Sensor range extender/booster/repeater

I completely agree!  I just replaced my SS Gen1 alarm with a Gen3.  I was told it was better.  It is certainly not better as far as distance from Entry points is concerned.  I do have a two floor larger home, but Gen. 1 did the job....not Gen. 3.  My Entry sensors keep dropping off at night (I think it is the cold, although I live in Calif.).

I have called support many times and get different skill levels each time...not good.  The last one was reading from a "sheet" to get me my answers but did not know how the system was supposed to work.  They have no "Level 2" support but will take the system back if within 60 days of starting it up.  I am on day 21.  I have moved my Base Station a number of times trying to get the system to work and still have one or two of the farthest sensors drop off each night.  It did not work at all in the spot I had my Gen. 1 base station for 10 years.

I am looking at a Ring alarm because they do have "Extenders" that will repeat the signals from Remote Sensors.  I believe it will be more expensive...but it will work.  If you have a big home, then do not try this system even though they will give you a refund.  The amount of time and frustration is too much.

Reminds me of the outdoor camera scenario.  Called SimpliSafe several times asking about the availability of outdoor cameras before they came out and nothing was revealed.  Meanwhile we went with another outdoor camera solution - - more expensive.  SimpliSafe please listen to your customers about range extenders and at least reveal if you're considering providing and/or selling them.

An older house with plaster walls may be part of the problem.

If the plaster is over wood lath, like my house, then no problem. We have devices everywhere, door bell & other sensors in the front and entry sensors in back. Also, we have smoke, CO and other sensors on all three floors.

If, however, the plaster is over expanded metal (~screening) lath then each room is isolated  from the others by  that lath. You've probably already had fun getting good WIFI coverage, let alone the lower frequencies  uses like SimpliSafe. 

I have been a monitored customer for the last 5-6 years and loved the system in the house. Unfortunately, as the back yard structures have multiplied (and have been broken into) I need to extend the monitored security out there. I tried moving some sensors around out there to test the feasibility but, even with them only 50ft out, the external walls are too much and it just doesn't work. I have waited about a year from my first inquiries to them with no updates, or new products announced. After all this time I have no choice but to go to the competitor that has a mesh systems with extenders, and costs more per month. Hopefully they can work out something for their other customers in the near future.

@BeachAndBoats1941 Thank you for this suggestion! This feature has been submitted to our dev team already, and once we get any news from them we will update the Community in this thread. 

The Base Station has a range of about 800ft in open air. In a home, physical and wireless interference can impact its signal. If your house has thick concrete or stone walls, or a heavy door leading to the garage, it can be a limiting factor depending on where the Base Station currently is. 

Even if you don't have a room that is directly in the middle of your home, I would try moving the Base Station a little closer to your garage to see if that helps your sensors connectivity. 

Agree that an extender for the sensors is very much needed. Ring has this feature, FYI.

add us to the list of those requesting an extender, please!

Any updates on the signal extender? Really desperate for one!

@info362027 We do not have any updates at this time. If/when a range extender is released, we will update the Community.

Hey all - I am the one selling the mod on Etsy. Please not I only make a few bucks per sensor so I do this more as a hobby then as a business 🤣

~There use to be a post here with step-by-step instructions but appears to have been deleted.~

Updated URL:
https://support.simplisafe.com/conversations/alarm-sensors/sensors-not-connecting-how-to-extend-range/660a81d9e1007e3e406ffa8e

Here is the link for the pre-hacked sensor:
https://smarthomehacks.etsy.com/listing/1725014925/extended-range-simplisafe-entry-sensor

Also, for anyone that's curious about the range adding an antenna will add, I recently conducted some field tests with the antenna modification. See results below.

Hey man… firstly, thanks for the work, folks like you make all the difference. The lack of a way to boost or extend the base station seems insane to me! Why wouldn’t they solve it. Surely it can’t be that hard. Anyway, I have a couple of locks out of range so a) do you have an idea if extend their range is possible? Also.. I took apart the base station and found what I believe is the antenna inside. Wondering if there is a mod to that that might help? I’ve tried some crude stuff like tin foil etc.. but wondered if you had any thoughts?  

@gtalarico​ Wonderful product modification.  have you thought about doing similar modifcation to the Simplisafe Keypad?

Has anybody been able to successfully extend the range of the motion detector? I have been able to significantly extend the range of door sensors but extending/replacing the antenna on a motion detector doesn’t seem to help its very limited range. 

