SimpliCam
Get the most out of your SimpliSafe system by getting answers to your questions and support for your devices.
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Can't Initiate Live Stream From Within the SimpliSafe® App
If you are unable to initiate a live stream from within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App or Online Account, there are a few steps you can take to try and get things running again.
Using the Connection Check Tool
The Connection Check Tool for Cameras is a great way to better understand your signal strength and upload speed from the router to where your camera is located.
To use the Connection Check Tool:
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet
Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar
Select Camera Settings
Choose your camera from the list of available cameras
Under “Connection” select “Connection Check”
Tap “Start Connection Check” to find your camera’s connection strength
What do my Results Mean?
A good signal strength and/or upload speed means that there is a strong connection between your camera and Wi-Fi network.
A fair or poor upload speed means that you’ll want to reduce your camera’s video resolution. You can do this within the Camera Settings page for your camera in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App.
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet
Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar
Select Camera Settings
Choose your camera from the list of available cameras
Tap on Video Quality
Choose a lower resolution
Select SAVE in the upper right corner to save your selections
It may also be necessary to upload your Internet package with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to improve upload speeds. We recommend reaching out to your ISP to learn more about their offerings.
A fair or poor signal strength means your camera may be too far away from your Wi-Fi router. We recommend moving them closer, if possible. If not, you can opt to install a Wi-Fi extender to help bridge the network connectivity gap between the two. You can also move SimpliSafe® to a dedicated network or guest network to alleviate congestion. To learn more about setting up a dedicated or guest network, contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or consult with your router’s manual.
Still Need Help?
Don't hesitate to contact our support team for additional troubleshooting or assistance. We're here to help!
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Cameras
SimpliCam® Wired Indoor Camera Settings & Customizations
The SimpliCam® Wired Indoor Security Camera has a variety of settings that can be customized, like Camera Behavior, Video Quality, Night Vision, and more! You can make adjustments to the camera’s settings in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App.
Using the SimpliSafe® Mobile App
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet
Choose My System from the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen
Select Camera Settings
Choose your SimpliCam® from the list of cameras
Camera Behavior
You can control your camera’s built-in privacy shutter by changing the motion detection depending on your system’s arming state. This means that you can adjust when your camera records as it is tied to your system’s arming state.
For example, if you don’t want your camera to record when the system is in Off Mode, but you do want it to record when it is in Away Mode, you can control these settings.
Motion Detection
Motion Detection settings control how your camera responds to motion events, such as someone walking in its view.
In this menu, you can use the slider to choose the sensitivity of motion detection. We typically recommend setting this to medium.
Here, you can also toggle Motion Events on and off to dictate if you would like your camera to detect motion or not, and Motion Notifications turn push notifications on or off.
Video Quality
Video Quality manages the quality of your recordings and livestreams. This can be adjusted to 1080p, 720p, or 480p. When a livestream is set to a higher quality, it will use more bandwidth on your network. So, if you’re having trouble streaming at 1080p, you can try lowering the quality to troubleshoot on your end.
Night Vision
The Night Vision setting allows you to see potential intruders in the dark, by using infrared to capture video. This setting can be toggled to Auto, On, or Off. We recommend using Auto for the most optimal experience, but if your camera is in a persistently dark room, you may want to set Night Vision to On for better results.
Status Light
The Status Light will show you when your camera is recording or livestreaming. Toggling this setting off will disable the light on the front of the camera. Within the Status Light setting in the app, you can also see the different light patterns your SimpliCam® can produce and what they mean.
Mic & Audio
The Mic & Audio setting allows you to record audio with camera footage and lets you speak through the camera’s microphone when utilizing 2-way audio.
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SimpliCam
SimpliCam® Wired Indoor Camera Overview and Installation Guide
Overview
Keep an eye on your home with HD video that you can live stream from your phone, tablet, or computer with the SimpliCam® Wired Indoor Camera. The SimpliCam® alerts you the instant it detects motion so you can see what’s happening and take action through its 2-way audio. Enhance your recordings and get unlimited access to your timeline with select professional monitoring plans.
