With increasing mail/pkg theft, it would be nice to have a long range (300 ft+) motion sensor/camera with antenna /transmitter to alert us, whenever the mailbox is opened. In app notifications and/or an alarm to go with it. Ring has introduced one. There are some mailbox chimes available on Amazon, but their battery life and signal strength seem unreliable. Since Wyze already has these devices, it would be nice to just extend their WiFi range with some antenna or transmitter etc.
What I am going to tell you will void any warranty, and risks damage to the camera.
You CAN add an external antenna to either a V2 or V3 camera. This allows at the very least, getting the antenna outside the metal box (the mailbox) which substantially improves the range. If you were to put a yagi antenna pointed towards your access point, it may be quite possible to get that distance if it’s a clear path.
Search on YouTube or your favorite search engine to find instructions.
The Ring devices are using a completely different radio technology to get the long range - not something that can be done in an inexpensive device.
1 Like
Thanks K6CCC. I will check it out.
Looking for a long range motion sensor? This one out performs the Ring by multiple lengths of distance. Look at Yosmart.com The product line is called Yolink. Uses a protocol called LORA which stands for Long Range. 1,000 to 1/4 mile distances. I have one in my mailbox 126 feet from my garage door. Works great. Could not believe it. Now, I am working on finding plastic project boxes to mount the sensors inside and seal with plasti-dip for outdoor use. Like Wyze, not waterproof. That’s okay. Battery is expected to last 18 months to 2 years. Their sensor seem to be a little larger than Wyze. But great products. Have some now. Good prices on Amazon and bundled prices get you more bang for the buck. For instance Hub is $22 and 1 motion sensor is $22. For $44 you can test the mailbox requirement without buying a large starter kit.
2 Likes
Thanks for pointing me to YoLink, I briefly saw it on Amazon a few days back, seemed too good to be true. Now I am more confident to try it out, their app based Garage-door controller looks good as well.
1 Like
You are very welcome. There’s a guy on etsy.com goes by handle ideaxtruder. He 3d prints all types of covers, boxes, mounts and methods for using Wyze products. Very clever. Its his hobby. I’ve bought about $100 worth of stuff and don’t use most of it. Duplicates of many just to support him. Right now, I have sent him the dimensions of the Yolink contact sensor and asked him to make/print me a couple of boxes that I can use for the sensor - outside. He does amazing things. He’s working on updates for Wyze Sense V2 now. He does other stuff too. Lots.
Yes, you are correct about the garage door sensor. I have it. I didn’t need the opener part, so did not buy it yet. Just the part that mounts on the door. Works great. Reports every time door is opened. Its not a contact sensor. Its go a tilt switch in it. What do they call those? So, when it turns from vertically mounted to horizon, it triggers. A little higher than the contact sensor, but fun just the same.
As I said, I love the small size of Wyze stuff. But now that Sense V2 is larger, what’s the point in being confined to them when Yolink has many more features.
Was playing around with activating a Yolink contact sensor last night. Like Wyze, works with regular magnets, don’t need the bulky worm like magnet sensor to make it work. I buy these long narrow 3/8" wide 3 inch long magnets on Amazon and Gorilla tape them to facings to give me mounting and more surface without the extra width/depth of the Wyze or Yolink magnet side of the sensor. Also they don’t get knocked off when mounted at knee levels like gates.
Also, I find the Yolink response time to open/close faster to the app/phone. I’m not a reviewer so I don’t post my comments on youtube or anything.
Sam 
2 Likes
i do not know if wyze has a mail box alert monitor but i think it would be a good product
They do not. You can accomplish the same with a Ring mailbox sensor or a Yosmart/Yolink motion sensor. (Yosmart’s product range is 1,000 feet - 1/4 mile.) The Yolink motion sensor that I have in my mailbox 140 feet distance from my door works GREAT !!
2 Likes
Some have used hacks with the OG wyze sensors, but they aren’t rain proof and reception isn’t the best. The new wyze sensors require the security system and pretty much same issues. It would be nice to have something that is intended for mailboxes since porch piracy is a major issue now. It’s such a problem that now if u insure a package with UPS it they will cover if it’s stolen.
I also use a YoLink contact sensor in my metal community mailbox about 150ft away, It works flawlessly! With Alexa routines I send notifications to my phone and verbal alerts in my home.
My problem is we have a lot of mailbox break-ins in my area. I created a YoLink routine that sounds an alarm in my house if opened between 10pm - 6am. I Have a Wyze V3 with a telephoto lens watching the mailbox.
How can I trigger an event for the V3 from YoLink?
From Yolink no. But you might want to look at their siren. With that, from Yolink you can knock their socks off.
Weather proof mailbox sensor & Outdoor Cam
I’m currently using a Wyze sensor for my mailbox because I had foot surgery. Walking to mailbox is difficult after surgery. This morning wyze Mailbox sensor went OFFLINE, no doubt because of temps dropping down to 45°. Please consider making an outdoor, WEATHERPROOF mailbox sensor that is capable of handling different temperatures and allow it to be weatherproof with a weather proof camera. I don’t need to want to walk to my mailbox unless it’s absolutely necessary because of the distance. Can’t wait to see this product…
[Mod Note]: Your request was merged to this topic for consistency in grouping similar requests. Please remember to scroll up to the top and click the VOTE button to show your support. You may also wish to comment on and/or vote for Mail Box Sensor.
GPS Tkstar 915 you will get both texts and app alerts over internet
A mailbox sensor would be a great addition to the Wyze security line of products, given so much mail theft happening now. It would be great to have the sensor activate a Wyze cam so that you have video to verify any mailbox tampering. The vast majority of people who would buy such a product, may not need the long distance transmitter factor. Most people would get by with less than 100 - 200 ft. wifi range. I have a product (Mailbox Alert, that has a reported 500 ft. signal range) which I purchased from Amazon. It works well through a metal mailbox 100 ft. from my house, but I would love video and push notification when I am away. It would be great if Wyze could team up with this product vendor to provide a device which would pick up the signal transmitted by their mail alert and trigger the activation of a Wyze camera, which would then send push notifications to Wyze account holders. Just a thought. Hope someone is reading this. Maybe it will trigger the real inventors at Wyze labs. Smile.
Or you can do what I did.
The camera is a V2 in the back of the mailbox which is inside the brick column marked with the arrow - as seen by one of five cameras that can see that part of the yard. The camera notifies me on motion. Since the Wyze cameras detect motion as a change in enough pixels, I can assure you that opening the mailbox door results in it thinking that there is motion. Not much mail today…
OK, I have the advantage that there is power, networking, and a WiFi access point inside the brick column.
And a front view of the columns.
2 Likes