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    How To Check The Firmware Version of SimpliSafe® Devices

    At SimpliSafe®, we are always working on our devices by releasing firmware and software updates for system-wide and device-specific improvements. We are always updating our customers on the latest firmware releases in the Device and System Firmware Updates article so you can be informed about the latest and greatest updates that are coming your way. 

    If you are ever curious about the firmware that your system and cameras are running, take the steps below.

    Checking the Base Station’s Firmware

    You can view which firmware version your Base Station is running using either the SimpliSafe® Mobile App or  Keypad.

    Using the SimpliSafe® Mobile App

    1. Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your smartphone or tablet

    2. Select My System from the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen

    3. Choose Base Station Settings

    4. Next to Firmware, you will see which version your system is running

    Using the Keypad

    1. Press the Menu button on your Keypad

    2. Enter your Master PIN

    3. Select System Settings

    4. Scroll down to Diagnostics

    5. Press the right arrow until you see Base Station

    6. Next to Version, you will see what firmware your system is running

    Checking a Camera’s Firmware

    You can view your camera’s firmware in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App

    1. Open the ​SimpliSafe® Mobile App ​on your smartphone or tablet

    2. Select My System from the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen

    3. Choose Camera Settings

    4. Select the camera you want to check

    5. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen until you see Basic Info

    6. Next to Software Version, you will see what firmware your camera is running

    Related Articles

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    Base Station

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    Outdoor Camera is Detecting Motion too Late

    If your Outdoor Camera is detecting motion too late, there are usually two main factors at play: improper placement of your camera, or a poor wireless connection between it and the network.

    We recommend reviewing each section below in the order they are presented to troubleshoot your camera.

    Using Outdoor Camera’s Connection Check Tool

    The Outdoor Camera can run a quick connection check between it and the Base Station to determine if any improvements can be made to the Wi-Fi connection. 

    During the test, the Outdoor Camera will check the upload speed and the signal strength to paint a better picture of what the overall connectivity looks like. If you receive a fair or poor signal in any category, the app will walk you through some steps you can take to improve upon that connection. This could be steps as simple as moving the Base Station and testing the connection again, or more involved steps such as setting up a separate network for your SimpliSafe® System.

    Reviewing the Placement of Your Camera

    Placement is one of the most important factors for accurate motion detection for the Outdoor Camera. For accurate motion detection, it’s important to keep our mounting instructions in mind when placing your camera.

    • Ensure that the Outdoor Camera is placed no lower than 6 feet from the ground, but no more than 8 feet high

    • The Outdoor Camera should be angled down slightly, roughly a 30° degree angle

    • If the Outdoor Camera is mounted upside down, the motion sensitivity is halved from ~30 feet to just about ~15 feet

    • The Outdoor Camera is most sensitive to side-to-side motion, so the camera should be positioned towards areas where people will walk across its field of view, rather than walking towards the camera. 

    You’ll also want to identify factors that could dramatically change in temperature or interference regarding the Outdoor Camera’s heat signature detection. For example, driveways that can get very hot in the summer, or a flag moving in the wind and causing a cool shadow.

    We also recommend reviewing your Outdoor Camera’s Activity Zones to ensure that you are not blocking key areas of your property where motion may be occurring. 

    You can change your Activity Zones at any time within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App:

    1. Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet

    2. Navigate to the Cameras tab

    3. Select the gear icon for Camera Settings in the upper right corner of the app

    4. Choose your Outdoor Camera

    5. Click into Motion Detection

    6. Scroll down to view Activity Zone

    7. Tap on the squares you want to include or exclude

    8. Once done, be sure to select Save to save your selections

    Testing Your Outdoor Camera After Making Changes

    Once you have made any changes to your wireless network or the placement of your Outdoor Camera, it’s recommended to test the camera to ensure the changes are working.

    To test your camera, first, give it a couple of minutes to go to sleep. Be sure that the camera is not detecting any movement during this time. 

