WyzeCam V3 Red Light of Death (Reddit Thread)

At this point, it is a well known fact that an unusually high percentage of WyzeCam V3s fail for no apparent reason under normal conditions of use. Yes, I understand a lot of you reading this have not had a problem, but based on my (and many other’s) experiences, these cameras are a ticking time bomb.

I’ve had 10 total V3s since June of last year, of which 5 have bricked themselves (all 5 were replacements sent by Wyze under warranty). At first I thought it was firmware related, but I never push upgrades unless they are essential for security. Wyze Support told me themselves that it’s hit or miss, and I better not do it regularly. I’ve always used the provided USB cable and power supply, and have a strong internet connection. Only 2 of them are permanently outside, the rest are indoors.

There is a Reddit thread someone recently created, where we are taking a deeper dive into the actual reason this has been happening. Anyone with dead V3s and electronics experience are welcome to contribute to our investigations. Seems like the Realtek RTL8189 WiFi chip is the culprit, but more tests need to be done to confirm.

Reddit Thread Here

That Reddit thread has some really good information. I hope that Wyze has or will see it.

1 Like

Agreed, OP on that thread did some impressive research. I know they are cheap, but as someone who repairs computers, I’d love to be able to bring my 5 paperweights back to life somehow - as well as give others some insight into what’s happening with these.

1 Like