Troubleshooting SimpliSafe: Quick Fixes and Solutions

SimpliSafe, a Massachusetts-based US home security brand, is known for its line of home security appliances, including indoor and outdoor cameras, temperature sensors, entry sensors, video doorbells, water sensors, smoke alarms, etc. Harvard Business School student duo Chad and Eleanor Laurens started this company in 2006 when their friends reported numerous break-ins.

This brand has been a reputed brand since its introduction. Many homeowners have SimpliSafe security systems installed in their homes. But like any other electronic appliance line, SimpliSafe devices can also encounter problems sometimes. The apparatus may not work or respond through the app.

As a homeowner, you need to have round-the-clock surveillance. If your SimpliSafe security system doesn’t work properly, it can be a bit problematic. Still, thankfully, the problems can be easily solved at home. Here, we have discussed all the possible simple issues and how to troubleshoot promptly when any gadget is not working.

What are Issues Related to SimpliSafe Types

1. Security Systems

Security systems like home alarms, motion sensors, and entry sensors may also encounter problems sometimes.

• Problem with the base station

If the sensors are not connected to the base station for more than 24 hours, the responding error message will start appearing. In this case, the problem is often the outdated software at the base station. You may need to update the base station and try connecting again.

• Improper installation

The devices may display a “sensor not responding “message if the installation is not done properly, and instead of proper installation, it was only configured.

In some cases, the issue also appears if another sensor is placed in the system without the deletion of the sensor of another person.

• Distance from base station

Suppose the sensors like a smoke alarm, temperature sensor, or entry sensors are placed too far from the Base station. In that case, they may not be able to connect with the base station. Hence, make sure to position the base station in such a way that it is within reach of all the devices.

• Battery issue

All the security sensors from SimpliSafe are battery-operated. So, try checking the battery of the devices if they are not responding. Changing the battery can solve the problem often.

2. Doorbell

SimpliSafe video doorbell is a wired doorbell that allows you to view people and their actions in your home entry. The devices may stop responding or working due to issues like-

• Improper installation

If the doorbell is not installed according to the guidelines, it may not work at all. You can check this through a simple test.

1. Open the SimpliSafe app and select “Devices”.
2. Select “Doorbell”

• Select the bell icon on your screen. It will play an alarm sound through the doorbell.

If the sound is audible, the doorbell is installed according to the guidelines. If you do not hear any sound, you need to reinstall the doorbell again.

Alternatively, you can check the doorbell button; if the button displays indicator light when pressed, the doorbell is installed properly.

• Improper sync

If the doorbell is not in sync with the security system and base station, it does not work properly. You can try syncing the doorbell through the app. If syncing fails, there is another problem.

• Poor sensor performance

If the motion sensors of the video doorbell do not work or work correctly, the doorbell may not work or stop responding. Besides the working conditions, you also need to ensure that the sensors are connected to your security system for better functioning.

• Battery charge

If your SimpliSafe video doorbell has suddenly stopped working, the battery is probably exhausted. A video doorbell needs two AA batteries, and the batteries last for 1-2 years, depending on the usage. If you hear a short beep sound from the doorbell, be alert. It is a sign of low battery. If you somehow miss the alarm, your doorbell will stop working.

• Network issue

Sometimes, the video doorbell may not work if there is a problem with the network. Your Wi-Fi has too many devices connected, or the data bandwidth is low. You can easily check the network issues through the SimpliSafe app.

3. Security Camera

SimpliSafe also has wireless outdoor cameras that work with an active Wi-Fi connection. However, many users often experience problems like the camera not launching, not recording, or not responding. The problem can be due to various reasons like-

• The camera is not responding through the app command

It can happen if the app is out of date or has some problem regarding the UI. In this case, you need to be patient and wait till the issue is resolved. Usually, such problems get solved fast. If there is still any problem, you can call customer support for further assistance.

• The camera is not connecting to Wi-Fi

Often, the outdoor security camera stops working and displays an error message “connection error.” It can happen due to poor Wi-Fi connectivity.

• Battery issue

Your simple security camera can stop responding, working, or recording if the battery is dead. Usually, batteries last for three to six months, and you need to replace them on time.

• Outdated firmware

SimpliSafe Outdoor security camera may not work properly if the base station firmware is outdated. In this case, there is no problem with your camera. So, update the base station once.

