Victory for Local Control: TP-Link Enables Third-Party Compatibility
On November 5, 2023, I reported a security vulnerability to TP-Link. They addressed the issue, but by April 2024, users began reporting that their Tapo cameras had stopped working with this integration (see issue).
Thankfully, a temporary workaround was discovered soon after: disabling the cameras' internet access and performing a factory reset restored full functionality.
Then, on May 8, 2024, I was personally affected by this change. Motivated to find a lasting solution, I developed a proof-of-concept (POC) just a week later. Within two days, the POC was polished and ready for use. This solution worked but required the integration to communicate with the TP-Link cloud temporarily. I reached out to TP-Link to ensure they were comfortable with exposing details of their cloud functionality.
Throughout this whole period, I maintained active communication with TP-Link, seeking a mutually agreeable solution. TP-Link proposed a dedicated cloud endpoint for integration but ultimately decided against implementing it. By October 2024, my proposed solution was also declined.
Finally, the breakthrough came this month: as of December 2024, TP-Link has introduced a toggle in the Tapo app that re-enables local communication. This new feature, available on any firmware version and with internet-enabled cameras, allows seamless integration with Home Assistant and other third-party tools implementing the local protocol.
To activate this feature, simply go to your Tapo App (version 3.8.103 and later) and then click on:
Me > Tapo Lab > Third-Party Compatibility > On.
This is the best outcome we could have hoped for. It restores full local control, reaffirms TP-Link’s commitment to the open-source community, and ensures continued compatibility with Home Assistant.
TL;DR:
Cameras are now fully functional online with the latest firmware. Enable Third-Party Compatibility in the Tapo app to integrate seamlessly with Home Assistant and other third-party tools.
Note:
- iOS version is released globally as per 2024-12-14.
- Android version is not released to all countries as per 2024-12-14. In my opinion, it might take a few days, or possibly a week or two for the staged rollout to be completed.