Why do so many people here dislike Wi-Fi cameras?

[VorlonFrog]

I've got a few WiFi Amcrest 1041 pan/tilt cameras around the house, wired where possible. We hear them reset/reboot/rehome at least once or twice every day. Apparently something isn't particularly stable with this model, and it causes a camera reboot. Worst case is in the kitchen, where the camera is atop the refrigerator and next to the microwave. LOADS of EFI in the kitchen. Wishing I had run a couple of Cat-5e cable drops there when we remodeled twenty-something years ago.

 

[redpoint5]

I'm baffled as to why standard construction doesn't include conduit for running whatever later on. PVC is practically nothing.

I have relatively easy attic access (16" rafters) that gives access to the 2nd story including the garage. Placed my network hub in the coat closet which is relatively centrally located in the house. Since I have vaulted ceilings there is extra space above the coats for my network gear. It has an outlet since that's where the doorbell transformer was installed, so I had power in my coat closet. My doorbell was wired with CAT3 and RJ11 ends, so it was easy to run POE/ethernet over it after cutting the ends off and putting RJ45 ends on. The lower floor was a PITA to run CAT6 to.

I've successfully used powerline adaptors on my rental and at other friend's houses. I'd go that route over WiFi. I consider WiFi a last resort, or to create a bridge between distant networks (using directional antennas).

 

[samplenhold]

You have already gotten a lot of good info. But I would like to add some shit from a different perspective.

I, like a lot of folks here, started out with some WIFI cams. Maybe 6-8 LaView 2MP pan/tilt cams using the LaView app. They only recorded on motion. But the motion was actually pretty good. They have the ability to connect with ethernet cables but not POE, so one still has to run a wall wort connection. I had a couple pointing out the front door side windows, two in the garage, two inside pointed at the front door, one inside pointed at the back door, and one in the living room. This was back in 2018. Then I came across IPCAMTALK, got BlueIris up and running and had these cams all recording 24/7 to BI. They were constantly dropping off the network and restarting, so I changed most of them to hardwired via ethernet. Then I started buying Dahua cams from Andy. Over time I built a good little network, even doing LPR.

As time went on, I replaced most of those cams with Dahua POE cams. But I still have two of them hardwired inside and two WIFI inside. The WIFI cams were always resetting or marked no signal for quite a lot of time each day. Finally my ISP's router shit the bed and they shipped a replacement that has much better signal. Now those two cams only reset a couple of times a week but are never offline for long. But the video and audio are not that good, even for the hardwired ones. I have plans to replace them all, but they are low priority. Also, the LaView app no longer works.

Then my daughter passed away in our house back in September and we were away. I kick myself for not replacing those inside cams. There was important footage (to me anyways) that just is not as clear as I would like. And the audio is hard to hear. And the video skips/jumps right when I really needed them to be perfect. Two of them are WIFI since there is no easy way to get ethernet cables to them, but running a USB connection to a wall outlet was simple. But one of the WIFI cams caught some very important footage and thankfully it did not go offline then.

I have a Class A diesel pusher motorcoach that was broken into at the storage yard a few years ago. Did not have any cams in there so bummer. I now have some WIFI cams from Wyze that I am very happy with. One points to the door and does a very good job of alerting on motion. The quality is very good as when the door opens, the lights come on and the cam is right there five feet from your face. I get great shots of myself coming and going. I had three of their battery cams that I would mount outside when parked at the storage yard and they record on motion. They have IR and white LEDs that can be set to come on with motion. The shutter reacts quite fast. Twice I caught folks approaching the coach at night and both times they backed off when the lights came on. I since moved out of that storage yard. I have mounted one on the ladder on the back of the coach for when we are parked during travel so that I can look at the pickup connected to the coach at night when I hear something. Those battery ones last for a few months since they only record on motion. Never had any dropouts since the WIFI connection is just feet away inside the coach and is connected via cellular.

I would not use WIFI cams as the only cams for surveillance. But they can be appropriate in specific use cases as long as you understand the limitations.

 

[will2026]

It degrades over time. At first its not a problem. 4,6,8 hours later, network response starts lagging and stuttering. Slow response mostly.
I haven't measure it in any technical way, but having done so 1/2 dozen times, and watching everything go back to normal when disconnecting, its obvious

Both are 4MP older Amcrest

That actually sounds more annoying than just random disconnects honestly.