4. Smart Lock

There can be multiple problems that can cause the smart lock to stop responding suddenly. The main issues are-

• Improper installation

Suppose you have recently installed the smart lock, and the lock stops responding after a few days. In that case, the installation is probably not done correctly.

• Too many sensors

Sometimes, the lock may simply stop responding if there are too many sensors activated. If the activated sensors are not in use, the problem becomes more common. So, it is better to remove the unnecessary sensors from the lock.

• Battery life ended

Sometimes, the smart lock can stop responding if the battery life of the wave is exhausted. It can happen with the lock or the pad. The safety has two lithium batteries, while the keypad has two pairs of AAA Alkaline batteries. Usually, the batteries have a life expectancy of eight to twelve months.

You may have missed the low battery warning on the lock, which eventually led to battery drainage. In case the Base Station doesn’t get enough power, the reserve battery backup is used for 24 hours, and after that, the lock stops responding. In this case, the best way is to check the battery and replace it if there is no charge. Please make sure to be attentive to the low battery notification and replace the battery after a certain period to ensure the lock works properly.

• Outdated software

Outdated software in the smart lock may prevent it from working. It is always better to check the updates from time to time to ensure the smart lock can operate without any issues.

If the base station’s software is outdated, the smart lock may not work properly, too. As the base station doesn’t get updated automatically, you need to check the notifications for updates on the SimpliSafe app.

• Distance from the base station

Your smart lock has properly working batteries and updated software, yet it is not working properly. It can happen due to the distance from the base station. If the lock is far away from the SimpliSafe base station, it may not be able to connect with the Base station.

In this case, you may need to relocate the base station nearer, or you may even need to change the smart lock position if possible.

• Hardwire problem

Sometimes, the camera hardware may prevent it from responding. It can be any problem. The best way is to connect with customer support for further assistance.

• Problem with your phone

Some users also reported that even though their security camera was working properly, they were unable to stream the videos on their smartphone. It can also happen to you too. In this case, the software of your smartphone may be outdated. So, check for updates on your phone and update it as soon as possible.

How to Troubleshoot SimpliSafe Issues

1. Check Connection Issues

Connection Issues can be one of the main problems that cause problems with SimpliSafe devices. You can check the connection strength through the app-

1. Open SimpliSafe app
2. Select “Devices”
3. Under this stab, you will find all of your listed devices. Select any device you desire.
4. In the new screen, select “connection”
5. Now tap on “Start connection check”. The result can offer you results in different terms –“good,” “fair,” or “poor.”
6. If the result is “good,” it means your devices have a strong connection with the Wi-Fi. Cameras, video doorbells, or smart locks need to work properly,
7. If the result is “fair or poor signal strength,” there is some problem with your Wi-Fi router. Probably, it is not proximity to your SimpliSafe device,
8. You can relocate the Wi-Fi router and check the signal strength again. You can also use a Wi-Fi extender to extend the range of your router. You can also create a guest network on your router exclusively for you simply; if security devices. You can also get an upgraded internet plan for your Wi-Fi router to accommodate all the devices.
9. For video devices like the video doorbell or the camera, connection analysis may display the result as “fair or poor upload speed.” In this case, you need to change the resolution of the device. For this-

• Select the camera button at the bottom of the screen.
• On the right corner of your device, you will find a gear icon; click on it to open “Camera settings.”
• Here, select your camera.
• Find and select “Picture quality”. Change it to 480p to get streaming. But remember that this will decrease the video or picture quality.

2. Update Firmware

Sometimes imp, life devices may not work if the firmware is not updated to the latest version, so you can try checking for the updates and updating the firmware to its latest version.

1. Updating Smart Lock Keypad Software

• Connect your smart lock to the Wi-Fi network
• Press the Menu button
• From the drop-down menu, select “System Settings.”
• From here, select “Wi-Fi” and choose your home Wi-Fi from the available list. Put the password there to connect it with Wi-Fi.
• Wait for a few seconds, and your smart lock will display the available update. Select it or wait till the automatic update is complete.

2. Update Base Station

If the base station is not updated to its latest version, the smart lock or other security devices may not work. You will need to use the smart home keypad to update the base station software. Your device will remain offline for the time while the update is going on. Here is the method to update the base station-

• Tale the smart keypad near your base station. If a gear symbol appears on the left side of the keypad screen, then your base station has available updates.
• Now, push the left side of the keypad screen or the gear symbol to open the “Install Menu.”
• Now, push the screen of your keypad to the right to select “Install update.”

