Do any of the Wyze cameras work without Internet or WiFi?

[connelly.shawn]

Hello all,

I am looking for a Wyze camera that doesn’t need the Internet or WiFi to operate. I want to record (to SD memory), and then allow viewing (and hopefully downloading) to a mobile phone, connected by WiFi local hotspot.

I haven’t tested a Wyze camera yet, but I have tested a few other brands and all of them refused to even install without an Internet connection. The Wyze camera descriptions are not clear about their setup and configuration. This is important because I need to set up and operate a camera where there is no access to WiFi or Internet.

I’ve read messages from others that led me to believe that Wyze is just like all the others. That is, Wyze cameras inexplicably also require an Internet connection for motion capture video. How disappointing! I cannot understand why Wyze cameras require Internet? There are so many scenarios where one would want to record motion capture, without Internet. Remote location recording, power outages, etc.

Thanks
Thank you

[Newshound]

I may have answered your question in an old topic you resurrected (try to limit questions to 1 topic if you can). If you need more info, let us know:

Can I record without an internet connection?

Non-Internet use of the camera can be challenging, but has evolved recently (there used to be a 90-minute limit). You will need the most recent firmware. At this time, the cameras WILL work with a hotspot, but working with a hotspot brings on its own set of challenges. For me, I couldn’t get the camera to set up until I activated my travel router in Repeater mode. After that, the travel router was no longer required. My travel cam connects direct to my phone hotspot without any issues now.…

[kyphos]

@Newshound

My travel cam connects direct to my phone hotspot without any issues now.…

When your travel cam is connected to your phone’s WiFi hotspot (but phone NOT connected to internet), can the Wyze app download time lapse recordings from the travel cam? Mine can’t. Even though the app and the camera are directly connected on the same subnet, the app refuses to download the recording. Wyze is aware of that issue, but the latest release of the app (2.3.69) did not fix it.

If @connelly.shawn is hoping to do recording to the SDcard with an ‘off-line’ Wyze camera, this thread may be helpful:

RIP: Off-line recording

I am sad to report the demise of off-line recording. Wyze has done something in a recent release of cam firmware and/or the iOS app that killed the capability for off-line recording. What is “off-line recording”? It’s the ability for a Wyze cam to do local recording (i.e., to an SD card) without having any internet connectivity. I’ve been a big fan of off-line recording since I got my first Wyzecam over a year ago. I’ve made a number of videos while off the grid, in fact way off the grid. @Wyz…

Note that there are a number of different configurations, each with their own limitations and caveats:

• cam completely off-line: no WiFi (and obviously no internet connection to Wyze HQ)
• cam connected to WiFi hotspot from a travel router, but no internet connection.
• cam connected occasionally to a smartphone hotspot which has internet connectivity. (IE, the cam can connect to WyzeHQ through the smartphone).
• cam connected occasionally to a smartphone hotspot, but no internet service (IE, locations where there is no cellular/data coverage).

[Newshound]

@kyphos

When your travel cam is connected to your phone’s WiFi hotspot (but phone NOT connected to internet), can the Wyze app download time lapse recordings from the travel cam?

Okay, that’s an issue I have. But it isn’t any different than being on WiFi for me, so “no additional issues”? The problem I have there at the moment is a bug that gives me “file not found”. Until I get past that it doesn’t matter if I am on WiFi or not. Also, this only affects time lapse recordings, which the OP didn’t mention. The normal functions like view playback & capturing a clip from that work fine.

But yep, off-line recording is one complicated subject, all right! Definitely dependent on all the specifics of your situation.

[kyphos]

Thanks for clarifying. I had thought that perhaps something you had done (or that Wyze had done) had fixed the hotspot problem.

I’m also getting “file not found”, and that’s with a ‘normal’ setup: cam connected to AP, iPhone connected to AP, AP connected to internet.

I’m going to put Wyze cams and time-lapse and off-line scenarios on the back burner for a while. Perhaps Wyze developers will get it all sorted. But in addition to camera firmware and the app, they have Wyze Sense issues to deal with, not to mention the newly-announced Wyze Bulb. They may be getting themselves spread too thinly.