Off-line Error Message

@wolfhomma​ 

you mean the refresh button on the device settings page? If this is what you mean. I have done that before. It did not help. I have reinstalled all the sensors put in a new base station rebooted the base station with the white button underneath the cap on the base station. Unplugged it and took the batteries out. I also live in a one story small house so range is not an issue. Tech support doesn’t have anymore suggestions. There is a problem with their hardware. A lot of people having the same issues.

The refresh button on the app asks your Base Station to send the latest update that it has from all sensors. But it might not have the most accurate info, since each sensor only checks in every hour. Removing and re-adding a sensor would also force that sensor to check in immediately.

@harold24915 refreshing won't resolve the issue if the signal isn't able to get from the Sensor to the Base Station at all. From what you've described, it sounds like your problem is extreme interference.

Interference can be caused by dense physical objects literally getting in the way of the signal. That means brick or concrete walls, mesh insulation, heavy appliances, etc. The only solution to that is to move your SimpliSafe components so that there's a more direct path, with fewer obstructions between the sensor and your Base Station.

The other major cause of interference is other wireless signals competing for the same airspace. Since the sensors all use a relatively low frequency, you're looking for simpler devices - especially those you might have added recently; like maybe a remote controlled garage door opener, wireless weather station, etc., or maybe some smart home gadgets like smart plugs or switches.

My question for all of these discussions of signal problems is "Which signal?"  If an entry sensor is offline (which occurs much too often with SimpliSafe systems), is the signal failure in the cellular signal (which should never be the problem) or the WiFi signal? It would help if all participants would specify which wireless mode they are referring to.

@drtank​ Sensor signals are a different one entirely! Components communicate with the Base Station through local radio. Cell and WiFi are used only in the link between the Base Station and our Monitoring Service.

@davey_d​ That is really reassuring that the signals for the vital alarm system can be easily interfered with. Hence the recommendation to not have the SimpliSafe sign outside your house door, because the would be burglars know how to totally disable the sensors, once they know the type of alarm system. All it takes is a small transmitter tuned to the frequency band of the sensors. 

@drtank​ 

your post is not correct. I had a sensor offline and triggered the sensor and the alarm does not trigger. If your sensor is offline it will not work.

Sorry but my post is correct. All I can report is how the situation works in my home. The "offline" messages have no effect on the triggering of the alarm here, when the windows with the "offline" sensors are opened. Everything continues to work as it should.

@drw2000​ 

1. I have changed every sensor base station and I’d everything they have suggested. They have a hardware or software issue that has been going on for over 2 years now. The original system you could add and remove sensors remotely and also do firmware updates. This system you cannot. They had me put motion sensors in for a back up and the first time I used them the alarm went off. I even installed them upside down as they suggested. My dog is only 12 pounds and should not have triggered the alarm.Hopefully they will fix their flawed system. Go on the BBB site and they get 1.5 stars out of 5  it they don’t count towards there feedback that is why they are so highly rated. If they don’t get if fixed I’m going to another alarm company. I also own 2 of their systems.

@drw2000​ apologies for missing this post.

You didn't mention exactly how large your home is, but our sensors are able to reach up to ~800ft over open air. In a real-world environment (with physical and wireless interference present), it's possible for that range to be halved, but even that should be plenty for most homes! So there must be something that is causing your sensors to lost their connection.

Since you mention several different sensors having trouble, the first thing they all have in common is the Base Station. So we should troubleshoot that. Of course, we suggest keeping your Base Station in an open area, away from other transmitting electronics. And you'll want to avoid placing it inside a closet, on top of a heavy appliance like a fridge, or metal shelving - as those can all block the signal.

Have you already worked with our Support team on troubleshooting for wireless interference? Some devices communicate in the same frequency as our system, which could confuse and drown out system signals. However, if that were the case, you might also see a "Wireless Interference Detected" warning on the Keypad and app.

And finally, have you tried a replacement Base Station? There might be an issue with that specific hardware - perhaps something was damaged, or a wire was accidentally cut. Our Support team can help with getting you a new one.

Also, I do want to correct @harold24915 's comments to avoid miscommunication. The Original system does technically allow for "remotely adding sensors', but that's because you can just enter any serial number in the app. There was no way for the system to verify that the sensor actually existed, let alone was able to connect successfully.

Also, the Simplisafe Original unfortunately does not have the ability to update firmware. That feature was first introduced with the SimpliSafe Gen 3 (the current generation).

You posted a while ago, so hopefully our Support team has already been able to work with you on getting your system to 100%! If not, let us know.

What makes a sensor DEVICE NOT RESPONDING by itself and magically get DEVICE RESTORED with no interaction ?

There must be a logical reason for this.

@drw2000​ The sensors periodically check in with the Base Station, even if you are seeing the error "Sensor Not Responding". In this instance, if the error cleared itself out it is likely that the sensors were able to communicate again with the Base Station on their latest check in.

If you do see the error crop back up, please let us know. We'd be happy to dig further into your environment and see why the intermittent issue is persisting. 

@richard_rushia​ You can try under sensors in settings, clicking the refresh top right, if you tried that, remove it in the app and reinstall it. It lost itself, energy bled off etc. You have to replace the batteries fast. Usually.