I've reviewed the outdoor Foscam FI8904W. My experience with that was great. These FI8918W indoor ones are awesome. They are indeed the 3.6mm wide angle view. The picture quality is pretty good, especially in natural daylight. They do produce a washed out image in low light once the IR LEDs come on or when you just have the house lights on. The ethernet connection works as it should and so does the wifi connection. The IR LED's come on automatically when they detect low light conditions. The panning and tilting is very quiet and not distracting at all. The browser software works as it should, but I use a 3rd party software to control multiple cameras. These pick up audio and can send audio, so 2-way communication is pretty good for what it is. The presets for the views is the best feature; I believe you can set up to 10. I like that the power indicator led is not on the unit, but rather on the AC adapter itself. The mounting hardware is ok, just use your own screws. The included screws strip easily and are of no use. The included 9dbi antennas work well when outside, providing a stronger signal overall. But I decided to use these inside the home, so the factory ones are sufficient. The 9dbi antennas are really big, so it can be unsightly if you mount the camera out in the open with these aftermarket antennas.
The only thing I don't like is the network LEDs. At night it flashes and draws attention to the cameras. I'd rather these camera be as discreet as possible. There is an option in the camera on the web browser to turn the network lamp off. I've checked that box for each camera I have, yet the network LEDs still flash away, so that is why this product gets 4 stars instead of 5. I've made sure to make all these changes via IE as these Foscams and other economical cameras were designed to be used with this particular browser.
As in my other review of the outdoor Foscam, I am using a Windows environment, so I have no issues thus far. Setup was very easy and all the functions worked. As soon as you plug in the camera to the outlet and connect the ethernet cable you are ready to begin. Install the camera finder software from the included CD-ROM. Run the program and it will show you the IP addresses of the Foscam cameras. Copy and paste that IP address into your web browser and you are will gain entry into the camera. Default user is "admin" and there is no password. Now you should be able to view the camera in your network and make whatever adjustments you need to make. You can go wireless if you want to, set motion detection, set alerts, etc.
This review reflects the quality of the product and the integrated browser software. If you are having problems setting it up for viewing outside your network, that is an issue outside of the manufacturer's hands. Anyone with a good amount of networking knowledge can get this done in due time. If you think you are decent in networking, hire someone, because chances are you have no idea what you are talking about. Don't overestimate and overinflate you abilities and understandings because you will only confuse the professionals you are speaking with. Just pay someone and save yourself the aggravation and don't mislead the general populous with your negative reviews when you are the problem. Or actually make/buy dinner and get a 6-pack for that one guy everyone goes to for computer problems. He's willing to help only when you get your head out of your butt and stop blaming everyone for why you can't get it done. When you ask for professional help, check your ego at the door. I don't go in telling a mechanic I know all this and that about cars when I go in for an oil change; that's just crazy talk people. Oh. And I also fix cars... Please stop calling me unless you're willing to pay for my time. My wife wants me home eventually... :(