I realize this is a little old, but what cameras do you have that interface to HA? I have a few C216's. They show up in a list in HA but when I enter the login credentials it keeps saying invalid.
You need a CAMERA account ON THAT camera to support RTSP ... that camera does support it ... then you use THOSE credentials for HA ...
n the Tapo app:
- Open the camera
- Settings
- Advanced Settings
- Camera Account
- Create username/password
TP-Link specifically states this is a separate credential set from your Tapo account.
That’s what I did. And when I kept getting the invalid error I tried the main TP login and got the same error. I’ll try again later.
Been awhile so I may have given you wrong info - apparently you DO use the tapo CLOUD acccount - i asked chatgtp about it - check these things - you'll get it .... a friend is trying to install the tapo integration to home assistant. He claims he DID create the local account and when he goes to try to add it he is getting invalid error
That is extremely common with Tapo cameras. Usually one of these is the problem:
1. He is using the WRONG credentials
The Home Assistant Tapo integration normally wants:
- the Tapo cloud account email/password
NOT - the Camera Account username/password
People mix these up constantly.
The local Camera Account is mainly for:
- RTSP
- ONVIF
- VLC
- Blue Iris
- Frigate
- Synology
But the official Home Assistant Tapo integration generally authenticates using the TP-Link/Tapo account first.
2. He created the Camera Account but did NOT enable RTSP/ONVIF
On many Tapo cameras:
- creating the Camera Account alone is not enough
- ONVIF or RTSP must also be enabled
In Tapo app:
Settings → Advanced Settings → Camera Account
Then verify:
- account exists
- ONVIF enabled
- RTSP enabled
3. Wrong integration
There are TWO major ways people add Tapo cameras to HA.
Official Tapo integration
Uses:
- Tapo cloud login
Adds:
- motion
- controls
- privacy mode
- status
- etc.
Generic Camera / ONVIF / RTSP
Uses:
- local Camera Account
Different setups entirely.
4. Password issue
Tapo local camera accounts are picky.
Avoid:
- special characters
- spaces
- super long passwords
Use something simple temporarily like:
tapo12345
Test first.
5. Firmware mismatch / outdated HA integration
Some newer Tapo firmware revisions broke older HA integrations.
He should:
- update HA
- update Tapo integration
- update camera firmware
6. IP address problem
If using ONVIF:
- use fixed IP
- confirm same subnet
- test ping
Example:
192.168.1.120
Then test RTSP in VLC first:
rtsp://username:password@192.168.1.120:554/stream1
If VLC fails:
- credentials wrong
- RTSP not enabled
- network issue
If VLC works:
- problem is Home Assistant configuration
What I suspect MOST
If he says:
“I created the local account and HA says invalid login”
then 80% chance he is entering the local Camera Account into the OFFICIAL Tapo integration instead of using his Tapo cloud account.
That catches almost everybody the first time.
Finally found the problem. Didn’t have third party turned on. Thanks.
Started this whole proceedure as I wanted to get motion triggers from the camera's into HE. After many hours and hair pulling I finally got everything installed and running.
Then it turns out the motion triggers aren't available. I can see if the motion enable is turned on or off, but not if motion happens.
Not a happy camper right now.
It must be available in HA in order to be picked up by HADB.
The availability of it might depends on which integration you use. There are more then one.
The one I use (JurajNyiri tapo control) specifically state the binary sensor will only show up after the first movement occurs.
It doesn't appear to be available in HA. Didn't catch that when I started all this.
But motion triggers ARE available in the HA tapo integration - AND can be moved over to hubitat via HADB. I have been using them for well over a year now.
Remember, you won't see them in HE until something triggers them in HA or possibly with a reboot. It will be (in HA) similar to ....Binarysensor.front_outside_office_camera_person_detection
It never showed up on mine. But I will mess with it again in a few days. Too much other stuff going on right now.
Thanks
Yes - because it hasn't triggered yet. FYI - these sensors are ethereal ... they go away with EACH update to the TAPO integration and maybe HA I can't recall.
Go walk in front of one of the cameras in question and see if you person detection gets enabled. THEN and only then can you push it via HADB. and THEN you gotta wait on THAT too. Get that working and I can talk to you about stablizing it so you don't have to futz with it. Worth the effort - it was one reason I added HA to my automation setup - Hubitat is still the king, but I use HA for stuff like this AND for dashboarding vs. Hubitat FAR FAR superior.
I did trigger one several times. But we’ll see again.
What's the entity at the top that says "unknown"? First thing that jumps out to me.
Patrol mode
I see now. Should have looked at @tjfontaine 's screenshot before asking. I don't own these cameras, so I'm not going to be of any use. To @ymerj 's point, you two might be using different integrations if your cameras are the same or similar supported models with the same firmware, or to @tjfontaine's point you might be connected directly to the camera with the integration rather than the cloud account. I noticed that his says "HD Stream", but yours says "HD Stream (Direct)". Not knowing this camera, that to me sounds like a local integration, rather than a cloud integration.
Obviously, if there's no entity on HA then it's impossible for you to get a device created with HADB. You wouldn't even be able to create an automation on HA for the camera's person detection notifications, if there's no Person Detection entity to start with.
recommend you go to the documentation on the integration from HACS ... then under troubleshooting there is a section on this ...
Motion sensor is added only after a motion is detected for the first time.
It also requires ONVIF support on the device. If the device is not exposing Onvif interface (most likely if it is battery or solar powered), motion events will not work.
- Make sure the camera has motion detection turned on
- Make sure the camera has privacy mode turned off
- Make sure the camera can see you and your movement
- If you have webhooks enabled, and your Home Assistant internal URL is reachable on HTTP, make sure camera can reach it.
- Make sure you have correct IP set for Home Assistant. Turn on Advanced Mode under
/profile. Go to/config/networkand underNetwork Adapterverify correct IP is shown for the device. If it is not correct, underHome Assistant URLuncheckAutomaticnext toLocal Networkand set it tohttp://<some IP address>:8123. DO NOT USE HTTPS. - Certain camera firmwares have pullpoint broken, with only webhooks working. If you are not able to run webhooks because of above (https, or vlan setup), binary sensor will never show up.
- Try walking in front of the camera
- If above didn't work, restart the camera and try again
Also make sure that:
- binary sensor is not disabled via entity, check .storage/core.entity_registry for disabled entities, look for "disabled_by": "user" on platform "tapo_control". If it is, remove the whole entity or change to "disabled_by": null, and restart HASS.
- binary sensor is enabled in tapo integration options
- onvif port 2020 on camera is opened
- onvif on camera is not being used more than once concurrently, and is only used by this integration
Been thru all the settings. I have tried with 2 different cameras. Same result. Did reboots, etc. I can verify that the cameras are seeing the motion. I can verify that HA is connected to the cameras as I can control them from HA and see the video.
One thing to point out. I only have person detection enabled. That's the only detection I am interested in. Regular motion NO.