Video Doorbell Pro
Get the most out of your SimpliSafe system by getting answers to your questions and support for your devices.
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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
My Video Doorbell Pro Won't Connect to Wi-Fi During Setup
The Video Doorbell Pro will blink red in any instance where it’s having trouble connecting to Wi-Fi. If you are having trouble connecting your Video Doorbell Pro to Wi-Fi during its initial 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 Wi-Fi network name and password cannot exceed 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 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.
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Video Doorbell Pro
Video Doorbell Pro Settings & Customizations
The Video Doorbell Pro has a variety of settings that can be customized, like Activity Zones, Video Quality, and more! You can adjust these settings at any time using 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 Video Doorbell Pro from the list of available cameras
Why are some settings locked?
Enabling SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection requires certain settings to be enabled. These settings get toggled to On and will have a locked icon next to them to ensure our professional monitoring specialists always have the tools they need to deter potential intruders.
Motion Detection settings control how your camera responds to motion events, such as someone walking in its view or a car driving by. In this menu, you can adjust Motion Events, Motion Notifications, Sensitivity, Motion Type, and Activity Zones.
Motion Events
Motion Events allows you to turn Motion Events On or Off. This setting is turned On by default.
Motion Notifications
Motion Notifications
The Motion Notifications settings allows you to determine whether you will receive push notifications for motion events or not. This setting can be turned On or Off and is set to On by default.
Sensitivity; Day
This setting determines how sensitive the camera is to detecting motion events during the day. This setting can be set to Low, Medium, or High, with Medium being the default.
Sensitivity; Night
This setting determines how sensitive the camera is to detecting motion events at night. This setting can be set to Low, Medium, or High, with Medium being the default.
Motion Type
The Motion Type setting allows you to choose between All Motion or People Only. When set to All Motion, the Video Doorbell Pro will detect all motion types. However, when set to People Only, the Video Doorbell will only notify you when people are detected.
Activity Zone
Activity Zones allow you to exclude certain areas for motion events. This is good if you want to ensure that motion isn’t detected from a high-traffic area of the camera’s view, like a busy street or sidewalk.
Video Quality manages the quality your livestreams and recordings will be at. You can adjust this to 1080p, 720p, or 420p. The higher the quality of the stream, the more bandwidth it will use on your network; so if you’re having trouble streaming at 1080p, you can try lowering the quality.
The Night Vision setting allows you to see potential intruders or threats 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; however, if your camera is in a consistently dark area, you may want to opt for On.
The Status Light for your camera will show you that the camera is online and functioning, at a glance. This setting can be turned On or Off and is On by default.
The Mic & Audio setting determines if audio is captured with camera recordings and also allows you to speak through the camera’s microphone. This setting can be turned On or Off and is On by default.
The Base Station Chime setting sets the volume at which your Base Station will chime when the doorbell is rung. This can be set to Off, Low, Medium, or High.
Help Center Article
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Video Doorbell Pro
App Error: Camera Disconnected
Overview
The app error “Camera Disconnected” can happen for several reasons, including if you’ve changed your Wi-Fi recently or if the camera battery has been replaced. The following article will walk you through a few troubleshooting scenarios to help get your camera back up and running. Use the collapsible sections below to go through each step one by one, as they apply to your situation.
Please note, you will need to be with your system to troubleshoot this issue. Remote troubleshooting is not possible.
If you moved, or changed Internet Service Providers (ISP), you’ll need to teach both your Base Station and Cameras the new Wi-Fi information.
To Connect your Base Station to Wi-Fi:
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet
Choose My System from the navigation menu at the bottom of the app screen
Select Base Station Settings
Tap on WiFi Network
Choose either Yes, Connect or Choose Another Network to proceed
Enter the password for your Wi-Fi network
Click Connect once finished
Your app will state Yay! Your Base Station is connected if the credentials are correct
Tap Done to exit the Wi-Fi setup mode
To Connect your Cameras to Wi-Fi:
There are different steps for connecting your camera to a new Wi-Fi network depending on the model you own. Please refer to the Changing Wi-Fi Networks for Cameras section in the How to Change Your Wi-Fi for Your SimpliSafe® System article for more details.
Network Configuration
If you’re having trouble connecting to Wi-Fi using the above steps, it is likely that your network does not meet our Wi-Fi Requirements. You must be using a 2.4GHz network, as SimpliSafe® cannot connect to 5GHz networks. Additionally, your network must be configured to support WPA2 or WPA2/3 Mixed Mode - as WPA3 is not supported at this time.