    Next, walk across the field of view of the camera in a side-to-side motion. After, check the app for the recording and confirm that the changes you made have solved the issue.

    Still Having Trouble?

    If you are still experiencing latency issues with motion being detected, placing your Outdoor Camera into Performance Mode is the next best option. This feature allows a camera plugged into a continuous power source to avoid delays in waking up and provides pre-roll to the beginning of the recording.

    Need More Help?

    If you wish to purchase an Outdoor Camera Power Cable or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact our support team directly for further assistance. 

    Help Center Article

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    Cameras

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    Outdoor Camera is not Recording

    The Outdoor Camera will record motion events to your system’s timeline, with select monitoring subscriptions. Please note that Standard Monitoring and Basic App plans will not allow for your cameras record.

    If you are subscribed to a monitoring plan that supports timeline recordings and are not seeing recordings appear within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App or Online Account, this article will walk you through a few steps you can take to get things working again.

    Confirming Motion Events are Enabled

    The Motion Detection settings for the Outdoor Camera allows you to customize your camera to record motion events that are relevant to you and your system. 

    To adjust Motion Detection settings:

    1. Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet

    2. Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar

    3. Select Camera Settings

    4. Choose your Outdoor Camera

    5. Select Motion Detection

    6. Ensure that Motion Events are toggled ON

    7. Once you have made your changes, be sure to tap on Save in the upper right corner to save your selections

    8. Repeat these steps with your other Outdoor Cameras, as needed

    Motion Notifications are optional, but you’ll receive a push notification whenever motion is detected from this camera.

    In the Motion Detection section, you can also customize the sensitivity of your Motion Detection.

    • High sensitivity detects any motion - which may cause frequent alerts and shorten the battery life!

    • Medium sensitivity detects general motion - it’s our recommended setting.

    • Low sensitivity only detects large movements over a wider range

    If you need your Outdoor Camera to be more granular, you can also adjust the Motion Type by toggling between People Only and All Motion.

    • People Only utilizes our proprietary software to only alert you when people are detected by your camera

    • All Motion alerts you to every motion event - people, animals, vehicles, etc.

    Reviewing the Placement of Your Camera

    Placement is one of the most important factors for accurate motion detection for the Outdoor Camera. For accurate motion detection, it’s important to keep our mounting instructions in mind when placing your camera.

    • Ensure that the Outdoor Camera is placed no lower than 6 feet from the ground, but no more than 8 feet high

    • The Outdoor Camera should be angled down slightly, roughly a 30° degree angle

    • If the Outdoor Camera is mounted upside down, the motion sensitivity is halved from ~30 feet to just about ~15 feet

    You’ll also want to identify factors that could dramatically change in temperature or interference regarding the Outdoor Camera’s heat signature detection. For example, driveways that can get very hot in the summer, or a flag moving in the wind and causing a cool shadow.

    If you find that certain things are triggering the camera’s motion detection often, you can adjust the field of view of the camera to avoid them or adjust the Activity Zones to remove these areas from being monitored.

    To adjust your Activity Zones:

    1. Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet

    2. Select the Cameras tab from the bottom navigation bar

    3. Tap on the gear icon in the upper right corner for Camera Settings

    4. Choose your Outdoor Camera

    5. Select Motion Detection

    6. Scroll to Activity Zones

    7. Tap the squares you want to exclude. They will be greyed out to indicate that area of the image is not being monitored for activity

    8. Once you have made your changes, be sure to tap on Save in the upper right corner to save your selections

    9. Repeat these steps with your other Outdoor Cameras, as needed

    Once you make a change, it’s important to go back and test it to confirm that the settings are effective. Give your camera a couple of minutes to go to sleep, by ensuring there is not any movement during this time. Then, walk in front of the camera and check the app timeline for recordings or notifications of the motion event.