Before Getting Started
You will need to have a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network available to complete the setup of this camera.
After taking your camera out of the box, we recommend you thread the cord through the stand, plug it into the camera, put the camera on the stand, and plug it into a power source.
Add the SimpliCam® in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your smartphone or tablet
Navigate to the three-bar menu on the upper left corner and select Add Device or Camera
Select Cameras from the list of available products, and then SimpliCam
On the "Are you installing at [location name]?" page, select "Yes" to confirm the camera location
If you are installing the SimpliCam® somewhere else, select “No, I'm Installing Elsewhere" and follow the on-screen instructions
Connect the SimpliCam® to Wi-Fi
Next, you will be prompted to connect the SimpliCam® to Wi-Fi
iOS Users: If your phone or tablet is already connected to Wi-Fi, the SimpliSafe® app will automatically select that one to connect the camera to. Tap "Next" on the bottom of the screen to connect to the network displayed
Android Users: The app will display a list of available Wi-Fi networks to choose from
Type in the Wi-Fi password and select Next
Name the SimpliCam®
Next, the SimpliSafe® app will prompt you to name the SimpliCam®. You can select from our list of pre-populated names, or select Custom Name at the bottom of the screen to input your own.
Prepare the SimpliCam® for Setup
Remove the plastic from the lens if you have not already
Slide the SimpliCam® off the stand and plug the micro-USB into the port on the back of the camera
Remount the camera on the stand and plug it into the wall. The LED will show solid yellow, indicating it is booting up
When the camera finishes booting up, the customer will hear a voice prompt saying, "Your camera is ready for setup"
The camera will start to flash white, indicating it is ready to be installed
Scan the QR Code
For the SimpliCam® to finish connecting to Wi-Fi, it will need to scan the QR code that appears on your phone or tablet’s screen.
Hold your phone 6-8 inches in front of the SimpliCam®
After the QR code successfully scans, press the "OK, Now Attempting…" button
If the QR code does not scan, refer to the Why Won’t My QR Code Scan article in the Help Center
Choose a Location for the SimpliCam®
Finally, you will need to find a location to place the SimpliCam®. When finding a spot to install the SimpliCam®, we recommend the following:
The camera should be placed on a shelf on the edge of a shelf, and at least 4 feet off the ground
The SimpliCam®’s motion sensor is most sensitive to side-by-side movement, so choose a location where subjects are more likely move horizontally across its field of view, as opposed to directly toward the camera
Watch the video below for a hands-on experience from our team of experts for the installation process
Troubleshooting
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SimpliCam
What does “Camera Connection Dropped” mean?
A "Camera Connection Dropped" error means that during a live stream, SimpliSafe® stopped receiving video from the camera. This is often the result of poor internet connectivity between the camera and the router, causing the camera to be unable to upload video for viewing as fast as it is recording.
The video that your camera has already recorded but not yet been able to stream is stored in the camera's own internal memory. However, the camera’s memory is limited and may eventually be insufficient to hold the video backlog. If the camera's memory becomes full before it can upload the recordings, the video stream will end.
For more information on how to strengthen your camera's connection, please refer to the How to Improve Wi-Fi Signal Strength and How to Improve Upload Speed articles in the Help Center.
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Cameras
Can't Connect Camera to Wi-Fi During 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.
A short list of requirements can be found below:
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
We recommend that you have your 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks separated and not merged together. Most routers and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) by default will create a single network that broadcasts 2.4GHz and 5GHz at the same time. To separate the network, you may need to consult with your ISP or reach out to your router manufacturer for configuration assistance.
