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[Watcher]

What started as an update from MyDLink Lite to MyDlink app, turned into a 5-hout upgrade nightmare.
First the app migrated my configured cameras. So far so good. Next it suggested upgrading the firmware on DCS-960L and DCS-5050L (the latter is a different story). The only options were to upgrade or do it later. How bad can it be? After all, the developers must have improved their skills over the past years and started introducing fewer bugs? Wrong.

After the upgrade I could not longer connect to the camera's web interface on HTTP with custom port set to 8100, DCS-100 stopped recording. Providing just the IP address of the camera redirected me to the HTTPS protocol. So far so good. I wen to Network settings and disabled HTTPS (as well as Bonjour and UPNP, which were disabled before). Saved. Still can't access on 8100 that was still defined as the port in the settings, but port 80 brought me to the web interface. Set the port to 80, saved, then to 8100, saved. This time I could not access the camera on either port. So only factory reset was left as an option.

After Factory reset, I went the app-setup path. Bummer. It configured everything gine, but also changed the default blank password to something random, without giving me the oprtion to set the password in the app! Web interface is still out of reach. Another Factory reset.

This time, I connected using WPS. Bingo. Then I downgraded the firmware to 1.06 (I previously had 1.04) and set port to 8100. It worked!

Upgraded to 1.07. Still worked.

Upgraded manually to 1.09. Broken. So the culprit is 1.09 Factory reset again and downgraded to 1.07. Now on to restore all the settings. Though I now notice regular drop-outs in connection, so I may downgrade even further.

PS: Why is Adobe Flash stiill required when it has been discontinued by Adobe?

[FurryNutz]

Since the FWs were inclusive of adobe then, it was not removed. So don't use the latest FW if you need a custom HTTP port. I don't.
mydlink app still connects to my 960L fine for my needs.

No sure if D-link will do anything regarding adobe since the app works with the camera and the camera isn't supported anymore.

[Watcher]

When will I learn to never upgrade D-Link cameras. (at least 5020L is back to 1.14 and working again)

Too late now, since I went through several factory reset cycles. Motion detection settings are lost and can no longer be set on camera. Another issue that appeared, is that DCS-100 started losing connection to the camera exactly every 5 minutes. Looks like something is wrong with the video stream (even after a full downgrade to 1.04), because the router sees the camera's signal loud and uninterrupted. I tried several different video settings and bitrates.

Incidentally, I still see this camera sold in our local electronics store. I am starting to wonder if I should replace my park of cameras with something less volatile during updates and setup.

[FurryNutz]

That would be the retailer that is selling un-sold units.

The 960L first came out 8 years ago. When I first got mine. I'm still using a 933L, 936L and 960L. All working great. No plans on changing...Though I have added a DCS-8000L since it was online on sale. Though newer DCS cameras have less web page interactions and all setup and used via the mobile app now days. I believe one reason for this is having the camera a bit more secure. So advanced users may not like not having web page access on some newer cameras.

[FurryNutz]

"June 08, 2020 NOTICE - All versions of this device model will no longer receive firmware updates or technical support
after the End of Support date (EOS): August 07, 2020."

[Watcher]

That would be the retailer that is selling un-sold units.

The 960L first came out 8 years ago. When I first got mine. I'm still using a 933L, 936L and 960L. All working great. No plans on changing...Though I have added a DCS-8000L since it was online on sale. Though newer DCS cameras have less web page interactions and all setup and used via the mobile app now days. I believe one reason for this is having the camera a bit more secure. So advanced users may not like not having web page access on some newer cameras.

Perfectly good cameras
Still, my favourite remains the DCS-2332L. I've got two of those, in addition to 2670L, 2630L, and the abobe-mentioned 5020L and 960L.
I am actually against over-web setup, because of stuff like this: https://www.welivesecurity.com/2019/05/02/d-link-camera-vulnerability-video-stream/
Much better to have a camera, which is not accessible externally for setup/configuration purposes.

Now, if only I caould manage to figure out why I started getting stream drops every 5 minutes on the tick after all these FW up and downgrade cycles. Never seen such behaviour before.

[FurryNutz]

UPDATE (May 31): D-Link has released a statement acknowledging ESET’s findings: “D-Link is aware of the reported security issue and has been working diligently to investigate and resolve the issues. Some of the vulnerabilities have already been addressed in the currently available firmware version (available through the mydlink app and here). We will provide updates as soon as we have more information.”

So I presume some of these vulnerabilities have been patched by now. There been odd issues in older and newer gen cameras. I'm sure D-Link isn't the only one either. 

[RYAT3]

Too late now, since I went through several factory reset cycles. Motion detection settings are lost and can no longer be set on camera. Another issue that appeared, is that DCS-100 started losing connection to the camera exactly every 5 minutes. Looks like something is wrong with the video stream (even after a full downgrade to 1.04), because the router sees the camera's signal loud and uninterrupted. I tried several different video settings and bitrates.

Are you using Internet Explorer? 

[Watcher]

I use FireFox, but have all the other major browsers available, and tried IE, Edge, Chrome, Safari, and Yandex.

Anyway, I found what the source of the drop-out problem was. I remembered that I struggled with it a few years back, when I first bought the camera. It is the "Anti flicker" Image Setup setting. Turning it off fixes the video stream drop-out problem and the accompanying over-exposure of the image. (It was over-exposure that reminded me what the issue was). It seems that anti-flicker in either 50 or 60HZ overtaxes the system, causing the camera to stop encoding the stream. It is not fixed in 1.07. The camera has now run stably for several days on 1.07 with Anti-flicker set to "Off".

And 1.09 broke the custom port setting, so it's a no-option.