    Confirm When the Recording Took Place

    Video recordings will automatically be deleted from the timeline after 30 days, however, these can also be manually deleted from the timeline. If a recording was manually deleted, it is not recoverable as it automatically gets removed from the SimpliSafe® servers. 

    If you are looking for a recording that is older than 30 days, that is also not recoverable.

    We recommend downloading clips from your camera to your device if you feel the clip is important to ensure backup and redundancy of any video you may need.

    Was the Camera Uninstalled?

    If you uninstall a camera from your system, the recordings will automatically be removed from the system’s timeline.

    To retrieve these recordings, you can re-install the camera to the system. The system should automatically recognize the recordings even if the camera is not working for other reasons. 

    Did you Recently Lose Power?

    If you lose power at your system’s location you will hear the Base Station announce the power outage. You will also have an event recorded to your timeline to register when the power outage first occurred, and when the power was restored.

    The Outdoor Camera requires a Wi-Fi connection to upload recordings. Power outages that impact the Wi-Fi may prevent the camera from storing videos on the SimpliSafe® servers.

    Help Center Article

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    Cameras

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    Solar Panel with Circular Mount Overview and Installation Guide

    If your Solar Panel was purchased prior to October 2024 and has a circular mount on the backside of it, this article is for you! If your Solar Panel has a permanent mount that is separate from the Solar Panel body, please visit our Installation Guide for the Solar Panel with Permanent Mount for separate instructions.

    Solar Panel with Circular Mount

    Overview

    With the Outdoor Camera Solar Panel, you can power your Outdoor Camera without the need to separately recharge or replace the battery. With just 3 hours of direct sunlight per day, the water-resistant Solar panel keeps your Outdoor Camera charged at all times.

    Thanks to its 13-foot power cable, the Solar Panel doesn’t need to be installed in the same place as your camera. Simply run the cable to the Outdoor Camera, and use the included cable management velcro sleeves to neatly tuck unused cable behind the Solar Panel.

    NOTE: Outdoor Cameras are only compatible with SimpliSafe® Solar Panels, and not third-party solar panels.

    Physically Installing Your Solar Panel

    First, you’ll need to find a location within 13 feet of your Outdoor Camera. This should be a spot that receives at least 3 hours of direct sunlight per day.

    Next, you’ll need the appropriate tools to install your Solar Panel. 

    If mounting on brick/stucco/stone surfaces:

    • Use a ¼” masonry drill bit to drill two pilot holes into the surface

    • Then, use the included anchors and screws to attach the Solar Panel to the wall

    If mounting on wood or vinyl surfaces:

    • Screw the self-tapping screws directly into the wall using a handheld screwdriver

    • Wood surfaces generally do not require pre-drilled holes

    After mounting the Solar Panel, use the omnidirectional mount to aim it towards the direction that will give it the most access to sunlight.

    Finally, secure any excess power cord by wrapping it around the base of the Solar Panel, then using the cable management velcro straps to ensure the cord will not get tangled or caught by inclement weather or small animals. 

    Troubleshooting

    Shop Compatible Products

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    Cameras

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    Why Does My Camera Keep Losing Its Wi-Fi Connection?

    There are two main reasons that a camera may lose its Wi-Fi connection. It may be installed too far from your Wi-Fi router, or it may not have sufficient bandwidth. 

    If Your Camera Will Not Connect to Wi-Fi During Initial Setup

    If you are having trouble connecting your camera to Wi-Fi during a first-time setup, we recommend making sure that your home network is configured to meet our system requirements.

    • Your Wi-Fi network must be broadcasting 2.4GHz

      • SimpliSafe® cannot connect to 5GHz networks

    • Your SSID and password cannot exceed more than 31 characters each

    • Your network must be configured as WPA2 or WPA3/2 Mixed Mode

      • WPA3 only networks are not compatible with SimplISafe® at this time

    Cox and Xfinity default their network security settings to the WPA3 protocol. To connect the Base Station to Wi-Fi, you’ll need to temporarily change this to WPA2. Once these devices are set up, you can change this setting back to WPA3.

