KC310 cameras not available for purchase individually.

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KC310 cameras not available for purchase individually.

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KC310 cameras not available for purchase individually.
KC310 cameras not available for purchase individually.
2020-08-06 17:17:17

I purchased the Kasa Spot Wire-Free Camera System, Model KC310S2.

The solution comes with:

 

  1. (2) KC310 Cameras aka Kasa Cam 310
  2. (1) KH310 Hub aka Kasa Hub 310

 

Perhaps I should have researched better as I thought this "solution" would be a good starting point that could be expanded by adding cameras. I wrongly assumed that I could add additional cameras on to cover other parts of my home after the intial two. It turns out that you can't add additional cameras to the hub that you have already paid for. The reason I asked the question was that I didn't see the cameras sold seperately on the site. I was wanting to add three additional cameras to cover my back yard, my west side yard and my driveway. Apparently, I have to buy two additional kits for a total of 4 cameras and 2 additional hubs to do this. My question is, "Why would I need the two additional hubs?" Purchasing unnecessary items is a waste of money, akin to needing car tires and having to buy the rims and axle each time.

 

I spoke to live chat a bit ago. First a word about the live support, I clicked the "talk to live agent" link, the chat client told me it was conneting me, to "Daryl" who had a generic female avatar, and then I got nothing. I waited a bit then typed "hello?" and waited a bit more, then typed a few more times and nothing. Most chat systems will tell you how many people you are behind, and show where you are in the queue, but not this one. After a bit, I disconnected, reconnected and tried again and still got nothing after another wait, I disconnected and reconnected a third time and just as I was about to give up, "Daryl" finally replied.

 

After asking my question, Daryl went was away for a bit to do some research and when he returned, he informed me that the cameras that are part of this bundle can't be purchased seperately. He also told me that none of the other cameras work with the solution as all of the outdoor cameras are part of bundles. 

 

After a spending a bit of time miffed, I thought perhaps I had taken the wrong approach to asking my question and connected again with the live chat. I got a different agent, so I asked this question instead. "How many cameras does the KH310 support?" The support person replied "KH310?" I was a bit baffled that he didn't know the product swell enough to recognize that the KH310 was the hub included in the bundle. I explained it to him. He asked me to hold while he looked into it. He came back with the same reply that the other agent provided. In essence, he didn't answer my question about how many cameras the hub would support, but only that "That is the only way you can buy it." Again, no information on "WHY" a hub is required for every two camera, only that its the only way they can be purchased.

 

Now that I know, I am going to research a scalable replacement for these cameras. I really like them and am bummed about having to change them, but having to buy unnecessary components to add cameras on is ludicrous. I worked with surveillance systems for years and have never encountered anything this silly. Besides the sale of additional cameras, when I replace them, they will lose the revenue from the Kasa Care I pay for monthly.

 

Since I can't seem to get a technical reason for why this is necessary, I am left to assume that this is some stupid marketing idea. C'est la vie.

 

TLDR; ALL OF THE OUTDOOR/WIRELE$$ CAMERA$ MUST BE PURCHA$ED TWO AT A TIME WITH A HUB A$ PART OF A KIT.

 

 

 

 

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Re:KC310 cameras not available for purchase individually.
2020-08-06 21:54:23

@Egalitaire 

 

It is not that a hub is required, it is just how they are sold. 

 

To answer your original question, you can have up to 16 cameras on one hub. However, they are only sold in kits.

 

It is the same situation with our powerline adapter kits like the TL-WPA8630 for example. Some users only want the wireless adapter rather than both, but that is now how they are sold.

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Re:KC310 cameras not available for purchase individually.
2020-10-27 19:47:25

@Egalitaire It seems as if the hub can accomodate more than 2 cameras. I had the same question, but as you have discovered, you cannot buy any additional cameras without buying the hub as well. Maybe someone will rethink this policy and offer additional cameras for this system.I'm pretty sure other camera systems aren't oppose to you expanding your hardware. Yup, just checked. Other competitors allow you to purchase "add on" cameras.

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Re:KC310 cameras not available for purchase individually.
2021-10-20 00:43:46

@Egalitaire 

I get the frustration but I have read online and also in a post here, that 16 cameras can be connected to one hub.  I myself just purchased another KC310 kit to add to my current one and the only way to buy it is with a hub.  I actually tried to add the new hub to the existing network because I wasn't sure how the best way to add another set of cameras.   The cameras immediately searched and found the current hub and by passed the new one.  So I now have 4 cameras on one hub and zero on the other.  So I removed the new hub and put it up for safe keeping.  

I have a theory,  like most things marketing and packaging is done to make things easier and cheaper for them. Rather than dealing with people not paying attention and only buying the spot cameras and not knowing they needed the hubs, KASA figured they would just make it that you have to buy a kit including the hub.  So you get a hub no matter if you need it or not.  That way it cuts down on all the customer service calls and repackaging. 

You can see this in the hardware pack as well.  I have the KASA eyeball outdoor camera on my patio and have it plugged in via USB to power.  KASA uses the same hardware pack with the same number of screws and cable ties in the spot cameras as the eyeball, which have no cables to tie, as the outdoor eyeball.

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