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Overview

This guide walks you through connecting a TP-Link Tapo camera to Seam. Seam reaches Tapo cameras over the local network, so you need a Seam Bridge running on a computer on the same network as the camera. The camera must already be set up in the Tapo app and connected to Wi-Fi. You connect each Tapo camera separately. Repeat this guide for every camera you want to add.
Tapo cameras are in beta. Tapo, camera events, event media, and live video are available in every workspace.

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Step 1: Create a Camera Account in the Tapo App

Seam signs in to the camera with a Camera Account, a local username and password that you create for the camera in the Tapo app. This is not your TP-Link ID or the password you use to sign in to the Tapo app.
  1. In the Tapo app, open the camera.
  2. Open the camera’s settings, and go to Advanced Settings > Camera Account.
  3. Create a username and password, and save them.
On recent Tapo firmware, you may also need to turn on third-party access. In the Tapo app, go to Me > Tapo Lab > Third-Party Compatibility and turn it on. Event recordings always require Third-Party Compatibility. If you want Seam to retrieve event recordings, also make sure the camera has a microSD card and that recording is turned on in the Tapo app. You enter your Tapo account password in Step 4.

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Step 2: Find the Camera’s Local Address

Seam needs the camera’s IP address or hostname on your local network.
  1. Find the camera’s IP address in the camera’s device information in the Tapo app, or in your router’s list of connected devices.
  2. In your router, reserve this IP address for the camera (a DHCP reservation). If the camera’s address changes later, the connection to Seam stops working.
Tapo cameras serve ONVIF on port 2020 by default. Use that port unless you know your camera uses a different one.

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Step 3: Install Seam Bridge

Install Seam Bridge on a computer that stays on and is connected to the same local network as the camera. See the setup guide for your operating system:

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Step 4: Connect via Connect Webview

  1. Open the Connect Webview provided by your application. It must offer Tapo (default Connect Webviews do), and Seam must have turned on Tapo for the application’s workspace.
  2. Select Tapo as the provider.
  3. Follow the Seam Bridge instructions, then enter the pairing token that Seam Bridge displays.
  4. On the Connect your Tapo camera screen, enter the following details:
  1. Select Connect camera. Seam verifies the camera through the Seam Bridge before it creates the connected account. If you entered a Tapo account password, Seam also checks it with the camera.
To add or change the Tapo account password later, reconnect the same camera through a new Connect Webview and enter the password. Seam keeps the existing connected account and device. If you leave the field empty when you reconnect, Seam keeps the password it already has, but only if you enter the same camera address and ONVIF port as before. If the address or port changed, enter the Tapo account password again, or the camera reconnects without event recordings.

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Step 5: Verify the Connection

After connecting, verify that the camera appears as a device with the tapo_camera device type and shows as online. Before offering or opening a live view, check that the device’s can_stream_live_video capability flag is true. The camera and its paired Seam Bridge must both be online. See Stream Live Video for the client-session and browser workflow. Each Tapo device exposes the following metadata in device.properties.tapo_metadata:
  • model: The model reported by the camera, for example C200.
  • firmware_version: The camera’s firmware version.
  • hardware_version: The camera’s hardware version.

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Troubleshooting

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The camera rejects the Camera Account credentials

The Connect Webview shows “The camera rejected these Camera Account credentials.” Check that you entered the Camera Account username and password from the camera’s Advanced Settings > Camera Account screen, not your TP-Link ID. If you changed the Camera Account after connecting, reconnect the camera.

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The camera rejects the Tapo account password

The Connect Webview shows “The camera rejected this Tapo account password.” Enter the password you use to sign in to the Tapo app, not the Camera Account password. To connect without event recordings, leave the Tapo account password empty.

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Seam can’t verify the Tapo account password

The Connect Webview shows “Unable to verify the Tapo account password with the camera.” Check that Third-Party Compatibility is turned on in the Tapo app and that the camera and Seam Bridge are online, then try again. To connect without event recordings, leave the Tapo account password empty.

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Event recordings are unavailable

If all media for the camera ends in the unavailable status, the camera may be connected without the Tapo account password. Reconnect the camera and enter it. If only some media is unavailable, check that the camera has a microSD card with free space and that recording is turned on in the Tapo app.

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Seam can’t verify the camera

The Connect Webview shows “Unable to verify the camera.” Check that:
  • The camera is powered on and online in the Tapo app.
  • The camera address and ONVIF port are correct.
  • Seam Bridge is running and connected on the same local network as the camera.
  • Third-Party Compatibility is turned on, if your camera’s firmware offers it.

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The camera shows as offline

Seam marks the camera offline when the Seam Bridge can’t reach it. Check the camera’s power and Wi-Fi connection, and check that the computer running Seam Bridge is on and connected to the same network.

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The connected account reports that the camera has changed

Seam checks the camera’s serial number each time it connects. If another device now uses the camera’s address, for example after the router assigned it a new IP address, Seam stops using the connection. Reserve the camera’s IP address in your router, then reconnect the camera with its current address.

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Motion events aren’t arriving

Motion events need camera events turned on for your workspace, an online Seam Bridge, and motion detection turned on for the camera in the Tapo app. If the Bridge disconnects, motion that occurs while it is offline isn’t reported later.