    COX subscribers will need to reach out to their Internet Service Provider to temporarily switch the network from WPA3 to WPA2 security.

    Xfinity subscribers using the Xfinity gateway should be able to make these changes within the Xfinity Mobile App:

    1. Click on Wi-Fi from the bottom menu

    2. Select Wi-Fi Details

    3. Choose Edit Wi-Fi Settings

    4. Under Security Mode, change this setting to WPA2

    5. Tap Save to save your changes

    If Your Camera Will Not Connect After Its Setup

    If your camera had previously been set up but is now failing to connect to your Wi-Fi network, the Connection Check tool in the SimpliSafe® mobile app will tell you if there are any issues between your network and camera.

    How to Run a Connection Check:

    1. Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App

    2. Tap on the Cameras tab on the bottom of the screen

    3. Select the gear icon in the upper right corner 

    4. Choose your camera

    5. Select Connection Check and follow the on-screen instructions to test your signal strength and upload speeds 

    Using your results, you can improve your camera’s connection with the tips below.

    Camera Wi-Fi Requirements:

    • Signal strength should be above -55dBm. A lower number means a weaker connection between your camera and Wi-Fi router

    • Upload speeds need to be above 2Mbps

      • If your upload speed is below 2Mbps, you may need to contact your internet service provider to upgrade your internet package.

    Help Center Article

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    Cameras

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    Outdoor Security Camera Series 2 LED Status Light Colors

    The status light located on the front of your Outdoor Security Camera Series 2 indicates key information about your camera. At a glance, it can tell you if the camera is recording, isn’t connected to Wi-Fi, or if agent intervention is occurring when enrolled in SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection. You can watch the video to see the different LEDs up close and personal, or refer to the chart below to see at a quick glance what each status light means.

    LED Color

    State or Speed

    Description

    White

    Solid

    The camera is booting up

    White

    Blinking

    Your camera is ready for setup

    Blue

    Blinking

    A motion event was triggered, or a live stream is happening from within the SimpliSafe® App

    Blue

    Solid

    During installation: Setup was successful; Daily usage: Motion detected

    Amber

    Slow, Pulsing

    An agent has gone live with 2-way audio (Available for Pro Plus and Pro plans only)

    Amber

    Blinking

    An agent is streaming video from your camera (Available for Pro Plus and Pro plans only)

    No Light

    N/A

    Either the LED has been turned off under Camera Settings, or you need to charge your camera's battery

    Help Center Article

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    Outdoor Cameras

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    Outdoor Security Camera Series 2 Overview and Installation Guide

    ​Overview

    The Outdoor Security Camera Series 2 is a battery-operated security camera that boasts AI-powered motion detection to help identify potential threats outside your home. Its rugged design holds up to the elements, with an IP65 water-resistant and dustproof rating. The Outdoor Camera Series 2 also features 1080p HD video capture with a 140-degree field of view, all while hosting a built-in 90 dB siren to deter potential intruders when you’re subscribed to SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection.

    Looking to purchase an Outdoor Camera Series 2? You can find it available for purchase on our website.

    Requirements

    Before Getting Started

    Before installing your Outdoor Security Camera Series 2, you’ll want to charge the battery for your Outdoor Camera using the included USB charging cable and your own USB power adapter that outputs 7.5W minimum. It can take up to 6 hours to fully charge your battery. You’ll want to fully charge your battery even if you plan on using the outdoor power cable with SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection.

    You should also remove the protective film on the face of the Outdoor Camera Series 2 to ensure video quality is not impacted.

    What’s in the Box? 

    What You’ll Need

    • A USB Power Adapter (7.5W minimum) to charge the battery

    • Phillips Head Screwdriver

    • Optional: Ladder or Step Stool

    • Optional: Power Drill

    Completely Charge the Outdoor Camera’s Battery

    If you have not done so already, you will need to charge the Outdoor Camera’s battery completely before installing it, even if you intend on plugging the camera into a power cable.