For assistance on configuring your network, contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or consult with your router manufacturer.
If you recently recharged your camera or its battery, the camera may display this error while it works to check back in with the Base Station. This can take some time to refresh, but if you want to refresh the connection sooner you can remove the camera from within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App, factory reset the camera, then re-install it. Make sure you download any recordings from your camera prior to taking these steps.
Step 1: Remove the Camera From the SimpliSafe® Mobile App:
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet
Choose My System
Select Camera Settings
Tap on the Camera you wish to remove from your system
Scroll down and tap on X Remove Camera
Choose YES on the pop up to remove the camera
Step 2: Reset Your Camera:
Each camera has a unique set of steps to factory reset it. Please follow the steps from the links below to reset your camera
Step 3: Re-Install Your Camera:
Once you have factory reset your camera, the last step is to re-install it. To re-install your camera:
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet
Navigate to the three-bar menu in the upper left corner of the app
Select Add Device or Camera
Followed by Let’s Go
Then choose your camera from the list of available products
And follow the in-app prompts to install it again
If you’ve taken the above steps and are still encountering this issue, it’s possible that you may need to remove the camera from your system, factory reset it, and then add it back to your system. Just make sure you download any recordings from your camera prior to taking these steps.
Step 1: Remove the Camera From the SimpliSafe® Mobile App:
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet
Choose My System
Select Camera Settings
Tap on the Camera you wish to remove from your system
Scroll down and tap on X Remove Camera
Choose YES on the pop up to remove the camera
Step 2: Reset Your Camera:
Each camera has a unique set of steps to factory reset it. Please follow the steps from the links below to reset your camera
Step 3: Re-Install Your Camera:
Once you have factory reset your camera, the last step is to re-install it. To re-install your camera:
Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet
Navigate to the three-bar menu in the upper left corner of the app
Select Add Device or Camera
Followed by Let’s Go
Then choose your camera from the list of available products
And follow the in-app prompts to install it again
All SimpliSafe® cameras require a Wi-Fi connection to function. We recommend running the Connection Check Tool in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App as the next step to help identify and resolve any underlying network issues with the connection between your router, the Base Station and your Camera(s).
How to Use the Connection Check Tool
Tap the “Cameras” icon at the bottom of the SimpliSafe® mobile app
Choose the gear icon in the upper right corner
Select your camera
Under “Connection” select “Connection Check”
Tap “Start Connection Check” to find your camera’s connection strength
What do the Results Mean?
A good signal strength or good upload speed means that there’s a strong connection between your camera and Wi-Fi network.
Fair or Poor Upload Speeds indicate your bandwidth may not be high enough to support the streaming quality of your camera. You can try reducing your camera’s video resolution under Camera Settings.
Fair or Poor Signal Strength indicates that the router may be too far away, or there’s wireless or structural interference dampening the signal between the router and your camera(s). Try moving the router closer to your camera(s) then test again to see if performance has improved. You can also try purchasing and installing a Wi-Fi extender to relay your network should you be unable to move the router.
Some of our cameras need to check in with the Base Station in order to connect in the app. These cameras are Outdoor Camera Series 2, Outdoor Camera, and Smart Alarm Indoor Camera. You’ll want to ensure that your Base Station is placed in a central location within your home or business, free from any obstructions - both wireless and structural. Moving the Base Station closer to the camera(s) that are impacted can also help to get them back online.
A Wi-Fi Extender is a great way to provide supplemental Wi-Fi coverage to your Base Station and Cameras within your home or business.
Need to purchase a Wi-Fi Extender? You can find the TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender available for purchase on our website.
Help Center Article
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Cameras
Recording Behavior for SimpliSafe® Cameras
Your SimpliSafe® cameras record* whenever they detect motion and during a number of system events to keep you updated about what is happening at your home or business. Refer to the chart below for a list of events that trigger a recording, and how long your cameras will record for.
How long can a camera record for?
Camera recordings depend on what event has triggered a recording.