COX and Xfinity default their network security settings to the WPA3 protocol. To connect the Base Station to Wi-Fi or install the SimpliSafe® cameras, 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 (ISP) 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. Click on Wi-Fi from the bottom menu, then select Wi-Fi Details. Choose Edit Wi-Fi Settings. Under Security Mode change this setting to WPA2, then tap on Save to save your changes.
If your phone is currently connected to a 5GHz network and you have a 2.4GHz network available, please use your phone’s Wi-Fi settings to switch the network before trying to connect the camera to Wi-Fi again.
iPhone / iOS Wi-Fi Settings:
Go to Settings on your iOS device
Choose Wi-Fi
Select the 2.4GHz network from the list of available networks
Enter your password
Tap on Join in the upper right hand corner to connect to the Wi-Fi network
Android Wi-Fi Settings:
Go to Settings on your Android device
Navigate to Wi-Fi Network
Select your 2.4GHz network from the list of available networks
Enter your password
Save to connect to the Wi-Fi network
*These steps may vary depending on your Android device. Consult with your phone's manual for further directions.
Still having trouble connecting?
There are steps you can take if your camera keeps losing Wi-Fi Connection after setup. If you continue to have trouble after taking those steps, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Support Team for further assistance.
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Cameras
How to Change your Wi-Fi for your SimpliSafe® System
If you change your Wi-Fi network name and/or password for any reason (such as moving into a new home, or receiving a new router), you’ll need to update your SimpliSafe® System with the new credentials. You will always want to update the Base Station Wi-Fi first before proceeding to the camera steps. If you do not update your Base Station’s Wi-Fi first, you will be unable to reconnect Outdoor Cameras or any Smart Alarm Indoor Cameras.
Please note that your network will need to meet our system requirements to connect your system to Wi-Fi. At a very basic level, you will need a 2.4GHz wireless connection that’s configured as WPA2 or WPA2/3 Mixed Mode.
Connecting the Base Station to your new Wi-Fi using the SimpliSafe® Mobile App
Please note that these steps are only if you have a monitoring plan that supports built-in network backup. If you do not have a monitoring plan, please proceed to the Keypad steps below.
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet
Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar, followed by Base Station Settings
Tap on ‘WiFi Network’ and follow the in-app prompts to connect to your new network
Your app will state “Yay! Your Base Station is connected” if the credentials are correct.
Tap Done to exit the Wi-Fi setup mode
Connecting the Base Station to your new Wi-Fi using the Keypad
Using your Keypad, press the Menu button
Then, enter your Master PIN
Select System Settings
Then press the right side of the screen to choose Wi-Fi, followed by Edit
Next, choose your network from the list of available options by tapping “Use”
Enter your password by using the Keypad’s buttons to type in ABC mode (this is similar to T9 which was used for texting with older cell phones)
Changing Wi-Fi Networks for Cameras
Changing your Wi-Fi using the SimpliSafe® Mobile App
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet
Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar, followed by Camera Settings
Tap on the Camera you wish to change Wi-Fi for
Scroll down to Wi-Fi network and tap on it
Follow the in-app prompts to connect to your new network
If you run into any issues using the above steps or if your camera remains offline after changing the Wi-Fi network, we recommend removing the camera from your system and reinstalling it.