    1. Plug the micro USB end of the included charging cable into the Outdoor Camera’s battery and the USB end of the cable into an adapter that outputs 7.5W minimum (this adapter is not included)

    2. Once plugged in, the LED lights on the battery will begin to blink to indicate that the camera is charging

    3. Charge the battery for at least 6 hours, or until all three lights on the battery are solid

    Add the Outdoor Camera in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App

    1. Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your smartphone or tablet

    2. Navigate to the three-bar menu on the upper left corner and select Add Device or Camera

    3. Select Cameras from the list of available products, and then Outdoor Camera Series 2

    Assemble the Outdoor Camera

    After the Outdoor Camera’s battery has been charged completely, you will need to insert the battery in the camera.

    1. Remove the camera’s lens by twisting it counterclockwise

    2. Insert the battery so the metal contacts on it are facing upwards and align with the contacts inside the camera

    3. Place the camera lens back on and twist it clockwise until it clicks into place

    4. You’ll know that the Outdoor Camera has been assembled properly when it chimes and begins to flash white

    ​

    Outdoor Camera Isn’t Flashing White?

    If the Outdoor Camera doesn’t begin to flash white, it could be due to a few reasons. Either the battery isn’t charged, the battery was inserted incorrectly, or the camera’s lens was not twisted on all the way.

    First, remove the battery from the Outdoor Camera and connect it to power again by using the included USB power cable and your own power adapter. If the battery is fully charged, all three LED lights will be solid. 

    Once you have confirmed that all 3 lights are solid on the battery, reinsert it into the camera, making sure that the charging contacts are facing up and the battery tab is facing out towards you. Then twist the lens back on the camera until it clicks into place. 

    If the light still does not flash white after reassembling the camera, you will need to reset the Outdoor Camera.

    How to Pair the Outdoor Camera to Your System

    1. Firmly press and release the pairing button on the back of the camera

    2. The Base Station will announce, “Camera added”

    3. On the mobile app, choose a name for the camera by selecting one of our pre-populated names, or select Custom Name at the bottom of the screen to input your own

    Connect the Outdoor Camera to Wi-Fi

    1. By default, the SimpliSafe® App will prompt you to connect the Outdoor Camera to the same Wi-Fi network as your Base station

    2. You may choose either “Yes, Connect” to connect it to this network, or “Choose a Different Network” to select another one

    3. After your Outdoor Camera has connected to Wi-Fi, it will check for and apply any available updates 

    ​

    Outdoor Camera Didn’t Connect to Wi-Fi?

    If your Outdoor Camera did not connect to your Wi-Fi network, please refer to the Camera Can’t Connect to Wi-Fi During Setup article.

    Choose a Location for the Outdoor Camera

    Next, you will be prompted to move your Outdoor Camera to its desired location and test its connection there before mounting the camera. This allows you to ensure your camera has a strong connection, or move your camera to a different location where the connection is stronger.

    When finding a location for the Outdoor Camera, we recommend the following:

    • If the Outdoor Camera will be enrolled in Active Guard Outdoor Protection, make sure that the camera is within reach of an exterior power outlet

    • The Outdoor Camera should be mounted 6.5 feet off the ground and angled 30° down

      • If mounting above 6.5 feet, we recommend using the permanent mount to secure the camera to the surface

    • The Outdoor Camera’s motion sensor is most sensitive to side-by-side movement, so choose a location where subjects are likely to move horizontally across its field of view

    • Make sure the Outdoor Camera’s field of view is not obstructed by branches, flags, or other objects 

    Check the Outdoor Camera’s Connection

    After finding a location for the Outdoor Camera, tap “Begin Test” in the SimpliSafe® App to test its Wi-Fi upload speed and signal strength. 

    Good Results

    If your results were good, that indicates that the Outdoor Camera should stream and record video smoothly from its location. Please move forward to mounting the camera.

