead.com/Software/Web...nnect-bug01865)

I confirmed my suspicions by telnetting into the Camera on port 80, and
disconnecting (closing the window; keeping the socket open). I tried
to telnet back in to the camera - Connection Refused! Tried a
browser... "Page cannot be displayed".

Armed with this knowledge, I decided to call D-Link. Not surprisingly,
they were unable to tell me the version of the web server in their
firmware 1.02 (So I could compare it to the bugs). They also mentioned
that they didn't have a new firmware version - not even in beta.

So naturally, since they didn't have any recourse, they offered me an
exchange. I asked them, what if the exchange has the same issues - can
I return that too and get a refund? ... They stated "no, because your
30 day refund period is up in 4 days). So I asked for a complete
refund and I am shipping it back later this week.

Again, Do not buy this web cam. It is full of bugs and they are unable
to solve them.

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>I have been on the phone with D-Link, and they have been pretty much
>useless. They have no clue how to support their product (if its not in
>their knowledge base - then its not a problem).

Now you know why I won't ever buy another Duh-Link product. I had a
similar camera from them, and discovered that you can bypass the
security on the camera by pointing directly at the appropriate
WWWebpage.

They seem to implement features without thinking, and they certainly
don't test, and their firmware updates are a joke. Don't get me
started.

fwiw,
have dcs2000 here, its ports;
Streaming
Control channel port 5001
Audio channel port 5002
Video channel port 5003
In the router I need to port forward all of these ports in addition to the
html port you assign. Noticed yours is slightly diff on one port number.
Works super. Wish it had two way audio.

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> You don't have to believe me - read all the posts! I thought I would
> ignore the posts and purchase one - since my set-up was going to be
> simple and straightforward ... but even then, this Camera couldn't
> perform its most basic job. The built-in web server tends to stop
> responding periodically.
>
> I have been on the phone with D-Link, and they have been pretty much
> useless. They have no clue how to support their product (if its not in
> their knowledge base - then its not a problem).
>
> Over the last couple weeks, I have done some extensive investigative
> work trying to replicate the problem and determine the root cause.
>
> I have found out the following...
>
> Main Problem: Port 80 stops responding periodically.
>
> At the time of the problem, I performed a port scan on the camera -
> Here are the results
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>>nmap 192.168.1.150 -A -sV
>
> Starting Nmap 4.01 ( http://www.insecure.org/nmap ) at 2006-04-15 11:48
> Eastern
> Daylight Time
> Interesting ports on 192.168.1.150:
>
> (The 1669 ports scanned but not shown below are in state: closed)
>
> PORT STATE SERVICE VERSION
> 5000/tcp open UPnP?
> 5001/tcp open commplex-link?
> 5100/tcp open admd?
> MAC Address: 00:61:64:6D:2D:30 (Unknown)
> Device type: general purpose
> Running: Linux 2.4.X|2.5.X
> OS details: Linux 2.4.0 - 2.5.20
> Uptime 0.837 days (since Fri Apr 14 15:45:25 2006)
>
> Nmap finished: 1 IP address (1 host up) scanned in 123.447 seconds
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> When the Camera is working....
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> nmap 192.168.1.150 -A -sV
>
> Starting Nmap 4.01 ( http://www.insecure.org/nmap ) at 2006-04-15 12:57
> Eastern
> Daylight Time
> Interesting ports on 192.168.1.150:
> (The 1668 ports scanned but not shown below are in state: closed)
> PORT STATE SERVICE VERSION
> 80/tcp open http (GoAhead-Webs embedded httpd)
> 5000/tcp open UPnP?
> 5001/tcp open commplex-link?
> 5100/tcp open admd?
> MAC Address: 00:61:64:6D:2D:30 (Unknown)
> Device type: general purpose
> Running: Linux 2.4.X|2.5.X
> OS details: Linux 2.4.0 - 2.5.20
> Uptime 0.002 days (since Sat Apr 15 12:56:22 2006)
>
> Nmap finished: 1 IP address (1 host up) scanned in 116.527 seconds
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> So realizing that it is using the GoAhead Web Server
> (http://webserver.goahead.com/webserver/webserver.htm), I did some more
> research and it turns out, THE GoAhead WEB SERVER IS FULL OF BUGS.
>
> http://data.goahead.com/Software/Web....8/release.htm
>
> After going through the list, I suspected that I was experiencing
> ...(http://data.goahead.com/Software/Web...nnect-bug01865)
>
> I confirmed my suspicions by telnetting into the Camera on port 80, and
> disconnecting (closing the window; keeping the socket open). I tried
> to telnet back in to the camera - Connection Refused! Tried a
> browser... "Page cannot be displayed".
>
> Armed with this knowledge, I decided to call D-Link. Not surprisingly,
> they were unable to tell me the version of the web server in their
> firmware 1.02 (So I could compare it to the bugs). They also mentioned
> that they didn't have a new firmware version - not even in beta.
>
> So naturally, since they didn't have any recourse, they offered me an
> exchange. I asked them, what if the exchange has the same issues - can
> I return that too and get a refund? ... They stated "no, because your
> 30 day refund period is up in 4 days). So I asked for a complete
> refund and I am shipping it back later this week.
>
> Again, Do not buy this web cam. It is full of bugs and they are unable
> to solve them.
>

[POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <(E-Mail Removed)> on Mon, 17 Apr 2006 20:00:04
-0400, William P.N. Smith <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>>I have been on the phone with D-Link, and they have been pretty much
>>useless. They have no clue how to support their product (if its not in
>>their knowledge base - then its not a problem).
>
>Now you know why I won't ever buy another Duh-Link product. I had a
>similar camera from them, and discovered that you can bypass the
>security on the camera by pointing directly at the appropriate
>WWWebpage.
>
>They seem to implement features without thinking, and they certainly
>don't test, and their firmware updates are a joke. Don't get me
>started.