3. Check Motion Sensors

1. Smart Lock

Sometimes, the SimpliSafe Smart Lock may not work if there are multiple sensors that you do not need.

Here is how to do this-

• Press the Menu button on the smart lock keyboard
• Type the master PIN through the keyboard
• Select “Choose Devices” to know the available devices in your smart lock
• select the desired device using the right rocker
• Navigate to the end of the menu list and select “Remove” using the right rocker or the right arrow.
• Press the “Off” button.

2. For Other Devices

To ensure the video doorbell, entry sensors, etc., work correctly, you need to establish a strong connection between the motion sensors and your security system. Here is how to do this-

• Open the SimpliSafe app on your smartphone
• Select “Devices”
• Under this tab, select “Sensors” to view the list of motion sensors in your security system.
• Tap on the mane of the sensor (i.e., door sensor).
• In the new screen, tap on the info icon located in the top right corner of your screen.
• The icon should be green to denote a strong connection if you see a red light. There is a problem with the sensor. You may need to sync the sensors again or call customer support for help.

4.  Check and Replace Batteries

As you already know, the smart lock, cameras, etc, may not work if the battery doesn’t have any power left. So, if there is no response, try checking the battery once and, if needed, replace it with a charged one.

1. Battery Replacement for the Smart Lock

• Under the oval section of the lock logo, you will find a slider section. Slide it downwards to open the compartment.
• Take out the battery and replace it.
• Put the battery cover and slide the compartment upwards till you hear a clicking sound.

2. Battery Replacement for the PIN Pad

• Take the o pinhole key/ sim card tool/ paperclip and press it inside the hole just below the pin pad. The pin pad will pop off.
• Take it out gently. Now, take new batteries and replace the old ones in the same manner.
• Press the pin pad in its place till you hear a clicking sound to lock it.

3. Battery for Video Doorbell

• Take the key given with the video doorbell and press it in the hole located under the bell switch till it makes a clicking sound. Slide the doorbell upwards to remove it from the wall.
• On the backside, you will find the battery compartment with a lid. Press the gray clip of the lid to open it.
• Take out the batteries and insert two new AA-sized batteries.
• Put the lid back on.
• Remount the camera in the same upward motion. Push it gently till you hear a clicking sound.

4. For Outdoor Security Camera

Here is the step-by-step guide for replacing the battery of the outdoor security camera

• Take out the camera from its position. Now, twist the cap of your camera outward, located at the base of the device.
• The battery will have a tab so it can remove the storm safely.
• Take a new battery and place it inside the compartment.
• Twist the base and close the camera. You will hear a clicking sound when the device is locked. Place it again in its designated position.
• After taking out the battery, charge it using a USB-supported adapter that supports 5V, 7.5 W+, and 1.5A + charging; usually, the battery gets fully charged within five hours. Batteries come with three lights. When the lights are pulsing, it means the battery is charging; Illuminated lights debate a fully charged battery.

5. For Entry Sensors

1. Motion Sensor, Glass Break Sensor, Temperature Sensor, Panic Button

The devices like motion sensors (gen one and gen 2) and glass break sensors, temperature sensors, and Panic buttons, etc, come with a CR-123A 3V lithium battery. These batteries last for two to four years, depending on usage.

• Take out the sensor from its mounting bracket. You will find the small round-shaped battery on its back.
• Take the CR-123A Li-ion 3V battery and replace it with a new one.
• Slide the sensor back in its place.

2. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector

This device also uses a CR-123A Lithium 3V disk-shaped battery that lasts up to two years. You can change it by this method-

• Twist off the device from its bracket
• Twist the back panel to open the battery compartment
• Take out the batteries and replace them with new ones.
• Twist the back portion of the device and fix it to its mounting bracket.

3. Smoke Detector

• Twist the device to remove it from its bracket.
• Under the device, you will find a hatch covering. Lift it to open the battery compartment.
• Replace the battery and fix the device in its designated place again.