    ​

    Poor Signal Strength, Good Upload Speed

    This result unusually indicates that the camera is not in range of the Wi-Fi router. Try moving the router closer to the camera or purchase a Wi-Fi extender.  

    ​

    Poor Signal Strength, Poor Upload Speed

    This result indicates that the camera is not in range of the Wi-Fi router, and the Wi-Fi is not providing the minimum 2 Mbps upload speed. Move the camera closer to the router and try live streaming again. If this helps, you can either move the router closer to the camera or purchase a Wi-Fi extender.  

    You may also need to contact your internet service provider to upgrade your package to one that includes higher upload speeds.

    ​

    Good Signal Strength, Poor Upload Speed

    SimpliSafe® cameras require 2-3 Mbps per camera. If you have multiple cameras on your system, multiply the number of cameras by 2 to determine the minimum upload speed required. 

    To improve your upload speed, you may either contact your internet service provider to upgrade your package, or move other Wi-Fi-enabled devices to a different network.

    How to Mount the Outdoor Camera

    When installing the Outdoor Camera, you may mount it using either the included magnetic mount or the permanent mount. If you are installing the permanent mount, please refer to the Outdoor Camera Permanent Mount Overview and Installation Guide.

    1. Remove the mounting plate from the magnetic dome by turning it counterclockwise 

    2. If your are installing the Outdoor Camera on a stone, brick, or stucco surface, drill 2 pilot holes into the surface using a 3/16-inch drill bit and gently tap the included wall anchors into the holes using a hammer or mallet

    3. Attach the mounting plate to the surface using the provided screws and your own Phillips head screwdriver

    4. Twist the magnetic dome back on the mounting plate until you hear it click into place

    5. Place the camera on the magnetic mount

    How to Power the Outdoor Camera

    After mounting the Outdoor Camera, you will be prompted to install your Outdoor Power Cable or Solar Panel to keep the battery charged, or you can choose to run the Outdoor Camera off its battery power. 

    Note: if you are enrolling the Outdoor Camera in Active Guard Outdoor Protection, you must install an Outdoor Power Cable.

    ​

    How to Install the Power Cable

    1. Lift the cover off of the charging port that is located on the back of the Outdoor Camera

    2. Firmly plug the micro USB end of the Power Cable into the camera, making sure that the micro USB is flush to the camera

    3. Snap the included strain-relief clip to the cable at the top near the camera

    4. Screw the clip into the surface near your camera, approximately 6 inches away

      1. If you are installing the Outdoor Camera on a brick, stone, or stucco surface, you will need to drill a single pilot hole using a 1/4 inch masonry drill bit and insert the wall anchor first

    5. Plug the power adapter into an outdoor-rated power outlet with a waterproof cover

    ​

    How to Install the Solar Panel

    If you are powering the Outdoor Camera with the Solar Panel, please refer to the Solar Panel Installation Guide in the Help Center.

    Fine-Tune the Outdoor Camera’s Position

    Next, you’ll want to check your camera’s view to ensure that it is capturing your desired area. Tap the “Check Live View” button in the app to see your camera’s live stream. From there, you can adjust your camera’s angle to ensure it is capturing the area you want to watch over. For the best performance, the camera should be angled 30° down.

    How to Enroll the Outdoor Camera in Active Guard Outdoor Protection

    If you are subscribed to either our Pro Plus or Pro monitoring plans, you will then be prompted to enroll your Outdoor Camera in Active Guard Outdoor Protection. If you do not want to enroll your camera now, you may always do so at a later time.

    If the Outdoor Camera is not plugged into a power cable, it cannot be enrolled. Keeping the camera plugged in allows SimpliSafe® to act on motion events without worrying about the camera’s battery levels. Once you have plugged the Outdoor Camera into power, you can enroll it at a later time in your camera’s settings. 

    Watch the video below for a hands-on installation experience from our team of experts.

    Compliance

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    Outdoor Cameras