Improve camera time to stream between first and subsequent activations

Hi @dlpsr ,

When your cams are plugged in (including when they're connected to Solar Power), they automatically activate Performance Mode, where they no longer go into deep sleep, and can even activate pre-roll to catch events a few seconds before the trigger for a recording.

But the cams still need to be activated. That means the server (through WiFi) and the Base Station still need to communicate with each cam. And then it stays full active for a while, before going dormant again. I think your cams are still having a range/reception issue, especially to the Base Station. As I mentioned in your other thread, I've requested a call from our escalated team already to help figure this out.

That's all good, add why to the doorbells, I mean they're finicky enough so as it is, but also dropped connection in the heat, even though in the shade on the porch.

Those I can't reset, easily anyhow, my single SSID mesh wouldn't cooperate and I'd have to hook up my old 2.4ghz router.

Or I should say the doorbells wouldn't cooperate.

And well, over about 15 months now I've never seen anything improve from a reset, for me.

I was referring to first wake, cables aren't in the picture, I just thought maybe a thorough firmware check could reveal why they can communicate with the base on a 2nd live view vs a first live view and implement it if feasible. Or explore base RF signal improvement.

My system install, walls and all, may have plateaued and will never improve much more.

@davey_d Just for testing purposes, I decided to play musical base station after our posts. I'm aware the base helps wake the outdoor cams with an RF signal.

Anyhow, I moved it 10 feet south, still centered in the house, still close to two portico cams and both doorbells, a better clear line of sight to rear french door cam and under deck cam.

10 feet closer to my final battery cam, the south cam.

South cam actually got worse in a couple live view test, others seemed to have little if any impact at all. About 13 seconds south cam.

Doorbells, laughable, good one moment and bad the next. Very similar distance as base is still in the living room. I have my own personal doorbell solution implemented soon. Not an SS solution.

2nd test, moved base to within 6 feet of the french door outdoor cam, little if any difference in that test either, all other cams similar as previous.

Again, doorbells, meh and then good, back to meh.

It's back where it was originally, center in the house, south cam furthest away. Waiting for cams to get sleepy again.

The two that are asleep, still 7 to 8 seconds on first initial awakening. As will be the others.

South cam is back to 8 seconds.

Appears all back to about 7 or 8 seconds to live view from being soundly asleep.

I soft reset the french door cam while it having an apparent heat stroke, a couple days ago, it came back but failed again later for connection check or being online.

Direct sun, 97 degrees. Normal 8 seconds now, cool and 80 today.

As I might have previously said, I was suggesting, but look forward to what an inside person might have to say regardless.

Another test, ran your network checker on all cams inside the house, all blue bars, nothing above -50 Dbm much. South -59 worst case, still in tolerance.

Used my Network Analyzer app and walked the perimeter of the house, 15 feet from walls, outside. 2.4ghz channel reads all consistently equal to or better than the SS connection checker and all below recommended signals.

Inside shows as low as -25 Dbm, depending on which access point is closer.

Average upload show in your connection checker. 17Mbs outdoor. Door bells have never been above 9.5 or rarely. And sometimes extremely low.

25 available upload.

I suppose I could do the same with wifi access points, but in a rancher there's only so many suitable locations available. Same for base station, can't put in the hallway now can I? Forward to whomever might call.

Man all this testing, 😫 I'll be rebooting wifi for a month to get my connections and iOT devices back on the best access points where they were.😬😂

Went from ok to worse.