WGCC Outdoor Wireless 4X PTZ Mini Dome Camera – Unboxing, Setup & Review

Today I am unboxing, setting up and reviewing such features as the PTZ and night vision abilities of this Wireless Mini Dome PTZ Security Camera by WGCC.

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Yes, this is a WiFi camera. As I explained in past videos, I always go for a wired solution but you may need to stretch the boundaries of your network and go wireless. I recently updated my Wii network to some Ubiquiti access points, so the signals should be good and strong. (check out my other videos for how I set up that network)

This 2MP camera supports 4X optical zoom and 30 meters or 100 feet of WiFi range and 60 meters or 200 feet of IR night vision. Anymore that 2MPs sending 15 frames per second over WiFi may run into issues of lost frames if the signal isn’t super strong. PTZ of course stands to Pan, Tilt and Zoom allowing the user to remotely control the position in which the camera’s lens points. These are available on amazon for 190$ US, which is a decent price given the advertised specs.

Let’s have a look inside the box and see what's included:

On the flap we have a thank-you note from the seller with contact information if you run into technical trouble.
Inside the bag, we have a user manual. As always give it a read.
We have a short network cable in case you need to hardwire the device for setup or trouble shooting.
2 small screwdrivers.
A weather sealing gromet for an RJ-45 connection.
Some screws and anchors.
Next, we have a 2-amp power supply. This camera must be powered with this adapter. It does not support PoE and do not use a 12v extension wire from the adapter to the camera or you could damage the interior components. If you need an extension cord, and you most likely will, use a normal extension cord like you would find at a hardware store.
Here is the camera. Nice weight. It feels like a good quality product. It’s cold, so it must be metal. We’ll look at it close up in a second.
Next, we have the WiFi antenna (screw it onto the camera)
Lastly, we have a wall mount. Not a corner mount, but a wall mount. Again, it’s metal and good quality to hold up this camera.

Let's have a look at the camera's features:

At the end of this lead, we have an RJ-45 female connection, a reset button, the 12v power and an RCA audio connection (which we’ll try to get to in another video).
On top here is the WiFi antenna mount where I’ve connected the antenna.
The 2MP camera is in the center with a built-in 4X zoom lens taking you from 2.8mm to 12mm.
There is a light sensor just below it for activating the night vision IR LEDs.
These are the 6 lights around the camera. There seems to be different lenses over the IR lights, possibly for shining the lights at various distances up to 60 meters or 200 feet.
On the back, there is an arrow indicating the 0-degree point. There camera doesn’t swivel around continuously, but rather stops at this point. So, keep that in mind when installing the device as you don’t want that dead spot to be in an area you want to pan through often. Maybe keep that area against the wall.
Here you have a little door to access the memory card, if you choose to add one.

I like the look of the camera, but I’m curious to see how it will hold up in the freezing rain and sleet of winter. I don’t think the moisture will be an issue, but I wouldn’t play with the Pan or Tilt features if it’s caked with ice. I also wonder how the bugs, insects and spiders will treat since there are lots of little hiding spots. You may want to consider locating the camera somewhere where it can be accessed regularly with a broom.

So, that brings us to where should you install this camera?

Well first off, if you want to use WiFi, ensure you are within WiFi range. Maybe look at your WiFI strength on your phone first. (Is there a wifi strength page on the camera??)
Somewhere protected from the weather, if possible. It is an outdoor camera, but if it’s protected under an eave or out of the driving wind, rain and snow, it will last longer and less likely to have rain or snow on the lens impeding your vision.
You’ll want to locate the camera somewhere high. At least 8 feet. It’s a solid piece of equipment but a good punch or a swing or a baseball bat will teach it a good lesson.
Lastly, install it somewhere you can take advantage of its PTZ features. An area where it can see a wide range of points of interest. A parking area, acreage, vegetable garden, inside or outside a warehouse or commercial space. I’ll set it up here, where I can see the front door, garage doors, my driveway and entry to my driveway.

Like always, don’t install the camera until you test it. Let’s do that now.