Like everything slowly getting worse over hours would probably drive me crazy

 

[will2026]

Hong Kong is full of residential buildings , I wonder what your 2.4ghz is like.

Yeah apartment buildings here can get pretty crazy too

Sometimes the wifi list just keeps scrolling lol

 

[will2026]

I'm baffled as to why standard construction doesn't include conduit for running whatever later on. PVC is practically nothing.

I have relatively easy attic access (16" rafters) that gives access to the 2nd story including the garage. Placed my network hub in the coat closet which is relatively centrally located in the house. Since I have vaulted ceilings there is extra space above the coats for my network gear. It has an outlet since that's where the doorbell transformer was installed, so I had power in my coat closet. My doorbell was wired with CAT3 and RJ11 ends, so it was easy to run POE/ethernet over it after cutting the ends off and putting RJ45 ends on. The lower floor was a PITA to run CAT6 to.

I've successfully used powerline adaptors on my rental and at other friend's houses. I'd go that route over WiFi. I consider WiFi a last resort, or to create a bridge between distant networks (using directional antennas).

Honestly the conduit point makes way too much sense.

Feels like modern houses are full of smart devices now but still not really designed for future wiring at all

 

[will2026]

You have already gotten a lot of good info. But I would like to add some shit from a different perspective.

I, like a lot of folks here, started out with some WIFI cams. Maybe 6-8 LaView 2MP pan/tilt cams using the LaView app. They only recorded on motion. But the motion was actually pretty good. They have the ability to connect with ethernet cables but not POE, so one still has to run a wall wort connection. I had a couple pointing out the front door side windows, two in the garage, two inside pointed at the front door, one inside pointed at the back door, and one in the living room. This was back in 2018. Then I came across IPCAMTALK, got BlueIris up and running and had these cams all recording 24/7 to BI. They were constantly dropping off the network and restarting, so I changed most of them to hardwired via ethernet. Then I started buying Dahua cams from Andy. Over time I built a good little network, even doing LPR.

As time went on, I replaced most of those cams with Dahua POE cams. But I still have two of them hardwired inside and two WIFI inside. The WIFI cams were always resetting or marked no signal for quite a lot of time each day. Finally my ISP's router shit the bed and they shipped a replacement that has much better signal. Now those two cams only reset a couple of times a week but are never offline for long. But the video and audio are not that good, even for the hardwired ones. I have plans to replace them all, but they are low priority. Also, the LaView app no longer works.

Then my daughter passed away in our house back in September and we were away. I kick myself for not replacing those inside cams. There was important footage (to me anyways) that just is not as clear as I would like. And the audio is hard to hear. And the video skips/jumps right when I really needed them to be perfect. Two of them are WIFI since there is no easy way to get ethernet cables to them, but running a USB connection to a wall outlet was simple. But one of the WIFI cams caught some very important footage and thankfully it did not go offline then.

I have a Class A diesel pusher motorcoach that was broken into at the storage yard a few years ago. Did not have any cams in there so bummer. I now have some WIFI cams from Wyze that I am very happy with. One points to the door and does a very good job of alerting on motion. The quality is very good as when the door opens, the lights come on and the cam is right there five feet from your face. I get great shots of myself coming and going. I had three of their battery cams that I would mount outside when parked at the storage yard and they record on motion. They have IR and white LEDs that can be set to come on with motion. The shutter reacts quite fast. Twice I caught folks approaching the coach at night and both times they backed off when the lights came on. I since moved out of that storage yard. I have mounted one on the ladder on the back of the coach for when we are parked during travel so that I can look at the pickup connected to the coach at night when I hear something. Those battery ones last for a few months since they only record on motion. Never had any dropouts since the WIFI connection is just feet away inside the coach and is connected via cellular.

I would not use WIFI cams as the only cams for surveillance. But they can be appropriate in specific use cases as long as you understand the limitations.

Really appreciate you sharing all of that.

And I’m very sorry about your daughter.

Your point about understanding the limitations depending on the use case honestly makes a lot of sense.