My own experience, albeit with different products, has been pretty good.

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR ALT.INTERNET.WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/FAQ_for_alt.internet.wireless>

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

> You don't have to believe me - read all the posts! I thought I would
> ignore the posts and purchase one - since my set-up was going to be
> simple and straightforward ... but even then, this Camera couldn't
> perform its most basic job. The built-in web server tends to stop
> responding periodically.
>
> I have been on the phone with D-Link, and they have been pretty much
> useless. They have no clue how to support their product (if its not in
> their knowledge base - then its not a problem).
>
> Over the last couple weeks, I have done some extensive investigative
> work trying to replicate the problem and determine the root cause.
>
> I have found out the following...
>
> Main Problem: Port 80 stops responding periodically.
>
> At the time of the problem, I performed a port scan on the camera -
> Here are the results
>
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>>nmap 192.168.1.150 -A -sV
>
> Starting Nmap 4.01 ( http://www.insecure.org/nmap ) at 2006-04-15 11:48
> Eastern
> Daylight Time
> Interesting ports on 192.168.1.150:
>
> (The 1669 ports scanned but not shown below are in state: closed)
>
> PORT STATE SERVICE VERSION
> 5000/tcp open UPnP?
> 5001/tcp open commplex-link?
> 5100/tcp open admd?
> MAC Address: 00:61:64:6D:2D:30 (Unknown)
> Device type: general purpose
> Running: Linux 2.4.X|2.5.X
> OS details: Linux 2.4.0 - 2.5.20
> Uptime 0.837 days (since Fri Apr 14 15:45:25 2006)
>
> Nmap finished: 1 IP address (1 host up) scanned in 123.447 seconds
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> When the Camera is working....
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> nmap 192.168.1.150 -A -sV
>
> Starting Nmap 4.01 ( http://www.insecure.org/nmap ) at 2006-04-15 12:57
> Eastern
> Daylight Time
> Interesting ports on 192.168.1.150:
> (The 1668 ports scanned but not shown below are in state: closed)
> PORT STATE SERVICE VERSION
> 80/tcp open http (GoAhead-Webs embedded httpd)
> 5000/tcp open UPnP?
> 5001/tcp open commplex-link?
> 5100/tcp open admd?
> MAC Address: 00:61:64:6D:2D:30 (Unknown)
> Device type: general purpose
> Running: Linux 2.4.X|2.5.X
> OS details: Linux 2.4.0 - 2.5.20
> Uptime 0.002 days (since Sat Apr 15 12:56:22 2006)
>
> Nmap finished: 1 IP address (1 host up) scanned in 116.527 seconds
>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> So realizing that it is using the GoAhead Web Server
> (http://webserver.goahead.com/webserver/webserver.htm), I did some more
> research and it turns out, THE GoAhead WEB SERVER IS FULL OF BUGS.
>
> http://data.goahead.com/Software/Web....8/release.htm
>
> After going through the list, I suspected that I was experiencing
> ..
(http://data.goahead.com/Software/Web...nnect-bug01865)
>
> I confirmed my suspicions by telnetting into the Camera on port 80, and
> disconnecting (closing the window; keeping the socket open). I tried
> to telnet back in to the camera - Connection Refused! Tried a
> browser... "Page cannot be displayed".
>
> Armed with this knowledge, I decided to call D-Link. Not surprisingly,
> they were unable to tell me the version of the web server in their
> firmware 1.02 (So I could compare it to the bugs). They also mentioned
> that they didn't have a new firmware version - not even in beta.
>
> So naturally, since they didn't have any recourse, they offered me an
> exchange. I asked them, what if the exchange has the same issues - can
> I return that too and get a refund? ... They stated "no, because your
> 30 day refund period is up in 4 days). So I asked for a complete
> refund and I am shipping it back later this week.
>
> Again, Do not buy this web cam. It is full of bugs and they are unable
> to solve them.

I've been wanting to do something with live video and have occassionally
looked at various wireless "all-in-one cams". The DCS-950G was one of the
cameras that I looked at very briefly. Your experience pretty much echoes
every other review that I have read on the thing from Amazon, Epinions, and
the more formal hardware review sites. (Basically, the firmware is
seriously bug infested...)

Have you decided on another camera yet? I'm still undecided. Instead of
getting a "all-in-one" camera, I've been thinking also about just getting a
good video capture board and and just using just a regular video camera.

I have three of those Hauppage MediaMVP players. Bought one, then another,
and then a third after Radio Shack started clearing them for $40. Using
GB-PVR, you can do all sorts of cool stuff with them.

With a video capture card, I could not only pipe the live video from the
camera not only to computers but also the three TV's I have the MediaMVP's
hooked up to....