Event Trigger
Recording Length
Alarm Event (Including Panic Button presses)
When an alarm is triggered, your cameras will record for 3 minutes
Duress PIN is entered on the Keypad or Smart Lock’s PIN Pad
When the Duress PIN in entered during any armed state, your cameras will record for 3 minutes
Entry Countdown
When the Base Station enters a countdown from an armed state, your cameras will record during the duration of the countdown
Motion
Your cameras will record for 10 seconds, or will continue to record if there is continued motion for up to 1 minute
System Disarmed
Whenever your system is disarmed from Away Mode, your cameras will record for 1 minute
Secret Alert
When a sensor triggers a Secret Alert, your cameras will record for 10 seconds
User-Initiated Test
When you put your system into Test Mode, your cameras will record for 1 minute
User-Initiated Recording
A user-initiated recording will record for up to 1 minute, or until the user cancels it
Power Restored
Whenever power is restored to your system after an outage, your cameras will record for 20 seconds
*Recording availability and storage in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App depends on your monitoring subscription.
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Outdoor Cameras
Video Doorbell Pro LED Status Lights
The Video Doorbell Pro gives you high definition video, two-way audio, and night vision so you can see and speak to visitors any time. The front of the camera is equipped with an LED status light to keep you informed at a glance.
Note: There are different light behaviors during setup and during day-to-day usage. The following video and charts will highlight to you what to expect during set up and day-to-day usage, as well as define what each status light means.
LED Behavior During Set Up
LED Color and Behavior
Description
No Light
It can take up to 30 minutes for your camera to boot up after you first plug it in. If it’s been longer than that, check your wiring and contact support.
Blinking White
Your camera is receiving power and is ready to be set up.
Solid Yellow
The camera is rebooting or installing a firmware update
Blinking Yellow
The camera is connected to internet but is not connected to SimpliSafe®’s servers (this may be visible for a short time after rebooting your camera)
Blinking Red
The camera cannot connect to Wi-Fi
LED Behavior for Daily Usage
LED Color and Behavior
Description
Pulsing Blue
The doorbell button has been pressed, or motion has been detected by the camera’s sensor
Solid Blue
Two-Way Audio has been initiated from within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App
No Light
1. No light will turn on when you initiate a live stream from within the SimpliSafe® Mobile App
2. If you are seeing no light and the camera is not accessible in the app, this could indicate a separate issue. Check your wiring and contact support.Help Center Article
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Video Doorbell Pro
Doorbell Angle Kit for Video Doorbell Pro Overview and Installation Guide
Inside the box of the Video Doorbell Pro you’ll find a vertical angle bracket to help adjust the angle of your Video Doorbell Pro by 10 degrees. If you need a horizontal adjustment to the angle of your Video Doorbell Pro, our Support team can send you a doorbell angle kit free of charge to help with your Video Doorbell Pro installation. The horizontal angle bracket can adjust the horizontal positioning of your Video Doorbell Pro by 15 degrees.
Video Doorbell Pro Installation Requirements
In order to install your Video Doorbell Pro, your home must meet the following requirements:
Existing doorbell wiring
A mechanical chime. Not compatible with digital chimes.
A transformer with 8-24VAC, 10-30VA
Installing your Video Doorbell Pro With an Angle Bracket
You’ll install your Video Doorbell Pro with most of the same steps from our Installation Guide. The main difference is before you put on the mounting plate with the contacts that connect to your doorbell’s wiring, you’ll install the angle bracket.
If you received a doorbell angle kit from our support team, you’ll have a horizontal angle bracket in addition to a vertical one. With the longer screws included in the doorbell angle kit, you can install both a vertical and horizontal angle bracket together to adjust the angle of your Video Doorbell Pro in both directions.
As a first step, you’ll want to ensure that power has been cut to your doorbell and the existing doorbell has been removed. You’ll want to temporarily use electrical tape to adhere your wiring to the siding on your home so the wiring does not fall back into the doorbell hole.
Once that’s done, you’ll want to predrill the holes for the Video Doorbell Pro’s angle brackets, using the provided screws, or installing wall anchors as needed.
After that, you’ll need to line up the mounting plate with the angle brackets and secure it to the wall using the screws included in the doorbell angle kit. Use the smaller lengthed screws if you are using only a single angle bracket. If you plan to use the vertical and horizontal bracket together, please use the longer screws to adequately secure the angle brackets and mounting plate.
Once the angle bracket and mounting plate have been secured, you may continue to use our installation guide to secure your Video Doorbell Pro, and begin the setup using the SimpliSafe® Mobile App.
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Video Doorbell Pro