Are Your SimpliSafe Notifications Arriving Too Late?
A security system's effectiveness depends on timely information. When a door opens, a sensor is tripped, or an alarm sounds, you expect to receive an alert on your smartphone almost instantly. A significant delay between the event and the notification can defeat the purpose of remote monitoring, leaving you unaware of a potential emergency until it's too late.
If you're experiencing a noticeable lag with your SimpliSafe push notifications, this guide will help you understand the causes and provide effective solutions to ensure you get the timely alerts you need.
### Understanding the Notification Pathway
To troubleshoot the delay, it's helpful to know how the alert travels:
- Your sensor (e.g., an entry sensor) triggers.
- It sends a radio signal to your Base Station.
- The Base Station sends the signal over the internet (via Wi-Fi or its cellular connection) to SimpliSafe's servers.
- SimpliSafe's servers process the signal and send a push notification to your smartphone.
- Your phone receives the notification and displays it.
A delay can happen at any stage of this journey.
Step 1: Refresh Your System's Connection
The most common cause of a temporary lag is a stale connection between your Base Station and the SimpliSafe servers. A system test is the quickest way to refresh it.
- Go to your SimpliSafe Keypad.
- Press Menu, enter your Master PIN.
- Navigate to System Settings > Test Mode.
- Let the system run its test for about a minute. This forces a fresh handshake with the cellular and Wi-Fi networks.
- Exit Test Mode from the keypad.
- Arm your system and trigger a sensor (like opening a door) to see if the notification speed has improved.
Step 2: Optimise Your Base Station's Connection
If the lag persists, the issue may be a consistently weak connection from your Base Station.
### Check Your Wi-Fi Signal
The Base Station uses Wi-Fi as its primary connection method. A weak signal will slow down communication.
- Location Matters: Ensure your Base Station is not placed in a basement, inside a cabinet, or surrounded by metal objects. It needs to be in a relatively open area to get a good Wi-Fi signal.
- Move it Closer: Try moving the Base Station closer to your main Wi-Fi router. Even moving it a few feet can make a significant difference.
### Check Your Cellular Signal
The cellular connection is the backup. If Wi-Fi fails, or is weak, the system will use cellular, which can sometimes be slower.
- On your Keypad, you can check the cellular signal strength in the system settings.
- If the signal is weak, try moving the Base Station near a window or to a higher floor in your home to get a better connection to the mobile network.
Step 3: Check Your Smartphone's Connection
The final link in the chain is your phone.
- Strong Internet Connection: Push notifications require your phone to have a stable internet connection, either through Wi-Fi or mobile data. If you are in an area with poor reception, your notifications will be delayed.
- Disable 'Do Not Disturb': Ensure your phone's 'Do Not Disturb' or 'Focus' modes are not interfering with or silencing notifications from the SimpliSafe app.
- App Permissions: Go into your phone's settings and ensure the SimpliSafe app has all the necessary permissions to send notifications and run in the background.