What you need
TP-Link has two camera lines: VIGI (business/professional) and Tapo (consumer smart home). The setup differs slightly between them.
- TP-Link VIGI or Tapo camera on your network
- Camera credentials
- For Tapo: the Tapo app installed on your phone
- A PanoraCast account
Step 1: Enable RTSP (Tapo cameras only)
Tapo cameras have RTSP disabled by default. Open the Tapo app, select your camera, go to Settings > Advanced Settings > Camera Account. Set a username and password here — these are separate from your TP-Link account credentials. This enables RTSP access.
Tapo camera limitations
Not all Tapo camera models support RTSP. Battery-powered models generally do not. Check the TP-Link support page for your specific model's RTSP compatibility before purchasing.
Step 2: Find your camera's IP address
For VIGI cameras, use the VIGI Security Manager software. For Tapo cameras, open the Tapo app, select your camera, and check Device Info for the IP address. You can also check your router's DHCP client list.
Step 3: Copy your RTSP URL
Both VIGI and Tapo use the same RTSP URL format once RTSP is enabled.
# Main stream (stream1)
rtsp://username:[email protected]:554/stream1
# Sub stream (stream2)
rtsp://username:[email protected]:554/stream2Step 4: Add to PanoraCast
In your PanoraCast dashboard, click 'Add Camera', select 'TP-Link', paste the RTSP URL, and test the connection.
Troubleshooting
Common issues:
- RTSP not working on Tapo — Make sure you set a Camera Account in the Tapo app first
- Wrong password — Tapo RTSP credentials are different from your TP-Link account login
- VIGI NVR — For NVR setups, the RTSP URL may include a channel parameter. Check the VIGI manual