You can setup the camera using the CamHi app on your phone. You could also reach out to the camera’s support team for PC software to manage the camera, unless you get it included on a CD, which I did not. If all else fails, you use IE, but you will need to hard wire the camera to your network to get started.

I installed the app and very long story short, I could not get the camera to connect to my home Wifi network. I tried multiple networks including 2.4Ghz. It seems like this device and a lot of cameras only support 2.4 and not 5Ghz. Also, it seems like the Wi-Fi Setting page in the Cam Hi apps does not refresh. I turned off my network and the app still showed them as running strong. So that was a deadend.

If you decide to give the app a try, here are the steps:

Plug in the camera and it will emit a WiFi signal.
Connect your phone to that network (screenshot)
The password is 01234567
Back in the CamHi app, click Add Camera
Find the camera by searching on the LAN
Select the device.
The password is already entered for the camera’s control’s access as admin, so click done.
The camera shows in the camera list and is online
Click the gear icon and let’s firstly change the password by selecting Change Password.
Enter the old password of “admin” and enter and confirm your new one.
Click on the gear again and let’s look at the WiFi settings to add this camera to our home network.
Click on the WiFi Manager and check out the different networks and their signal strengths. Select your network.
Enter the WiFi password for your home network
This is where I had troubles but you should be able to connect and then go back into the app and use the PTZ controls.

✔ PRIVACY PROTECTION & EASY USE (2.4G WiFi/ Hotspot/ RJ45 Wired/ Alexa): Wifi Camera's videos won't be saved on any servers, only direct connect with your phone. Download "eSmartCam" App from APP store or Google Play, Quick setup to experience the am...

eLinkSmart WiFi Camera 1920x1080 Home Security PTZ IP Camera Card or Cloud Recording Night Vision 2-Way Audio Motion Detection, Support Alexa

✔ PRIVACY PROTECTION & EASY USE (2.4G WiFi/ Hotspot/ RJ45 Wired/ Alexa): Wifi Camera's videos won't be saved on any servers, only direct connect with your phone. Download "eSmartCam" App from APP store or Google Play, Quick setup to experience the am... read more

(as of May 14, 2024 10:40 GMT -06:00 - )

The app might work for you but if you want to avoid it, use Internet Explorer on your computer to setup the camera by first plugging the camera into your network. Find its IP address by using a free I use all the time called Fing. You can also use this IP Camera Finder V1.0.0.150 tool for generic cameras such as this one.

To setup the camera via Internet Explorer:

Navigate to the IP address and enter the admin:admin credentials.
Switch the language to English.
Click on PC view.
Add the ActiveX control.
On the setting page, click on wireless.
Click on the search button to look for networks within range.
Select your network and enter the credentials.
Click to test the connect and apply once it’s successful.
To log back into the camera, you will need to use the new wireless IP address.
Lastly, update the admin password on the Settings – Advanced – User page.

To install the camera, I used my own screws to fasten the mounting plate to the pillar outside my door. Once in place, attach the camera and secure it to the plate with the screw from the bottom. Lastly plug the camera in. I was going to use the socket in my eave, but it’s too small. Instead I’m using an extension cord.

Using IE to control the camera was great. The controls were very responsive and smooth. The zoom is a little slow when fully zoomed out and the focus took some time.

Once I get the camera connected to my WiFi, the CamHi app connected to it however it was a poor experience. The app is not responsive and it seems like you cannot access the PTZ controls while the camera is focusing. The commands are sent to the camera once the focus is complete causing the camera to move about uncontrollably.

I quickly setup some presets on the camera and they make the experience of using IE that much better. One thing I did notice is that for preset number 1, the zoom factor is not working and the camera movies into position but omits the zoom value.

To record footage, use an SD card and the camera supports ONVIF, meaning you can connect it to BlueIris or to a dedicated NVR.

In conclusion, I was not impressed with the CamHi app, but the camera beat my expectations. There was very little video lag and the built-in web user interface was easy to navigate and offers a lot of configuration. As you saw, the image quality is great with no visible trailing or dropped frames during day and night. Lastly, you need to have a strong WiFi signal in the location of the camera in order to enjoy smooth PTZ operations and the nice image.

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DS-7616NI-I2-16P