Review: Edimax IC-7010PTn

Most other IP security cameras we've tested have been static. That means that once they're set up and pointed in a direction, you have to physically move them if you want to focus on a different area. The Edimax IC-7010PTn is different: it's a PTZ IP device, which means you can pan, tilt and zoom the camera and lens remotely.

This extra control often leads to a more expensive camera, but the Edimax IC-7010PTn is competitively priced. It can move 355 degrees horizontally and 120 degrees vertically.

The pan, tilt and zoom functions give you leeway when installing the camera, and the camera's two wireless network aerials make things even easier.

Installation was easy, and the web browser interface offered plenty of options and ways to control the camera. Movement, motion detection and video and audio capture can all be controlled through the browser.

So far so good, but to achieve such a low price, Edimax has made some compromises. The first is that the casing feels far less robust than that of rival IP camera the Y-Cam EyeBall, and we'd hesitate to install it outdoors.

The second is that image quality isn't great, with a lot less detail than the Y-Cam EyeBall.

The infrared illuminators that surround the lens mean it works well in the dark, and can be set to turn on automatically at night. It wasn't as good as some more expensive IP night cameras, but for the price we can't complain.

Verdict

The Edimax IC-7010PTn offers some great features, but doesn't bridge the gap between home and professional use as well as the Y-Cam EyeBall.

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Review: Edimax BR-6428nS

If you're looking to upgrade your home wireless network then the Edimax BR-6428nS 300Mbps wireless broadband router offers a decent upgrade for a very good price.

Going from wireless G to wireless N offers a lot of advantages, including faster wireless speeds and a stronger signal that covers a greater range.

The Edimax BR-6428nS 300Mbps wireless broadband router gives you all of that for around £20 – a lot cheaper than wireless routers such as the Asus RT-N56U Dual Band Wireless-N Router.

The low cost comes at the expense of features, however. This is a very basic router that lacks features such as USB ports and gigabit Ethernet that can be found on a lot of other routers.

While its speeds are certainly better than wireless G routers, it struggles to compete with its competitors. Its set-up procedure is also more complicated than the ones found on Belkin and Netgear routers.

Verdict

It's a small and cheap no-frills router that does the job – but if you're after a more accomplished router with much better performance, it pays to spend a bit more money.