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Re: Issues with Zmodo wireless cameras

stephentyler20
Aspirant

Issues with Zmodo wireless cameras

I finally got the Orbi RBK53 up and running. House as a Zmodo Camera System, which has 8 wired cameras (sPOE) and 4 wireless cameras (2.4 ghz Wifi). Here's the configuriation: - Ethernet -> RBR50 (in AP mode) - Zmodo NVR (and thus all wired cameras) -> RBR 50 (via LAN port) - Satellites 1 and 2 positioned at opposite ends of the house, with strong 5ghz connection to RBR50 router. - Zmodo Wifi Cameras at various locations throughout the house, in close proximity to the satellites and/or router I had no trouble setting up the cameras. The wired cameras started right up, and work just fine. The issue is the wireless cameras. They set up ok using the usual Zmodo process (clunky app), and they do connect to the wifi without trouble, but very inconsistent video feed. I can see them about half the time using their app (on my boring old wifi system they worked flawlessly). The video I do see seems choppy and slow. I'm not really sure what to do, but would appreciate any suggestions. Here are steps I've taken so far: - hard reset of the Zmodo NVR - disconnected and reconnected all wifi cameras - In the router (ATT modem/router) I set the camera IP addresses as fixed (made no difference)

Model: RBK53| Orbi Router + 2 Satellites Orbi WiFi System
Message 1 of 10
st_shaw
Master

Re: Issues with Zmodo wireless cameras

IP cameras won't roam to the nearest AP.  They will stick to whatever access point they see first.  All I can suggest is that you take whatever steps are necessary to get the cameras to connect to the nearest Orbi unit.

 

Can you check the Orbi attached devices display and verify that the cameras are connected to the nearest Orbi unit?

 

With most client devices, you can just power-cycle the device after the Orbi and all satellites have booted, and the device is located where you want to use it.  I'm not sure how your cameras work.  Maybe power cycling the cameras is enough.  If not, maybe you need to go through the setup process again with the cameras in their installed location. 

Message 2 of 10
stephentyler20
Aspirant

Re: Issues with Zmodo wireless cameras

That's a great point, although I did consider that and I've found it doesn't seem to matter. The cameras are connected to the nearest Orbi satellite or router, and since the cameras and Orbis are fixed, I figured they're probably not trying to change around a whole lot.

Interestingly, this problem didn't seem to be an issue when I had the Orbi in Router mode (rather than AP). I changed that on the recommendation of this forum, because my ATT modem/router does not have a bridge mode, so it was felt that it would be better to use the Orbi as an AP.
Message 3 of 10
st_shaw
Master

Re: Issues with Zmodo wireless cameras

 

Not sure why AP mode would make a difference.  I used to run wireless IP cameras on my Orbi in AP mode with no issues.

 

Consider that any time you lose power or reboot Orbi for any reason, the Router will come up first, and all your cameras will connect to the router, and never switch to the nearest Orbi device.  So, unless you just checked the attached devices list, I would urge you to go back and make sure that all cameras are currently connected to the nearest Orbi.

Message 4 of 10
stephentyler20
Aspirant

Re: Issues with Zmodo wireless cameras


@st_shaw wrote:

 

Not sure why AP mode would make a difference.  I used to run wireless IP cameras on my Orbi in AP mode with no issues.

 

Consider that any time you lose power or reboot Orbi for any reason, the Router will come up first, and all your cameras will connect to the router, and never switch to the nearest Orbi device.  So, unless you just checked the attached devices list, I would urge you to go back and make sure that all cameras are currently connected to the nearest Orbi.


OK thanks - I'll check again, but the other complicating factor is that one of the cameras is approximately halfway between the Orbi router and satellite. Another one is also fairly close to both. A third camera is far closer to one of the satellites than anything else, and yet it still doesn't connect well. So I will double check this, but I'm thinking it's not likely the solution. 

 

Also - if that IS the issue, is there any way to force the connection to a given router / AP?

Message 5 of 10
st_shaw
Master

Re: Issues with Zmodo wireless cameras

If your client devices do not roam, I don't know of a way to force them to a given AP.

 

In your case, the best solution might be to pull out your old WiFi router, run it in access point mode, set a different SSID, set a channel that doesn't conflict with Orbi, and use it only for your wireless cameras.

Message 6 of 10
stephentyler20
Aspirant

Re: Issues with Zmodo wireless cameras

Ok thanks. Yeah I considered that as well, but I run into the same problem that prompted my buying the orbi... The wifi doesn't reach throughout the whole house. So I'd have to install two access points. Which I guess I could do.

Frankly, I think I'm going to install some more hardwired cameras to replace the wireless ones. The wired ones always seem to work without difficulty, the wireless ones are just a headache to setup and keep functional.
Message 7 of 10
st_shaw
Master

Re: Issues with Zmodo wireless cameras


@stephentyler20 wrote:

Frankly, I think I'm going to install some more hardwired cameras to replace the wireless ones. The wired ones always seem to work without difficulty, the wireless ones are just a headache to setup and keep functional.

Good plan. I ditched my wireless IP cameras a couple years ago and went with professional grade wired cams and a dedicated local server. Wired is way better!

 

The only wireless cams I'm using now are a few Arlos, but these are just for playing around.

 

Message 8 of 10
stephentyler20
Aspirant

Re: Issues with Zmodo wireless cameras

Turns out this might be more camera-related than I thought. I noticed that one of the WiFi cameras was behaving perfectly normal - and it probably has the worst geographic / physical location of any of them. So I found a program from Zmodo (called ZBatch if anyone's interested) that lets you factory reset all the cameras. I downloaded that, did a factory reset, (which also reset the NVR, whoops), then unplugged all the Wifi cameras and reconfigured two of them, one at a time (just doing a trial with 2 for now). 

 

Fingers crossed, but they seem to be working a lot better. Much more stable connection, and not choppy, as it was before. 

 

I'm still going to put some more hardwired cameras in where I can, for good measure, but maybe (?) this has solved the problem for now.

Message 9 of 10
st_shaw
Master

Re: Issues with Zmodo wireless cameras

Sounds good.

Message 10 of 10
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