‎Alert or Notification when camera is offline? | SimpliSafe Support Home
 
mb43's profile

58 Messages

Friday, August 27th, 2021 12:46 PM

Alert or Notification when camera is offline?

Is there a way to get an alert or notification from the app when one of the cameras reports it's not able to access the Internet or has lost connection to WiFi?

Right now I have a script that pings each camera once an hour and pops up a message on my computer but every of often the cameras stop responding to ping even though they're fully functional, so my script gives a lot of false offline reports. Having the app report that itself would be better.

1.3K Messages

3 years ago

I think it's come up before. How would the camera tell you it has lost connection if it can't access the Internet?

The camera does not report anything through the base/rest of the SS system. It shows up in the app, but it's a non-directly related path to get there, AFAIK.

58 Messages

Sometimes the app shows when a camera is offline, couldn't it show an alert when that happens?

Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

3 years ago

Hi MB43,

Right now no, there's no way for the system to alert you when a camera disconnects. Part of the reason being that cameras are actually only really connected when they need to be - i.e. when check in regularly, sending an automatic recording, or when you're manually livestreaming. When the app shows that a camera is not connected, it's because it reached out just then to check. So at this time, the app can't relay an in-the-moment alert for when a disconnect happens.

- Johnny M.
SimpliSafe Home Security

58 Messages

Is there a way for customers to submit enhancement requests? If so I'd like to add this.

Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

3 years ago

That would be right here, through me!

I'm always happy to pass along customer suggestions, and will be sending this one up.

- Johnny M.
SimpliSafe Home Security

11 Messages

3 years ago

I am a new user of Simplisafe.

As I see it, A burglar can quickly establish that you have a camera (even if you turn off the status light) from the loud click of the shutter opening.

I guess this is supposed to "scare them in some way that they are being recorded' if the sirens are not already drowning out all noises in the house.

The camera is vulnerable. Despite the fact that the base station is powered, and on the same Wi-Fi network, the base station does not issue a regular "confidence heartbeat' to what should be an active camera requesting response. If it did, then it could (and in my opinion SHOULD) tell you that a camera is disconnected.

This is probably only an issue if burglar somehow manages to avoid other components of your alarm system or you are trying to remotely and regularly view what is going on in your property.

I am assuming - (I haven't tried this) that you could keep the privacy shutter open when the system is "off' and use the live feed. You would also have the motion detection and recording capabilities if motion is detected. But all of this works while the system is alarmed anyway.
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