Somfy Camera Not Showing Video? A Troubleshooting Guide
Your Somfy Protect camera is a key part of your home security, offering a visual link to your property from anywhere. When that video feed fails, showing a black screen or a disconnected error, it can be unsettling. The good news is that most video problems are related to network connectivity and can be resolved with some basic troubleshooting.
This guide is designed to help you diagnose why your Somfy camera is not showing video and provide you with the steps to get it back online and streaming correctly.
Common Video Problems with Somfy Cameras
Let's first identify the issue you're facing. Look for one of the following symptoms:
- The live stream is not loading in the Somfy Protect app, perhaps showing a spinning wheel.
- The video window is completely black or blank.
- An error message in the app states the camera is disconnected or offline.
- Recorded video clips from motion detection are missing or will not play.
- The status light (LED) on the camera is flashing or indicating an error.
How to Fix Your Somfy Camera's Video Feed
Follow these steps in a logical order to find the source of the problem and resolve it.
1. Check the Camera's Power and Status Light
Before looking at the network, ensure the camera itself has power and is functioning.
- Power Supply: Verify that the camera's power cable is securely plugged into both the camera and a working electrical outlet.
- Status LED: The small light on your Somfy camera is a crucial diagnostic tool.
- Solid Blue: The camera is connected and operating normally.
- Flashing Blue: The camera is starting up.
- Off: The camera has no power. Check the outlet and the cable.
- Flashing Red: There is a connection problem or a hardware fault.
2. Reboot Your Camera and Network Router
A restart is a simple yet powerful troubleshooting step that can resolve many temporary glitches.
- Reboot the Camera: Unplug the Somfy camera from its power source. Wait for 30-60 seconds to allow it to fully discharge, then plug it back in. Give it a few minutes to boot up and reconnect.
- Reboot Your Router: Unplug your home's Wi-Fi router from power. Wait a minute, then plug it back in. It can take 5-10 minutes for your network to come back online fully. Once it does, check the camera's feed in the app.
3. Check Your Wi-Fi Connection
The most common cause of video failure for wireless cameras is a poor or lost Wi-Fi connection.
- Check Signal Strength: In the Somfy Protect app, go to My Devices, select your camera, and check its reported Wi-Fi signal strength. If it is weak or poor, the camera may be too far from your router.
- Move the Camera Closer: As a test, try temporarily moving the camera into the same room as your Wi-Fi router. If the video feed starts working, you know the issue is signal range. You may need to move the router to a more central location or install a Wi-Fi extender.
- Verify Internet Service: Check if other devices in your home (like your smartphone or a computer) can connect to the internet. If not, the problem is with your internet service provider, not the camera.
4. Reconfigure the Wi-Fi Connection
If you have recently changed your Wi-Fi network name (SSID) or password, the camera will be unable to connect and will show as offline.
- Run Setup Again: You will need to go through the camera setup process again in the Somfy Protect app. Go to My Devices, select the camera, and choose the option to change the Wi-Fi network. Follow the on-screen instructions to reconnect it to your updated network.
5. Check App and Firmware
- Update the Somfy Protect App: Make sure you are running the latest version of the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
- Firmware Updates: Somfy automatically pushes firmware updates to its devices. However, if the camera has been offline for a long time, it may need to be connected and online for a while to receive a necessary update.