@ElusiveM​ There is a similar hack with a wire for RF range. If you're referring to PIR range, that has a device sensitivity setting and that's about it. Link below.

Per comments under the link it works.🤷

At your own risk of course.

https://www.instructables.com/Improving-Range-for-SimpliSafe-Motion-Detectors/

@pearcenm  As I posted in the other thread, unfortunately a repeater for the SS3 will not help for your outdoor cameras. They connect via WIFI.  The OD cameras and doorbell pro in my 2600 sq ft 2 story home work fine but it take a bit of testing and reconfiguration of my Google WIFI mesh to accomplish that.  A call to Google 1 support did the trick, where the agent recommend that I take my 3 points (bought at costco years next to my router point after doing a factory reset. Then moved them back to their original positions and, after using the app "Netspot" found a location in our master bedroom almost directly in the middle of our 2 outdoor cameras, one in the back of the house facing due east and one in the front facing due west. Result: perfectly operating cameras, outdoor and doorbell pro.

Yes, I agree, upfront, a bit of work to get to this point but they have been working fine since I did it. As far as sensors, those in my basement, attached 2 car garage, 1st and 2nd floors, all 30+ of them are also doing fine. Please note I have vinyl siding and wood frame construction, no brick.

If you need assistance, try also calling support and send them your floor plan. I did that back in 2012 when I got my first SS2 system and their input greatly assist me placing my motion detectors, but that is a whole other story.

Hope some of this helps. To you and your family, a very happy holiday weekend

You can disassemble the sensor and attach a wire to the internal antenna, and have it exit a hole in the plastic casing that you drill.  The sensors all use 433.92 MHz transmitters, so you want a quarter wave long monopole type antenna which is a total wire length of 6.800 inches.  Be sure to include any of the internal wire antenna in the total length calculation.  For a more compact antenna you can use a loaded coil antenna or a helical coil antenna, however they will not have quite as much gain.

Hi @brucetomei, 

Yes, at this time we do have a recommended Wi-Fi extender, but we do not have a range extender for our Base Station or sensors. This is a product request that we have submitted to our devs for their consideration - we'll bubble this request back up to them!

This upgrade is one that is URGENTLY needed! That, or we need the ability to somehow connect and use a second base station as a system extender to enhance signal reach. I have a 2k sq ft house (2 story), and the range from the base station - placed in the center of my home - cannot reach each outside wall for outside camera. It’s only 35-40 ft! A repeater or extender for the SimpliSafe signal (not WiFi - my wifi connection and speeds are excellent) would entirely fix this issue.

@pearcenm Unfortunately a repeater for the SS3 will not help for your outdoor cameras. They connect via WIFI.  The OD cameras and doorbell pro in my 2600 sq ft 2 story home work fine but it take a bit of testing and reconfiguration of my Google WIFI mesh to accomplish that.  A call to Google 1 support did the trick, where the agent recommend that I take my 3 points (bought at costco years next to my router point after doing a factory reset. Then moved them back to their original positions and, after using the app "Netspot" found a location in our master bedroom almost directly in the middle of our 2 outdoor cameras, one in the back of the house facing due east and one in the front facing due west. Result: perfectly operating cameras, outdoor and doorbell pro.

Yes, I agree, upfront, a bit of work to get to this point but they have been working fine since I did it. As far as sensors, those in my basement, attached 2 car garage, 1st and 2nd floors, all 30+ of them are also doing fine. Please note I have vinyl siding and wood frame construction, no brick.

If you need assistance, try also calling support and send them your floor plan. I did that back in 2012 when I got my first SS2 system and their input greatly assist me placing my motion detectors, but that is a whole other story.

Hope some of this helps. To you and your family, a very happy holiday weekend.

@captain11​

@pearcenm We apologize to hear about this trouble. The agent you spoke to was correct, the Outdoor Camera needs to communicate with both your Base Station and WiFi network in order to function.

Looking into your account, we see that you were able to get in touch with our Support team, and one of your cameras is getting replaced. But we have a few other troubleshooting questions to ask, too:

• Are you able to livestream at night, and do you see the image in Night Vision Mode?
• How high are the cameras from the ground (i.e. how far are they from potential subjects)?
• How far are your cameras from your WiFi Router and your Base Station? Are there any dense walls in between?
• When you try to trigger the cameras at night, do you see them blinking as if they are trying to record?

@claudegreiner​ In this thread there's a hack to add a wire to the RF antenna in entry sensors.

