Does anyone know of a Wifi cam that works on open networks. I have tried using the bridge/repeater/router method with the wyze cam but for some reason the bridge couldn’t locate the “Guest” network at the nursing home. Phone and Alexa find the guest network fine but not the bridge/repeater/router couldn’t. Maybe its 5ghz guest network but no one at the nursing home seems to know. I am trying to set a cam in my fathers room so my mother can easily check in on him when she is not there. So I am looking for a wifi cam that will work on an open network with no password and will work on both 2.4 and 5. I assume this way I am eliminating all the variables. The only other option I see at this point is purchasing an unlimited mobile hotspot and set up my own network in his room. But I have no idea how much data that will eat thru and the monthly mobile hotspot device will be costly. Any advice appreciated. Thanks.
Rather than going with a mobile hotspot, you might first try a wifi extender or travel router.
Amcrest makes a dual-band IP camera. Local recording to microSDcard, and live viewing over the internet. Quite a bit more expensive than Wyze. I have a couple of older Amcrest cams (2.4GHz only) and they work fine. I’ve never tried connecting them to an open WiFi network, so can’t confirm that they would work at the nursing home. However, the instruction manual indicates in the WiFi section “if the WiFi network is protected with a password, enter it in the field on this screen”. That implies that it will connect to a network with no password.
I wouldn’t give up on the travel router approach. GL.iNet makes a nice little dual-band unit (GL-AR750). $45 or so on Amazon. I use one of their single-band models when traveling.
Thanks. I tried the GL.iNet travel router and it couldn’t locate the “Guest” network. I was able to make it work in my home. My guess is that the nursing home “Guest” account is 5ghz so the GLi couldn’t see and the Wyze cam will only work with 2.4 anyway. That was my hope that if I had a cam that would work with an open network on either 2.4 or 5 then I should be able to directly connect to the “Guest”.
Which model of GL.iNet? I assume from your comment that it’s single-band (2.4 only)? I’d be surprised if the nursing home’s IT tech would have set up a guest network on 5GHz only, but it certainly is possible.
Does your GL router detect other networks belonging to the nursing home? They’ll be locked, but the SCAN command should find them. Some models of the GL travel routers have known problems dealing with multi-SSID environments.
It was the 2.4 only model. It did detect other surrounding networks just not the “Guest” free wifi. I agree I would be suprised if it was a 5ghz guest network but not sure why it wouldn’t show otherwise.
I just purchased a Amcrest 4MP dual-band IP camera and GL-AR750 dual band router thanks to your comment. Hopefully, this combination will work.
I’m not sure it would be worth the cost of implementing a full time mobile hot spot. That would get expensive very quickly depending on data usage. But I don’t know what else to try if this dual band combo doesn’t work. It just seems like it shouldn’t be that complicated since the Alexa and phone connect so easily.
Thanks for your feedback.
The reason that it might not show is if the site is using enterprise-grade base stations configured for multi-SSID operation. I (and others) have encountered similar issues with the GL-iNet MT-300 routers not finding open SSIDs (on 2.4GHz) in some IHG-operated hotels. The SSIDs are known to be configured on multi-SSID base stations from Cisco/Meraki. GL.iNet developers are mystified. It seems to be some odd incompatibility between the WiFi driver or chipset used in the MT-300, and the implementation in the Meraki basestation.
I’d be interested to know if your GL-AR750 will be able to scan & connect to the Guest network.
The new router did the trick and found the guest network. Thanks for the help.
Glad I could help.
Thanks for the update re the AR750 router. I may have to retire my single-band MT-300 and get the AR750 instead.