Stop the Flood of D-Link False Notifications
A security camera is supposed to provide peace of mind, but it can quickly become a source of annoyance if your phone is buzzing every few minutes with pointless alerts. Notifications for moving shadows, a car driving by, or a spider building a web across the lens can make you start ignoring the alerts altogether, defeating the purpose of the camera. If you're being bombarded with false notifications from your D-Link camera, don't worry. With a few adjustments in the mydlink app, you can make your alerts smarter and more meaningful.
Common Causes of D-Link False Notifications
Your D-Link camera detects motion by comparing frames and looking for changes in pixels. This system is effective but can sometimes be tricked by environmental factors that aren't a genuine security threat.
Motion Sensitivity Set Too High
This is the most frequent culprit. By default, the motion sensitivity might be set to a very high level, causing the camera to trigger an alert for even the slightest change in the scene, like leaves rustling in the wind.
Environmental Triggers
Your camera doesn't know the difference between a person walking up to your door and a large cloud casting a moving shadow across your lawn. Common environmental triggers include:
- Moving shadows and light changes
- Rain, snow, or fog
- Insects or animals close to the lens
- Trees, plants, or flags blowing in the wind
Sound Detection
If you have sound detection enabled, the microphone can be triggered by ambient noises like traffic, aeroplanes, humming appliances, or even a loud air conditioning unit.
How to Reduce False Alerts from Your D-Link Camera
Follow these steps within the mydlink app to fine-tune your camera's settings.
Step 1: Adjust Motion Detection Sensitivity
This should be your first port of call.
- Open the mydlink app and select your camera.
- Go to the device's Settings (usually a gear icon).
- Find the Motion Detection or Motion Settings menu.
- You will see a sensitivity slider, often set to 80% or higher by default.
- Lower the sensitivity in increments of 10-15%. Try setting it to 60% and see how it performs. Continue to adjust until you find a balance that captures real events without sending constant false alerts.
Step 2: Create Motion Detection Zones (Activity Zones)
This is an incredibly powerful feature for eliminating predictable false alerts. It allows you to select specific areas of the frame where you want the camera to detect motion.
- In the Motion Detection settings, look for an option like Activity Zone or Motion Zone.
- You'll see a grid overlaid on your camera's view.
- Select only the squares that cover the area you care about, such as your walkway, doorway, or gate.
- Deselect the squares that cover swaying trees, a busy road, or your neighbour's property. This tells the camera to completely ignore any motion that happens in the deselected areas.
Step 3: Adjust Sound Detection Levels
If you're getting unwanted sound alerts, navigate to the Sound Detection settings. Similar to motion sensitivity, you can adjust the decibel (dB) level required to trigger a recording. Increase the threshold so that only louder, more significant sounds will set it off. Alternatively, you can disable sound detection entirely if it's not a feature you need.
Step 4: Optimise Camera Placement
Sometimes, a simple physical adjustment can solve the problem. If possible, position the camera so it avoids looking directly at sources of constant motion. Pointing it slightly downwards can often remove a busy street or swaying treetops from the frame, drastically reducing false triggers.