I may have also added info for a hack for adding a wire to SS motion sensors. There is a hack. Soldering required.

No on using wired sensors from other systems with SimpliSafe.

However, konnected.io also makes little esp32 or something electronic gadgets to hook old wired systems into. Requires due diligence and research. I don't have any. The above hacks for added wire to antenna voids SS warranty.

@Joshuakaczynski​ Currently and to the best of my knowledge, the only RF base station signal extender is a 2nd base station.

Hint to Simplisafes, figure out how to link or install two or more base stations and you have an extender to sell. To eliminate having to setup two or more bases in the app. Add like any other device.

This depends on your monitoring type, or security tolerance level, paying twice wouldn't be an option in my opinion, the problem your having etc.

But for me, self monitoring works fine and I'm testing a 2nd base station right now to attempt to extend wake up RF signals to 5 outdoor cameras.

Through a 1980 model all brick exterior to the eaves and interior plaster rancher. The plaster is a minimal signal blocker in my opinion.

If you require more info just ask. If not for you, that's fine too.

@Joshuakaczynski​ @simplisafe_admin 

I own, and have installed in my system: 

THREE cameras

NINE entry sensors

FIVE motion sensors

TWO glassbreak sensors

TWO water sensors

TWO keypads

TWO keyfobs

ONE siren

ONE panic button

And a partridge in a pear tree.

I have been asking support and searching this support messageboard for months and months waiting for an update on a range extender. We have an 1800 sq ft, single family ranch that is linear but not large, and with clear lines of sight. But half of our sensors are at risk of dropping out on any given day; the ones in the corners never connect.

Today is Black Friday and I am buying a Ring system because I am tired of waiting for a simple range extender component. Simplisafe, you're toast. 

This is an extremely frustrating situation. I also am ready to switch to another provider because of the extremely limited range of the base station and the inability for Simplisafe to provide a solution other than multiple base stations with multiple 'locations' in the app. 

When will @simplisafe_admin respond with a meaningful update or solution??

Things everyone can do to help themselves is to mount the base station as high as possible, try different base station locations even if they might be farther away and try not to have large appliances like frigs and stacked washers between the base station and sensor. Once again, get the base station as close to the ceiling as possible.

Retired Engineer.

Height & location may be helpful and may also be that some base stations aren't created equally in manufacturing and just have weak RF signals.

Or;

Mine is original, two years old, it's always been under a living room lamp stand, 6 inches off the floor and works fine, so far... for sensors only. 2,000 sq ft rancher. Main primary base is centrally located.

If I move it to create better RF cameras signals to one end of the house for their problamatic outdoor cameras, it might drop a sensor or two inside at the other end.

Metals will inhibit RF signals. Moving it everywhere isn't a solution for me as my home is designed.

Home construction type might matter too. RF 433.92 Mhz is one of the most clogged frequency signals out there and prone to interference, from many devices. Poor choice for security sensors and cameras wake up. IMHO. Poor penetration of walls too. etc.

I added a 2nd base station for outdoor cameras and doorbells. The original base in the middle as described, another at the south end, backside of house for better RF to those two outdoor cameras. Helped some, would require double arming if I had sensors on that base. No cigar solution though for the cameras operation.

Self monitoring now because of this lack of SS flexibility.

Simplisafe can't or won't allow two base stations on one account without double subscriptions.

Which is BS of course. Are their developers & systems so rudimentary that they can't link & track base station locations?🤔 Or are their hands tied behind their back? Out of the box thinking prohibited?

The post above with 1800 square ft home will probably be generally happy with Ring sensors distance, I believe they use Zwave sensors, creates it own Mesh network and is sub-Mhz around the 900's Mhz range.

I have my Mesh WiFi router mounted higher up and the primary base centrally but low.

Base up higher may help some, but not all. No argument here, just saying it's not the do all end all with this system and the many variables involved.

And I have my own home brewed security solutions. Also retired and time on my hands to fiddle with Zwave, Zigbee & newer electronic devices etc.

@dlpsr​ Try eliminating other sources of RF interference like that Vtech phone. Do you have any other mesh networks in the house like audio equipment? I know you don want to stop using the other devices but at least you would find the problem.  

@JPOHAR​ Hmmm 🤔, I dont have any RF interference issues. In two years, same or similar location. Had it once carrying around the base to test sensors. Once when the Fob battery died.🤷 Cheesy equipment.