I have been running a little trial on the use of Smart Plugs with my V3 cameras. This is what I have found;
When using a smart plug with my V3 cameras I have found that the smart plugs go off line and have to be Unplugged and Plugged back in to get them back online. They tend to go offline (using 5 with my 5 cameras) about 2 times total per week. That’s not bad but it is problematic if I’m not able to get to them to Unplug and Replug to get them connected.
More recently I have pulled the smart plugs completely and found that I am Not seeing my V3 cameras go offline at all. This makes me feel like not using the Smart plugs is a better option because they seem to go Offline occasionally but the V3 cameras have not gone offline.
I have yet to have a situation where my cameras have gone offline and I had to reset the associated smart plugs to get the cameras back up. I will add that my cameras are set to run continuously.
I have all my cameras plugged in smart plugs (non Wyze) and have never had the plugs go offline, except one at the cottage due to a crappy ISP supplied router. In my experience, having the cameras plugged in a smart plug is a good practice. It gives the option to power cycle the cameras when needed.
You didn’t mention, so there’s a need to ask. (I bet, they are) Are the smart plugs that you are having a problem with Wyze?
Most of us here that have learned its better to have and not use than not have the option to use, a non-Wyze smart plug. We’ve learned Wyze smart plugs do tend to drop offline. Seems the brand most often mentioned by name for Wyze Cams is Kasa. Reliable and feature rich.
Most people like the idea of using a smart plug where the cam is mounted out of reach and difficult to manually unplug and plug back in. And there is also a group that use cams a distant locations such as vacation homes hundreds of miles away where a Wyze cam reset is a burden.
If you don’t need them, that’s great. But useful to know for some situations that the tech is there, eh?
Habib- Yes, my smart plugs are Wyze brand. Perhaps I should get a couple Kasa smart plugs and give them a try.
How does this look as a replacement for my Wyze Smart plugs ?
Why not set one or more schedules on the Wyze plug to turn off and turn on one, or more, times a day? Schedules run on the plug and so shouldn’t be affected by internet connectivity. This way you are guaranteed a camera restart even if your wifi or ISP goes offline.
All those solutions do not cut the actual power to the camera. All they do is put the camera in a “sleep” and “wake” mode, just like restarting a computer. Once in a while or when the camera hangs and is not connected to WiFi, the only thing that will help is unplugging and plugging it back. Hence the smart plug.
I’m a KASA fan also, using the the Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini HS105. I just recently figured out how to use the scheduling feature which I tested out on a lamp, turn on and off at numerous different multiple times every day. I don’t have the cams on any schedules.
Good question. Been asked several times here. And the problems associated with Wyze cams falling offline are far more common. And in almost every complaint of the issue, we have suggested using WiFi smart plugs.
Many folks use Wyze cams at remote/distant locations, such as vacation homes and don’t visit for months. UNLESS they are not using someone (someone other than Wyze smart plugs). When their cams drop offline, (and we don’t know why), a smart plug allows for a remote restart, but taking the power away and putting in back in a minute+
And there are those Wyze cam users among up that mount the cam out of easy reach for many reasons. And when they drop offline, the smart plug allows us to restart them without climbing up a ladder.
I don’t use Kasa, but they are very good. I use a different brand. The brand I use has several features I like. I use a schedule feature that allows me to turn off the plug > cam, then back on automatically 2 minutes later - every day at 3: am. Its made a difference in the frequency of how often I have a cam problem.
