App Error: Camera Disconnected
Overview
The app error “Camera Disconnected” can happen for several reasons, including if you’ve changed your Wi-Fi recently or if the camera battery has been replaced. The following article will walk you through a few troubleshooting scenarios to help get your camera back up and running. Use the collapsible sections below to go through each step one by one, as they apply to your situation.
Please note, you will need to be with your system to troubleshoot this issue. Remote troubleshooting is not possible.
If you moved, or changed Internet Service Providers (ISP), you’ll need to teach both your Base Station and Cameras the new Wi-Fi information.
To Connect your Base Station to Wi-Fi:
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App (opens in new tab) on your phone or tablet
Choose My System from the navigation menu at the bottom of the app screen
Tap on WiFi Network
Choose either Yes, Connect or Choose Another Network to proceed
Enter the password for your Wi-Fi network
Click Connect once finished
Your app will state Yay! Your Base Station is connected if the credentials are correct
Tap Done to exit the Wi-Fi setup mode
To Connect your Cameras to Wi-Fi:
There are different steps for connecting your camera to a new Wi-Fi network depending on the model you own. Please refer to the Changing Wi-Fi Networks for Cameras section in the How to Change Your Wi-Fi for Your SimpliSafe® System article (opens in new tab) for more details.
Network Configuration
If you’re having trouble connecting to Wi-Fi using the above steps, it is likely that your network does not meet our Wi-Fi Requirements (opens in new tab). You must be using a 2.4GHz network, as SimpliSafe® cannot connect to 5GHz networks. Additionally, your network must be configured to support WPA2 or WPA2/3 Mixed Mode - as WPA3 is not supported at this time.
For assistance on configuring your network, contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or consult with your router manufacturer.
If you recently recharged your camera or its battery, the camera may display this error while it works to check back in with the Base Station. This can take some time to refresh, but if you want to refresh the connection sooner you can remove the camera from within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App, factory reset the camera, then re-install it. Make sure you download any recordings from your camera (opens in new tab) prior to taking these steps.
Step 1: Remove the Camera From the SimpliSafe® Mobile App:
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App (opens in new tab) on your phone or tablet
Choose My System
Tap on the Camera you wish to remove from your system
Scroll down and tap on X Remove Camera
Choose YES on the pop up to remove the camera
Step 2: Reset Your Camera:
Each camera has a unique set of steps to factory reset it. Please follow the steps from the links below to reset your camera
Reset the Wireless Outdoor Security Camera (opens in new tab)
Reset the Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera (opens in new tab)
Step 3: Re-Install Your Camera:
Once you have factory reset your camera, the last step is to re-install it. To re-install your camera:
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App (opens in new tab) on your phone or tablet
Navigate to the three-bar menu in the upper left corner of the app
Followed by Let’s Go
Then choose your camera from the list of available products
And follow the in-app prompts to install it again
If you’ve taken the above steps and are still encountering this issue, it’s possible that you may need to remove the camera from your system, factory reset it, and then add it back to your system. Just make sure you download any recordings from your camera (opens in new tab) prior to taking these steps.
Step 1: Remove the Camera From the SimpliSafe® Mobile App:
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App (opens in new tab) on your phone or tablet
Choose My System
Tap on the Camera you wish to remove from your system
Scroll down and tap on X Remove Camera
Choose YES on the pop up to remove the camera
Step 2: Reset Your Camera:
Each camera has a unique set of steps to factory reset it. Please follow the steps from the links below to reset your camera
Reset the Wireless Outdoor Security Camera (opens in new tab)
Reset the Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera (opens in new tab)
Step 3: Re-Install Your Camera:
Once you have factory reset your camera, the last step is to re-install it. To re-install your camera:
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App (opens in new tab) on your phone or tablet
Navigate to the three-bar menu in the upper left corner of the app
Followed by Let’s Go
Then choose your camera from the list of available products
And follow the in-app prompts to install it again
All SimpliSafe® cameras require a Wi-Fi connection to function. We recommend running the Connection Check Tool in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App (opens in new tab) as the next step to help identify and resolve any underlying network issues with the connection between your router, the Base Station and your Camera(s).
How to Use the Connection Check Tool
Tap the “Cameras” icon at the bottom of the SimpliSafe® mobile app
Choose the gear icon in the upper right corner
Select your camera
Under “Connection” select “Connection Check”
Tap “Start Connection Check” to find your camera’s connection strength
What do the Results Mean?
A good signal strength or good upload speed means that there’s a strong connection between your camera and Wi-Fi network.
Fair or Poor Upload Speeds indicate your bandwidth may not be high enough to support the streaming quality of your camera. You can try reducing your camera’s video resolution under Camera Settings.
Fair or Poor Signal Strength indicates that the router may be too far away, or there’s wireless or structural interference dampening the signal between the router and your camera(s). Try moving the router closer to your camera(s) then test again to see if performance has improved. You can also try purchasing and installing a Wi-Fi extender (opens in new tab) to relay your network should you be unable to move the router.
Some of our cameras need to check in with the Base Station (opens in new tab) in order to connect in the app. These cameras are Outdoor Camera Series 2, Outdoor Camera, and Smart Alarm Indoor Camera. You’ll want to ensure that your Base Station is placed in a central location (opens in new tab) within your home or business, free from any obstructions - both wireless and structural. Moving the Base Station closer to the camera(s) that are impacted can also help to get them back online.
A Wi-Fi Extender (opens in new tab) is a great way to provide supplemental Wi-Fi coverage to your Base Station and Cameras within your home or business.
Need to purchase a Wi-Fi Extender? You can find the TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender available for purchase on our website (opens in new tab).