The D-Link HD Wireless N Day/Night Outdoor Cloud Camera (DCS-2330L) ($179.99) is a weatherproof networked security camera that delivers a sharp 720p video stream. It’s also equipped with a generous feature set that includes Wi-Fi connectivity, motion detection, a built-in microphone, and email alerts. It offers an easy way to keep an eye (and an ear) on what’s going on outside of your home or business using your Web browser or smartphone, and it will record video and audio to an onboard microSD card. Its ease of use and impressive video quality earn it our Editors’ Choice for outdoor security cameras.

Design and Installation
The DCS-2330L is similar in design to the D-Link Day/Night Network Cloud Camera 1150 (DCS-933L) ( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) , but at 5.5 by 3.6 by 2.6 inches (HWD) it is slightly larger. It comes with a sturdy white plastic stand that can be screwed into a soffit and has a pivot hinge that allows you to position the camera for optimal coverage.

The weatherproof housing, white with a glossy black face, is IP65 compliant and offers protection against dust and moisture. The camera will operate in temperatures ranging from -13 degrees to 133 degrees Fahrenheit and features a one-megapixel CMOS sensor, a 3.45mm focal length, and a built-in Passive Infrared Sensor (PIR) with a 15-foot motion detection range. Field of view angles are 57.8 (horizontal), 37.8 (vertical), and 66 (diagonal) degrees, and the DCS-2330L will stream video at resolutions of up to 1280 by 720. In comparison, the Schlage WCO100NX Home Outdoor Camera ($209.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) tops out at just 640 by 480.

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The front of the camera holds the lens, a light sensor, a microphone, an infrared LED for night vision, and power and Wi-Fi LED indicators. A 3-inch Wi-Fi antenna is mounted on the left, and the rear of the camera contains a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) button and two weatherproof covers that protect a power jack, an Ethernet port, a microSD card slot, and a Reset button. D-Link does not include a microSD card with this camera, but they do throw in an Ethernet cable.

If you have a D-Link Cloud router, installing the DCS-2330L is a snap thanks to the Zero-Configuration feature, which automatically configures the camera for you and adds it to your mydlink.com account. I don’t have a D-Link router, so I used the manual configuration method, which was quick and painless. I went to mydlink.com and downloaded the setup file for the DCS-2330L. Then I ran the wizard, which instructed me to connect the camera to my router using the included Ethernet cable, plug in the power adapter, and look for a green light. I hit Next, selected my camera from the list, and entered a password for the camera. The wizard searched for and found my wireless router SSID, and I entered my network password and unplugged the Ethernet cable. After a minute or so, I was asked to enter my mydlink account user name and password (if you don’t have an account yet, you can create one at this point) and the camera was added to my account.

Features and Performance
Once the DCS-2330L is added to your mydlink account, you can go in and name it and enable features such as email notifications, motion detection, and scheduled recording. Here you can also view live video as well as video recorded to the SD card. To set up motion detection, you use a pencil tool to identify where in the viewing area you want to monitor movement and use a slider to adjust sensitivity. While viewing live video, a motion icon and a recording button located in the upper right-hand corner are illuminated when motion is detected.

Clicking the Advanced Settings button launches a Web-based control panel that contains a live feed as well as Infrared (IR) light sensitivity settings, Infrared Cut-Removable (ICR) filter triggers, IP access permissions, and a slew of network, Wi-Fi, audio, and video settings. There’s also a wizard that walks you through the Motion Detection setup process and an administrative page where you can change passwords and create user lists.

During my testing the DCS-2330L delivered a crisp daytime image at 720p with bold colors and decent frame rates that varied according to my network’s performance. The camera’s digital zoom function worked well, but picture quality deteriorated when zoomed to the max (10x). Night vision was in black and white and not as sharp as the daytime picture; objects beyond 15 feet or so (from the camera) appeared somewhat muddy. Still, imagery within the 15-foot radius was clean and detailed.

When I first installed the camera, I began receiving numerous email alerts and the SD card was filling up with shorts clips that showed no activity. As it turns out the default sensitivity level was way too high and the wind was triggering a motion event. Once I adjusted the sensitivity (about 25 percent) it worked flawlessly. Video recorded to the SD card looked as good as the live feed.

Conclusions
With the D-Link HD Wireless N Day/Night Outdoor Cloud Camera (DCS-2330L) you can monitor what’s going on outside of your house using your smartphone or a Web browser, and the camera will send you an email when someone (or something) has entered your specified detection zone. It will also record the event and store it on a local SD card. We wish it offered online video storage like the Dropcam Pro ($299.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) and a bit more night vision range would be nice, but it streams highly detailed and colorful daytime video over Wi-Fi and is a cinch to install. As such, it is our Editors’ Choice for outdoor security cameras.