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Camera Cloud Storage – Optimized for Reolink & Axis

1144 words Human made

Published 2025-11-04 06:47:45.889179 by Carsten Blum


Most camera vendors push you toward their own paid cloud solutions, but what if you want full control of your footage?

With ftpGrid’s camera-optimized cloud storage, you can store videos directly from Reolink or Axis cameras using standard FTP or SFTP. No vendor lock-in. No loss of data when an app or firmware update breaks something.


Prefer hands-on over reading tutorials? ftpGrid is built to be intuitive — create a free account and get started instantly.


  • Optimized for Reolink and Axis firmware

  • Full support for FTP, FTPS, SFTP, and SCP

  • GDPR-compliant hosting in Germany (Hetzner)

  • Encryption at rest and in transit

  • Free tier (256 MB) to test your setup

  • Automatic SSL/TLS certificates via Let’s Encrypt


The Problem with Vendor Clouds

“Cloud storage” from big camera brands often means:

  • Monthly subscription fees

  • Limited retention time

  • Footage stored outside the EU

  • Loss of access if you change camera brand

ftpGrid solves that by giving you a standard FTP/SFTP endpoint — so your camera uploads directly to your private, managed storage.You keep the data, not a third party.


How It Works

  1. Your camera records video on motion or schedule.

  2. ftpGrid acts as your secure FTP/SFTP endpoint.

  3. Files are automatically uploaded to /uploads/ in your account.

  4. You can access or download them anytime with FileZilla, Cyberduck, or a simple curl command.


Reolink Camera Setup (Quick Version)

Reolink devices like the E1 Outdoor, 811A, or Duo 2 include FTP upload in their web interface.

  1. Open the Reolink app or web UI.

  2. Go to Settings → Storage → FTP.

  3. Enable FTP and enter your ftpGrid credentials:

Server: edge13.ftpgrid.com Port: 21 (FTP) or 22 (SFTP) Username: S81.yourname Password: ******** Directory: /uploads/

  1. Click “Test FTP” and confirm success.

  2. That’s it — your Reolink camera now uploads securely to ftpGrid.

Full guide: Reolink Cloud FTP setup



Axis Camera Setup (Quick Version)

Axis cameras (e.g., M10, P32, or Companion series) also support direct FTP/SFTP uploads.

  1. Log into the Axis web interface.

  2. Navigate to System → Events → Actions → Add FTP Upload.

  3. Enter your ftpGrid credentials and target folder /uploads/.

  4. Test the connection, then assign it to your motion-detection trigger.

Full guide: Axis Camera Cloud Storage setup



Benefits of ftpGrid’s Optimized FTP Cloud Storage

Feature

ftpGrid Cloud

Vendor Clouds

GDPR Compliant (EU)

✅ Yes

❌ Often No

Encryption in Transit & Rest

✅ Yes

⚠️ Partial

No Device Lock-in

✅ Works with any brand

❌ Vendor-restricted

Automation via FTP/SFTP

✅ Standard protocols

❌ Closed system

Free Tier

✅ Yes (100 MB)

❌ Usually paid

Upgradable Anytime

✅ Instant

❌ Subscription-bound


Storage Designed for Cameras

ftpGrid’s cloud infrastructure is optimized for:

  • Continuous small file uploads (camera snapshots and clips)

  • High availability (24/7 uptime)

  • Fast writes and stable latency, even on spotty networks

  • Automatic scaling, so your camera never fails to upload

Your recordings are stored in redundant, encrypted volumes hosted in Germany — ensuring GDPR compliance and full data sovereignty.



Combine It with Backup or API Integrations

Beyond video storage, you can use the same ftpGrid account for:

  • Server backups

  • Database dumps

  • File uploads via SFTP API

It’s the same endpoint, just used in different ways — ideal for hybrid setups combining camera uploads and business data.


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A word of caution

Video surveillance cameras like Reolink and Axis can be very aggressive with both FTP/SFTP storage usage and backend requests. It is not uncommon for a surveillance cameras to use more than 10Gb of FTP cloud storage daily and make a request per second or more against the SFTP/FTP hosting service. This is obviously not sustainable, so make sure you create proper Auto Cleanup rules to delete older files from the FTP hosting storage. And while you are testing on the free tier you have a limit of 4 requests per minut, or one request every 15 seconds. Make sure to select the pricing plan that supports your surveillance when you move to production.


Final Thoughts

If you own a Reolink, Axis, or any camera that supports FTP or SFTP — you don’t need a vendor cloud.ftpGrid gives you secure, EU-hosted, optimized camera cloud storage that’s fast, private, and effortless.


Try the free tier today and connect your camera in minutes: https://ftpgrid.com



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