How to Remove a Camera from your System
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet
Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar, followed by Camera Settings
Tap on your camera from the list of available products
Scroll down to the bottom and tap on “X Remove Camera”
How to Re-install Your Camera
Using the SimpliSafe® Mobile App, tap on the three-bar menu (hamburger menu) in the upper left corner of the app
Choose “Add Device or Camera”
Then, select “Get Started” to proceed
Tap on the camera you wish to install from the list of available products
And follow the in-app instructions to add it back to your system
Remove your Camera from the SimpliSafe® App
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet
Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar, followed by Camera Settings
Tap on your Video Doorbell Pro
Scroll down to the bottom and tap on “X Remove Camera”
Re-install your Video Doorbell Pro Using the SimpliSafe® Mobile App
Using the SimpliSafe® Mobile App, tap on the three-bar menu (hamburger menu) in the upper left corner of the app
Choose “Add Device or Camera”
Then, select “Get Started” to proceed
Tap on Video Doorbell Pro from the list of available products
And follow the in-app instructions to add it back to your system
Remove your Camera from the SimpliSafe® App
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet
Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar, followed by Camera Settings
Tap on your SimpliCam® Wired Indoor Security Camera
Scroll down to the bottom and tap on “X Remove Camera”
Re-install your SimpliCam® Using the SimpliSafe® Mobile App
Using the SimpliSafe® Mobile App, tap on the three-bar menu (hamburger menu) in the upper left corner of the app
Choose “Add Device or Camera”
Then, select “Get Started” to proceed
Tap on SimpliCam® from the list of available products
And follow the in-app instructions to add it back to your system
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Cameras
How to Resolve the "No Video" Error for SimpliSafe® Cameras
The error “No Video” means that while recording, the camera disconnected from SimpliSafe® and the video was not able to be saved. This may indicate that a portion or the entirety of the video was lost, and unfortunately will not be able to be recovered.
There are a few steps you can take to get your cameras back up and running smoothly. Please note that while “No Video” errors caused by a loss of power to your location’s Wi-Fi router are not necessarily preventable, your system does have a fallback to run off a built-in network backup connection* and 24-hour backup battery to ensure you’re protected at all times. Note that the built-in network backup connection only applies to the Base Station, and does not relay data to your cameras.
*Built-in network backup connection available with a professional monitoring plan.
Each SimpliSafe® camera needs an upload speed of at least 2Mbps. So if you have 5 cameras, you’ll need at least 10Mbps to allow cameras to record without an issue at the same time should an alarm occur, or if you use certain features within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App.
You can check your upload speed, along with signal strength using the in-app Connection Check tool.
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet
Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar
Select Camera Settings
Tap on the camera you wish to troubleshoot
Scroll down to Connection and tap on Connection Check
Press the “Start Connection Check” button to begin the test
What do my Results Mean?
Good Upload Speed
A good signal strength or upload speed means that there is a strong connection between your camera and Wi-Fi network.
Fair or Poor Upload Speed
If your upload speed is fair or poor, reduce the camera’s video resolution in its settings in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App. To do this:
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet
Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar
Select Camera Settings
Tap on the camera you wish to manage video resolution for
Navigate to “Video Quality” and choose a lower resolution
Don't forget to select SAVE in the upper right corner to save your selections
It may also be necessary to upgrade your internet package to improve your upload speed. We recommend reaching out to your internet service provider to learn more about their offerings.
Fair or Poor Signal Strength
If your signal strength is fair or poor, move your camera and Wi-Fi router closer together and then try running the Connection Check tool again. If your signal strength is still fair or poor, we recommend getting a Wi-Fi extender.
It may also help to connect your SimpliSafe® devices to a different Wi-Fi network. We recommend setting up a Guest Network on your Wi-Fi router and only connecting your SimpliSafe® devices to it. To learn more about setting up a Guest Network, reach out to your internet service provider.
If you change your Wi-Fi network name and/or password for any reason (such as moving into a new home, or receiving a new router), you’ll need to update your SimpliSafe® System with the new Wi-Fi credentials. You will always want to update the Base Station Wi-Fi first before proceeding to the camera steps. If you do not update your Base Station’s Wi-Fi first, you will be unable to reconnect Outdoor Cameras or any Smart Alarm Indoor Cameras.
Please note that your network will need to meet our system requirements to connect your system to Wi-Fi. At a very basic level, you will need a 2.4GHz wireless connection that’s configured as WPA2 or WPA2/3 Mixed Mode.
If you notice that multiple recordings for a single camera show a “No Video” error but your connection check is good, we recommend resetting your camera. You can find the steps to reset your camera on our Help Center.
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Cameras