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CNET
24-06-2025
- CNET
Pro Tips: How to Charge Your Battery-Powered Wireless Security Cameras
Easy installation and the ability to place them anywhere make the best wireless security cameras really useful, particularly in summer months, where bright sunshine can hurt your video feed. Not to forget, these are especially important in the fight against porch pirates, who, according to a recent CNET survey, have stolen from one in six US adults. However, having to manage the power supply to them is a caveat you will have to deal with a few times a year. So, if you're new to battery-powered security cameras and are wondering how to keep them powered and your security system functioning at all times, we've got you covered. Remember, charging a drained battery isn't complicated, but there are a few things you should know to make it pain-free. Having tested dozens of wireless security cameras, I'm well acquainted with recharging techniques, so here are the best ways to go about it. Read more: Best Wireless Home Security Cameras Detach your security cam from its mount Magnetic bases make recharging especially easy. Chris Monroe/CNET When you get a low battery warning on your camera app, it's time to access your cam and pull it from its mount. Many cams, like the Nest Cam or Tapo's outdoor cams, make this easy with magnetic bases -- you can simply reach up and grab the cam to pull it off its base. Some cams are more locked into their mounts, so you'll need more leverage and a firm grip. Be as gentle as possible to avoid damaging the camera. Some cams use battery packs you will need to disconnect to charge. Arlo Certain video devices, like many of Ring's video doorbells plus some Arlo and Ring cams, have detachable battery packs that you slide out while leaving the device in place. In theory that sounds easy enough, but in practice, I've found I like removing the entire camera to charge. It's typically easier and faster than removing a battery pack. The advantage of battery packs is that you can buy a few and have a previously charged pack ready to go for your cam. Finally, this is an excellent opportunity to clean your security cam with a clean, soft cloth to get the outdoor dust and grime off. Bring the cam inside and connect to its USB cable The Nest Cam (Battery) comes with a charging cable and wall plate for mounting. Molly Price/CNET Your wireless cam package should have included a USB cable for charging. Find the USB port on your cam and open it up to connect the cable. These ports are usually protected from the elements by covers and plugs, so you'll need to uncover it first. Connect the USB cable so that it's firmly in place. There is one exception to this process: Some security cams, notably models like the Blink Outdoor 4, use long-lasting AA lithium batteries that are rarely rechargeable and should be replaced. For these cams, you'll need to manually remove the AA lithium batteries and install new ones. Do not use standard AA batteries for these cams. Plug the USB cable into a power source to start charging Use the cable and adapter that cam with your camera. Lorex You can now connect the USB cable to a matching charging-capable port on your computer, or to the included power adapter you can plug into a wall outlet. If your cam came with an adapter then always use it if possible, as its voltage was designed to match your cam battery. Two important notes about starting to charge. First, don't use off-brand chargers with your security camera batteries. They may get the job done, but they can be bad for the batteries and less reliable than the brand option. Second, don't charge your camera near hot spots, such as heaters, fireplaces or on top of PC towers. The heat can damage both the battery and the camera. Watch your app and LED indicators to monitor charging Your app or a set of indicator lights should tell you when the battery is done charging. Ring Most apps will let you check on charging batteries or give you a notification when the battery is charged and ready to go. In some cases, the battery pack or cam will have an LED indicator that changes color (usually to a happier green or blue) when the battery is charged. It can take several hours -- you can usually leave the cam battery charging overnight if you prefer. Unplug the cam and reposition it on the mount The Blink Outdoor 4 has an adjustable mount that's sturdy enough to stay at the right angle. Tyler Lacoma/CNET At full charge, remove the cam and place it back on the mount. With magnetic bases, you may need to make some small adjustment to get the camera at the right angle again, an unavoidable price to pay for this kind of swift dismounting. Tap back into your app and check the camera's live view to make sure everything is working as it should.\ Read more: The Best Home Security When You're Off the Grid Add a solar panel to make charging easier Solar panels are a minor installation that can save a lot of camera hassle. Tyler Lacoma/CNET If recharging your wireless cameras seems exhausting just reading about it, you should take a look at an increasingly popular option: camera solar panels. Most security camera companies also produce solar panels that connect to their cams and are mounted right beside them or in a nearby spot where they can catch lots of sun. These solar panels automatically recharge the camera battery. With enough sun, they can continue recharging and keep the battery topped off. You rarely, if ever, need to manually recharge yourself if you have a well-placed solar panel. Round off your home security knowledge with a look at our best video doorbells (with many wireless models), the best home security cameras without a subscription and the best 4K cams for high definition video.
