Reolink RLC-520A – 5MP PoE Dome Camera with Person and Vehicle Detection

Reolink RLC-520A is an outdoor 5MP PoE dome camera with smart person and vehicle detection. A single network cable carries both power and data, it sees up to 30 metres at night, and its IP66 rating handles rain and frost. It records to a microSD card, an NVR or FTP and works smoothly in Home Assistant – no cloud and no monthly fees.

Why the RLC-520A

• Fewer false alarms: the camera tells people and cars apart, so it doesn't alert you to every moving branch or shadow.
• One cable, no socket: powered over PoE (IEEE 802.3af) from a PoE switch or injector; a 12 V adapter works too.
• Sharp image day and night: 5 MP (2560 × 1920), a 4 mm lens with an 80° field of view and 18 infrared LEDs reaching 30 m.
• Recording your way: on motion, on a schedule or continuously 24/7 – to microSD up to 512 GB, a Reolink NVR or FTP.
• Dome design: compact Φ105 × 95 mm housing for ceiling or wall, with a built-in microphone.

Home Assistant and RTSP

The RLC-520A is one of the tested models of the official Reolink integration in Home Assistant. You get the live view, person and vehicle detection events and the camera status, and can use them in automations – for example turning on the outdoor light when the camera spots a person. The camera also supports RTSP, so you can feed the stream into Frigate, Blue Iris or other NVR software. For a step-by-step setup, see our guide Reolink integration with Home Assistant.

Specifications

RLC-520A or RLC-510A?

Both cameras share the 5 MP resolution, PoE and person/vehicle detection. The RLC-520A is a dome – compact and ideal under eaves or on a ceiling. The Reolink RLC-510A is a bullet with a more visible shape that acts as a deterrent. See more models in PoE IP cameras and NVRs.

What you'll need

• a PoE switch (e.g. TP-Link TL-SG1005P) or a 48V PoE injector
• a Cat5e/Cat6 network cable
• a microSD card for local recording, e.g. SanDisk microSDXC Ultra