Introduction

While troubleshooting an unrelated Roku streaming device, I discovered that one of my SimpliSafe SimpliCam indoor security cameras was offline. The camera was no longer connected to my local wireless network, and I could not view its live video.

I have installed and configured six SimpliSafe cameras over the years, so I am familiar with the installation process. I figured that getting this camera back online would be a simple matter of resetting it and reconnecting it to my wireless network.

I was wrong.

After at least ten attempts to reconnect the camera, I finally discovered the solution. The problem was not my wireless router, a defective camera, or even an incorrect Wi-Fi password. The problem appeared to be the brightness of my iPhone screen combined with the distance between the phone and the camera when scanning the QR code.

Here is what happened and how I fixed it. Read more