CNET
14-06-2025
- CNET
8 Reasons Your Smart Home Device Isn't Working and How to Fix It
The smart home is complex. It has multiple devices, often multiple apps and a variety of wireless connections all working together with additional devices such as your phone and router. It's no surprise that problems can crop up, especially when you're trying to set up a new device. I have far too much personal experience with these issues in my years of smart home testing. From failed connections to disappearing features, I've seen it all. Some problems are obvious, like you forgot to turn the power on (I've seen so many kinds of power buttons, even I get confused). But most of them frustrate people like us because there's no clear solution. Here are the steps I've found are most helpful in understanding what's going wrong and fixing it ASAP. Everything needs a full reboot A tiny, LED indicator light lets you know the status of your smart plug and if it's rebooting or shut down. Molly Price/CNET "Turn it off and on again" is sage advice for a reason. A full reboot of everything helps devices shake off bugs, realign connections and start working like they should. When a serious smart home problem occurs, there's a lot to shut down. At minimum, try powering off the smart home device itself, either with a reset button or by unplugging it for a while, and fully closing the smart home app you are using, then bringing them both back. It's also a good idea to reboot the device you're on (like your smartphone or tablet) and your Wi-Fi router, so everything gets a fresh start. A firmware update is waiting Firmware updates can solve many problems, especially when first settting up a device. Tyler Lacoma/CNET Firmware refers to important updates that smart home devices download from the internet to improve the way they work, fix bugs and enable new features. Some download firmware updates automatically -- but most don't without permission. Head into the home app settings, where you should find a firmware update check. It could also be under device management and similar menu sections. Often, this is exactly what a device needs to start working properly. Remember, if you're setting up a new smart home device, once it connects to your Wi-Fi it will probably need to download a few firmware updates and reboot itself. That can take a while, and not all apps are good at showing that firmware updates are still happening in the background. Until all these updates complete, key features may not work. The app needs to 'forget' the smart device Sometimes removing a device from an app and adding it back in fixes your problem. Tyler Lacoma/CNET Smart home apps have options -- usually buttons with plus signs -- to add new devices, which is one of the first things you do if a device isn't automatically detected. But you can also select an added device and make the app forget it. When an app forgets a device, that means you have to set it up all over again. However, this type of soft reboot can often solve problems, like connections that aren't connecting or camera feeds that are getting dropped. Device interactions don't exist (yet) Echo Shows can link to video footage, but that's not usually true of the Alexa app itself. Eufy/Amazon Smart devices aren't trying to deceive, but a tangled web they still weave (of interconnected devices), and sometimes we think they can do something they can't. I've seen this with the broad smart home platforms that work with many kinds of devices, like Apple Home, Google Home and Alexa. These big platforms cover a lot of ground and are improving as the Matter standard expands, but they still have their limitations. A couple of common examples come to mind. Some device capabilities may work with an Amazon Echo Show, but not on the Amazon Alexa app itself, like looking out of certain security cameras. That can confuse new users. Or you may find, as I have, that even Matter-enabled smart locks offer features on their own apps like geofencing or automatic locking that won't show up if you connect them to the Apple Home app. These compatibility issues are getting better over time, but they still exist. If nothing is working, I recommend carefully seeing if the interaction you expected just doesn't work that way. Battery life needs some attention The Ring Battery Doorbell Pro's battery can last several months, but frequent activations can catch you with unexpected battery issues. CNET/Tyler LAcoma I know, I know, battery life is one of the obvious things that you should notice -- but it's surprisingly how often even I forget to check battery life before trying to use a device. Remember, sometimes batteries need time to charge up before you first start using the device. If you aren't sure what the battery life is, you can always check it by exploring the device in the app, which should have a section or icon showing battery life. Also check that you're charging the right way with a proper connector and adapter. Otherwise, the battery may not be getting any juice at all. Features are locked behind a subscription Blink's person detection works well enough, but it's a subscription-only feature. CNET/Tyler Lacoma I frequently need to double-check if the features that I'm testing aren't available unless I get a free trial or pay for a subscription to the device. This problem is more common in some smart homes than others. Home security systems and home security cameras, for example, often put features behind a paywall, like AI object detection, professional monitoring, cloud video storage, compatibility with additional devices, more advanced phone notifications and a whole lot more. The good news is that you can find plenty of AI monitoring for free and many security cameras that don't require subscriptions to use. But you should double check before you buy to see what is and isn't included if you don't want to pay monthly fees. You need another Wi-Fi band or router A mesh router or extender may help you fix connection issues. Google If your device is constantly dropping connections or refusing to communicate with your app, try moving the device and any smart hub it's using closer to your Wi-Fi router. Many smart devices require using the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band, but if your device doesn't care then try switching to the 5GHz band, which is farther-reaching and often less crowded. If steps like these fix your connection problems, think about getting a Wi-Fi extender or a mesh router to expand your coverage. Then you can use smart devices where you really want them, like a cam in the driveway or a leak detector by a water tank, without worrying that they won't work. For more problem solving in home tech, check out my guides on cutting down the number of smart home apps you need, how to get rid of annoying home app alerts, when you need a new security system and what everyone should know about home hacking.
