Frustrated by Verkada Delayed Notifications? Here's Your Troubleshooting Guide
Receiving timely security alerts is the cornerstone of any effective surveillance system. When you use a premium platform like Verkada, you expect notifications to be instantaneous. However, network complexities, software settings, and device issues can sometimes introduce frustrating delays. If you're noticing a significant gap between an event happening and the notification arriving on your device, you've come to the right place.
This guide will walk you through the common causes of Verkada delayed notifications and provide clear, actionable steps to resolve them. By following this guide, you can ensure your alerts are delivered promptly, allowing you to respond to situations in real-time.
## Understanding the Notification Pathway
Before diving into troubleshooting, it helps to understand how a notification travels from the camera to your phone.
- Event Detection: Your Verkada camera detects an event based on your configured settings (e.g., motion, person of interest).
- Cloud Processing: The camera securely sends the event data to the Verkada Command cloud platform.
- Alert Trigger: Command processes the data and triggers a notification based on your user settings.
- Push Notification Service: Verkada's servers send the alert to Apple's (APNS) or Google's (FCM) push notification service.
- Device Delivery: The push notification service delivers the alert to your mobile device.
A delay at any point in this chain can result in a late notification. Our goal is to identify and fix the bottleneck.
## Step 1: Diagnose Your Network Connection
The most common culprit for delayed notifications is a poor network connection, either at the camera or on your mobile device.
### Check the Camera's Connection
A camera with an unstable or slow internet connection will struggle to upload event data to the cloud quickly.
- Check Camera Status in Command: Log in to your Verkada Command account. Navigate to the camera in question and check its status. Look for any signs of intermittent connectivity or low bandwidth. The status should be a solid blue dot, indicating it is online and recording.
- Run a Health Check: Use the built-in network tools in Command to check the camera's latency and bandwidth. A high latency (ping) or low upload speed can directly impact alert speed.
- Wired vs. Wireless: If your camera is on Wi-Fi, ensure it has a strong signal. If possible, consider using a wired Ethernet connection for maximum stability and speed, which is always the recommended approach for security hardware.
### Check Your Mobile Device's Connection
The delay might be with your phone, not the camera.
- Switch Between Wi-Fi and Mobile Data: If you're on Wi-Fi, switch to your mobile data (4G/5G) and see if notifications come through faster. The opposite is also true. A congested Wi-Fi network can delay incoming push alerts.
- Run a Speed Test: Use a speed test app on your phone to check your own internet connection's stability and speed.
## Step 2: Review Your Verkada Command Notification Settings
Incorrectly configured settings can lead to unexpected behaviour, including what appears to be a delay.
- Alert Schedules: Double-check that you don't have a schedule configured that could be silencing notifications during certain times. In Command, go to Settings > Notifications and review your alert schedules.
- Notification Cooldown: Verkada has a "cooldown" period for alerts to prevent spam. For example, after a motion event, the system might wait a few minutes before sending another notification for the same camera. Ensure this setting isn't the cause of your perceived delay.
- Event Triggers: Make sure your motion detection zones and sensitivity are set correctly. If a zone is too large or sensitivity is too high, it may be triggering constantly, and you might only be receiving the "cooldown" alerts, which seem delayed.
## Step 3: Optimise Your Mobile Device Settings
Your phone's operating system has settings that can interfere with the timely delivery of push notifications.
- Disable Battery Saver Modes: Both iOS ('Low Power Mode') and Android ('Battery Saver' or 'Adaptive Battery') can restrict background app activity to save power. This is a major cause of delayed notifications. Disable these modes or specifically whitelist the Verkada Command app from any power-saving optimisations.
- Check App Permissions: Ensure the Verkada Command app has all the necessary permissions. Go to your phone's settings, find the Command app, and verify that Notifications, Background App Refresh, and Mobile Data are all enabled.
- Update the App: Always run the latest version of the Verkada Command app. Updates often contain important performance improvements and bug fixes that can improve notification delivery. Check the App Store or Google Play for any pending updates.
## Step 4: Reboot and Update Firmware
If you've tried everything else, a simple reboot can often resolve temporary glitches.
- Reboot the Camera: You can reboot a Verkada camera remotely from the Command interface. This can often clear up temporary network or software issues on the device.
- Reboot Your Network Hardware: Rebooting your router and any network switches can also resolve underlying connectivity problems that might be causing packet loss or latency.
- Check for Firmware Updates: Verkada typically pushes firmware updates automatically. However, you can check the camera's status in Command to ensure it is running the latest version. These updates often include important security and performance enhancements.
By systematically working through these steps, you can identify the source of your Verkada notification delays and restore the real-time alerting you rely on to keep your organisation secure.