Weak base station RF Signals confirmed

Unscientific tests of course.

Here in my installation, in the real world.

Base station sends and receives signals to wake up OD cameras and communicate with all sensors etc.

My base station has been in the living room for 19 months.

With my own testing of 5 OD cameras latest firmware 1.33, I moved the base to the computer room. About 20-30 feet south. More central to cameras, also more walls involved.

Some things that happened, occasionally only, is actual performance mode will work. 2 or 3 seconds live view on one. Living room or computer room base location.

Why do I say weak RF?

All SS app WiFi connections checks, probably a 1,000 or more run in this time, all, always, below SimpliSafe's -70.

Actually some as low as -38 or lower sometimes.

While base was at original location,  no sensor ever dropped connection.

Immediately after moving base station a wet sensor failed to connect shortly afterwards and dropped, non functional, leak wouldn't have been detected. Had to remove and reinstall wet sensor.

Solution, I moved the sensor 4 feet south towards base station. Wet sensors are mobile.

What happened next, some cameras or doorbells that were performing for the first time ever to a degree, went back to slow response to live views. I know, doorbells aren't supposed to be RF, just WiFi.

Some that weren't terrific ever, got better then degraded. Who knows?🤷

Multiple WiFi reboots.

There are no other move the base solutions in the living quarters. Living room or computer room. You have to know how a rancher is layed out.

I'm not hanging the thing on a wall in the hallway. I would & could if it was guaranteed to fix anything, I could buy a base mount on Amazon for $20, but I'd have to poke holes in my wall for screws & anchors. Not happening without assurances.

Base station could have any location in the attic, if there were any AC outlets up there everywhere. There isn't any. One maybe.

What I think is, IF I had a stick built only house with wood or plastic siding and drywall it might be better. Mesh Wifi is strong even with existing construction.

I don't, it's solid plaster interior with an all brick up to the eaves exterior. Wifi and RF would broadcast better in the attic. Not quite 2,000 sq ft.

So, after 19 months, I think I've narrowed it down to this, IT'S Never, going to get much better. If any. Minor improvements given.

If Simplisafe can't or won't come up with an RF repeater or base mod, it never will get better. IMHO

I have a ZigBee mesh system for my parallel mounted Zigbee entry sensors, I can see the signal strength in home assistant. All good. Can add more repeaters if needed.

They communicate with the ZigBee coordinator through repeaters or routers as their called etc. or I'd probably have the same situation as the weak Simplisafe RF signals.

So, after all the move the base, setup separate wifi just for Simplisafe etc etc. canned admin or supervisor support rhetoric here and on the phone, I've concluded as above.

It cannot be fixed as it stands now. They all merely kick the can down the road, for the most part & to stay nice.😉 Not their fault other than being complicit.

I fail to see how it could possibly operate consistently in a large home, 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 or 6,000 sq ft. And have read many complaints on here about such dropping signal issues. Cameras and sensors signal issues.

I'm angry at myself first for the lack of due diligence and knowledge when I first made this very expensive purchase. To only learn of the Simplisafe equipment inadequacies along the way, the hard way.

There was a potential perp, reason I purchased, Simplisafe as it functioned then and now would have never seen them. Simplisafes cameras only see people at about 30 feet or less, might have detected the vehicle, if in all motion, high sensitivity at 45 to 50 feet.

I've learned this, always do thorough research. Check BBB ratings, search for ongoing and past lawsuits that are open or closed and the why.

And above all, read this forum thoroughly and often. It's great evidence of what you'll be up against.

Read their terms and conditions of which there are many, thoroughly. Then read it again.

Check online user forums such as Reddit, Discourd etc. for user forums & complaints. Thoroughly search the web and drill down, and read the fine print.

Do not ever trust those online review outfits that get paid for click throughs and rate almost every security system highly, if they get paid. Lol. Very suspicious that, and in hindsight, easily missed and believed.

I doubt these testing security outfits dot org actually hang these sensors or cameras in different real world environments. More than likely tested in a lab room with very strong signals.

SimpliSafe! If there's a way to solder a wire to the base station and/or outdoor camera's to enhance RF signals. I need a call or email directions. I'll be a guinea pig.

If your currently secretly & actually working on an RF booster in the base or an RF repeater of some sort, I'll sign the NDA to test it.

Bottom line, my sensors have mostly always worked 99.8%.

Cameras and doorbells have always been slow and sluggish. Mediocre to lousy for live view. I know, it was worse when released around 2019. I can't even imagine how bad actually.

Strangely enough, for the few OD camera detections I get, detections work pretty good on OD cams and not as terrible as they used to be on the old Doorbell Pro's I replaced with Kurt, who's MIA by the way, lol. They have improved some and degraded some other ways.

Yes, I'm critical, I have been critical and will continue to be critical until $1,400.00 worth of equipment actually does what its supposed to do and never has fully, as advertised. Yes, using solar. Battery folks are on their own. Can't imagine how bad that works.

Power cables aren't an option for me. Too expensive to run AC the outlets necessary.

Besides, if I was running cables, it'd be Ethernet for Reolink POE cameras. Thats still an option actually.

Looking forward to not hearing anything back, as usual. There doesn't appear to be an actual effort by Simplisafe to really permanently implement fixes for all of these known issues.