## How to Fix Annoying Scout Camera Lag and Buffering
A lagging video feed on your security camera can be more than just an annoyance—it can mean missing the critical moments of an event. If your Scout camera's live stream is constantly buffering, freezing, or appears choppy and delayed, the issue is almost certainly related to your network. This guide will help you pinpoint the cause of the lag and provide effective solutions for a smooth, reliable video stream.
### Understanding the Cause of Video Lag
Your Scout camera needs to capture video, compress it, and then upload it through your Wi-Fi network to the cloud, from where it's streamed back to your phone. A bottleneck at any point in this journey will result in lag. The most common culprits are:
- Weak Wi-Fi Signal: The camera is too far from your router.
- Low Upload Speed: Your internet plan doesn't have enough bandwidth.
- Network Congestion: Too many other devices are using your Wi-Fi.
## Step-by-Step Guide to Eliminating Camera Lag
Let's start with the most likely and easiest-to-fix issues.
1. Assess Your Wi-Fi Signal Strength
The quality of the connection between your camera and your router is paramount.
- Check Signal in the App: Most security camera apps have a device health or network status section that shows the Wi-Fi signal strength (RSSI). A strong signal is essential.
- Relocate Your Router or Camera: Even moving your router a few feet can make a huge difference. Try to place it in a central location, away from thick walls and large metal objects. If you can't move the router, try moving the camera closer to it.
- Minimise Obstructions: Every wall, floor, and piece of furniture between the router and the camera weakens the signal. The most problematic materials are concrete, brick, metal, and even water (like in fish tanks).
2. Test Your Internet Upload Speed
Many people focus on download speed, but for a camera that is sending video to the cloud, upload speed is what matters.
- Run a Speed Test: Use a reliable speed testing website or app on a device connected to your Wi-Fi.
- Know Your Needs: A single camera streaming in High Definition (1080p) typically requires a consistent upload speed of 2-4 Mbps. If you have multiple cameras, you need to multiply that requirement.
- Contact Your ISP: If your upload speed is consistently lower than what you're paying for, or simply not enough for your needs, you may need to contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to upgrade your plan.
3. Reduce Network Congestion
Your home Wi-Fi is a shared resource. If other people are streaming 4K movies, downloading large files, or gaming online, there might not be enough bandwidth left for your camera.
- Identify Bandwidth Hogs: See what other devices are heavily using the network when the lag occurs.
- Use Quality of Service (QoS): Many modern routers have a QoS setting that allows you to prioritise traffic for specific devices. If available, set your Scout camera to have the highest priority. This tells your router to always allocate bandwidth to the camera first.
## Advanced Solutions for Better Performance
If the basic steps haven't fully resolved the lag, consider these hardware and settings adjustments.
### Lower the Video Quality
It's a trade-off, but reducing the streaming quality is a highly effective way to reduce lag. In the Scout camera app settings, find the video or streaming quality option and lower it from 1080p (High) to 720p (Medium) or even SD (Standard). This uses significantly less bandwidth and will often result in a much smoother, albeit less detailed, image.
### Invest in a Wi-Fi Extender or Mesh System
- Wi-Fi Extender: A simple and cost-effective way to boost the signal in a specific dead zone. Place it halfway between your router and the camera.
- Mesh Wi-Fi System: The best solution for larger homes or areas with challenging layouts. A mesh system uses multiple nodes to create a single, strong, and seamless Wi-Fi network across your entire property, ensuring the camera always has a powerful connection.