How to Fix Poor Video Quality on Your SimpliSafe Camera
A SimpliSafe camera is a great tool for peace of mind, but not when the video is pixelated, choppy, or constantly buffering. Poor video quality can make it impossible to see important details. This guide will help you diagnose and fix the common causes of these issues.
## The Core of the Problem: Your Internet Connection
For nearly all video quality problems with SimpliSafe cameras, the root cause is the internet connection. It's a two-part issue: the Wi-Fi signal strength to the camera and the upload speed of your home internet plan.
## Step 1: Test Your Internet Upload Speed
Your camera sends video up to the cloud, so upload speed is the most important metric.
- The Requirement: SimpliSafe states that each camera needs a minimum upload speed of 2 Mbps. This is crucial. If you have two cameras streaming at once, you need at least 4 Mbps of available upload speed.
- How to Check: Use a speed testing website on your phone or computer while connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your camera. Look specifically at the "Upload" result.
- The Solution: If your upload speed is below the 2 Mbps per camera threshold, you will experience poor quality. Contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to inquire about upgrading to a plan with a higher upload speed.
## Step 2: Analyse and Improve Wi-Fi Signal Strength
Even with a fast internet plan, a weak Wi-Fi signal between your router and the camera will cause problems.
- Check the Signal: You can see the signal strength for your camera within the SimpliSafe app's settings. A weak or 'fair' signal is not good enough for high-quality video.
- Bring Them Closer: The easiest way to improve the signal is to reduce the distance between the router and the camera.
- Remove Obstructions: Wi-Fi signals are weakened by physical barriers. The worst offenders are:
- Brick, stone, and concrete walls
- Large metal appliances (refrigerators, ovens)
- Plaster walls with metal mesh
- Large bodies of water (like an aquarium)
- Elevate Your Router: Place your router in an open, central location, preferably on a higher shelf, to allow the signal to broadcast more effectively.
## Step 3: Reduce Network Congestion
Your home network has a limited amount of bandwidth. If other devices are using it, there's less available for your camera.
- Identify Bandwidth Hogs: Activities like 4K video streaming, online gaming, large file downloads, and video conferencing consume a lot of bandwidth.
- Test for Congestion: Try to view your camera's stream when other devices on your network are idle. If the quality improves dramatically, network congestion is a likely contributor.
- Consider a Mesh Network: If you have many connected devices, a modern mesh Wi-Fi system can do a much better job of managing traffic and ensuring devices like cameras have the bandwidth they need compared to a single, older router.
## Step 4: Reboot Your Hardware
When in doubt, a simple restart can clear up temporary glitches.
- Reboot your Camera: Unplug your SimpliSafe camera, wait a minute, and plug it back in.
- Reboot your Router: Unplug your Wi-Fi router, wait a minute, and plug it back in. This can refresh its connection and performance.
By systematically improving your internet connection and Wi-Fi environment, you can resolve the vast majority of video quality issues with your SimpliSafe system.