If you are having trouble getting cameras to connect to your CleverLoop app, then there are a few things you can do to troubleshoot the process, but it’s worth running through the basics first.
When you are first adding cameras to your system, outdoor cameras must be network cable connected to the router. You can add indoor cameras via your WiFi network, but cabling connection is the easiest and most reliable way to do it.
Once the outdoor cameras are added to your app, but still cable connected to your router, you can set up the credentials for your WiFi network if you are planning to run them over WiFi once they are set up in their final location. Similarly if you are setting up an indoor camera via a cable but want it to connect over WiFi, you enter the WiFi network credentials once you have the added camera to your app.
If you are going to WiFi connect your cameras, remember:
They only work on 2.4GHz WiFi networks
Your WiFi network name (SSID, or known by some as router name) and password can’t contain any special characters like ‘ = & # * _ etc.
They work best if your WiFi security is set to WPA2-PSK.
Outdoor cameras need their antenna attaching.
Are the cameras powered up?
When you plug an indoor camera in, you will see indicator lights on the back if it is powering up correctly.
The outdoor cameras have no indicator lights on them, but you can check to see if they are powered up using this solution.
If a camera isn’t powering up, first try another power cable/plug if you have one. If the camera still doesn't power up using a different power cable, then the camera itself may have developed a fault.
Are the cameras being picked up by your router?
Even if you haven’t added any cameras to your CleverLoop app, it can tell you if the cameras are being recognised by your router.
First make sure that the phone you are running the app on is connected to the WiFi network of the router that the camera is attached to. Also check that the network cable is correctly connected between your camera(s) and the router. Again, try a different network cable if you are having problems, just in case there is a fault with a cable.
Then click on the settings on the homepage of your app (top left corner) and click on ‘Camera Diagnose’. The list shows you all the IP cameras that are connected to your network, even non-CleverLoop ones. The left side of the list shows you the camera DID, which is also on the sticker on the camera itself. If Camera Diagnose doesn't pick up the camera, then please try downloading an app called Fing, and see if this picks up the camera on your network.
If you can see the IP address in either Camera Diagnose or Fing, but the camera still won't add to your app, then please follow the instructions at the bottom of this page underneath the heading 'Do your cameras have the latest firmware version?"
If you can't see the IP address of the camera on the list on either Camera Diagnose or Fing, try resetting the camera. The simplest way to do this is using the reset button (on the back of the indoor cameras, and on the end of one of the cables on the outdoor camera), or you can use software to do the reset remotely. See these solutions for more details on resetting cameras.
If one camera still isn't appearing on your network, it may be a fault with the camera, or an issue with a setting on your router.
If none of your cameras are being picked up by your network, it is likely to be an issue with how your router is setup and you’ll either need to access and check the backend settings for your router, or get someone in to help you. One common problem is with routers that are running on outdated firmware. Check the website of either your internet service provider, or router manufacturer, to find out how to check and update the firmware on your model of router.
Are the correct WiFi network name and password stored in the camera?
If you get to the point of changing a camera over to WiFi connection and it doesn’t work, you can use the back end settings for the cameras to check that WiFi is switched on in the camera, and that the network name and password are right.
This solution details how to do this.
If you have one camera that refuses to connect to your WiFi network, even when it is close to the router, it may be faulty. If none of your cameras can connect to your WiFi network, it’s probably an issue with the how the network is setup, and you’ll either need to access and change the backend settings for your router, or get someone in to help you.
Are the WiFi connected cameras actually online?
If a camera drops offline, it can take a few minutes for notification that it has happened to get from your home network, out to our servers and back through the mobile network to your phone.
This means that if you add a camera to the app, set up the WiFi credentials and disconnect the network cable, but the cameras fails to connect to the WiFi (say if the password was entered wrong), it can still show as online for a period.
If you think a camera is connected via WiFi and online, you can check this using the ‘Camera Diagnose’ function again. If you see an IP address for the camera on the list (compare the DID number on the left of the list with the one on the camera) you know that it is correctly connected to your network.
Are the cameras trying to connect to the right WiFi network?
If you have multiple WiFi networks in the location that your are setting your CleverLoop up in, particularly if you have a WiFi booster that uses a different network name (SSID) and password, you need to make sure you enter the WiFi credentials for the network that the cameras is going to connect to.
Also make sure that the WiFi network you want to use the cameras on is connected back to the same router that the Base Station is attached to. In an area with multiple WiFi networks, they might not all connect to the same router.
Do your cameras have the latest firmware version?
Cameras running on old version of firmware can give problems, particularly connecting to the Base Station, or adding to the app after the system has been shut down, or moved and then set up again.
See this solution for information on checking and updating the firmware on your cameras.
Is your modem/router running the latest firmware?
Some common modem/routers don't get firmware updates automatically, and this can cause problems with your system recongnising cameras.
Check on the website of your internet service provider for information on how to check, and if needed update the firmware on your make and model of modem/router.