4. CO Detector

It also uses three AA size 1.5V lithium batteries, and the battery can last for a maximum of one year. To change the battery-

• Twist the device from its mounting bracket to remove it
• Position the device in such a way that the “do not paint” line in front of you is in the right side-up direction.
• You will find the oval test button. Below the button, you will find a hatch. Press there to open the battery compartment.
• Take out the three batteries and replace them.
• Close the compartment and mount the CO sensor back again to its place.

5. Water Sensor

The water sensor uses a CR-2032 Lithium 3v battery. You can replace it according to this method-

• Hold the top part firmly while twisting the bottom part with your other hand in a counter clockwise direction to open the battery compartment.
• Take out the battery and replace it.
• Now, take the bottom part of the sensor and twist it clockwise to close it.

6. Extra Siren

• Slide the Siren gently to remove it from its mounting bracket
• Now take a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the four screws located in its back to open the battery compartment.
• Remove the compartment to expose the four AA-size batteries.
• Replace the batteries.
• Place the battery cover and fix the screws in their place.
• Fix the device in its place by sliding it into the mounting bracket.

6. Keypad

The SimpliSafe keypad needs four AA batteries that need to be replaced once a year, depending on usage. If the keypad is not working, probably you need to replace the batteries-

• Slide the keypad in an upward direction to remove it from its mounting bracket.
• In its back, you will find the battery compartment. Slide off its cover to expose the batteries,
• Take out the batteries and replace them with new ones.
• Slide back the battery cover and then slide the keypad in a downward motion to fix it on its mounting bracket.

5. Reset SimpliSafe

1. Base Station

You can easily reset simple systems in case the devices lose cellular collection to the base station. Here is the reset method-

• Unplug the base station
• Take a Phillips head screw and remove the screws of the battery cover
• Remove one battery and wait for ten to fifteen seconds. Put it back in again.
• Fix the battery cover in its rightful place by fixing the screws
• Plug in the base station and wait for a few minutes
• Arm your system to test it. In case the system fails to register, replace the battery and try again.

2. Reset the Outdoor and Indoor Cameras.

You can try resetting the camera if it has developed some issues. To do this, you first need to remove the camera from its mount.

• Removing the Camera-
  1. Open the SimpliSafe app on your smart device
  2. Navigate to the lower navigation bar and choose “Cameras.”
  3. In the new screen, go to the top right corner of the app and locate the gear symbol for your camera settings.
  4. Select the outdoor or indoor camera you want to remove
  5. Scroll downwards, and select “remove camera.” It will remove your device from the system.
  6. Now remove the camera from the mount by twisting it
• Resetting Outdoor Camera-
  1. On the back of your outdoor camera, you will find a pairing button.
  2. Press that button for 30 seconds and release it. You will hear an audible sound, and the camera will start flashing a white light.
• Resetting Indoor Camera-
  1. Press the pairing button on the top of the indoor camera for twenty seconds.
  2. Release it. After one minute, the cars will start flickering, yellow lights will be lit, and then white lights will be lit after 30 seconds.

6. Sync Devices

Sometimes, devices like motion sensors and video doorbell cameras may not respond or work if the devices are not synced with the base station. Here is the method to sync your device-

1. Open the SimpliSafe app
2. Select “Devices”
3. Under this tab, select the device you want to sync.
4. Select “sync now.” Wait till the device sync is complete. If the sync fails, the app will display the message “Sync failed” alongside the possible cause.
5. After the sync is complete, you will see a green bell icon next to the device. If there is a red bell icon behind the device listed in the app, you may need to sync the device again.

7. Check SimpliSafe App Issues

Sometimes, the SimpliSafe app may not work, and hence, your devices do not respond when prompted through the app. The app may prelaunch the sign-in page every time you try to sign in or may stop working altogether.

• Check Server Issue

Often, the SimpliSafe stops working due to server issues. The server may stop working due to increased user volume and may display the message “server error.” In this case, you need to wait. Close the app and wait for thirty minutes to one hour. Then try logging in again.

• Update the App

In this case, the best way is to check for updates in the app. If the app is out of date, it can develop bugs and may not work at all. Update the app if any update is available, and then try signing in again.

• Reinstall App

You can also uninstall the app and reinstall it again. This removes all the bugs and issues related to the app software and gives it a fresh start. Here is how to do this-

1. Press the app icon, and the uninstall option will appear in a pop-up box. Tap on uninstall to uninstall the device.
2. Visit the Play Store or App Store and type “SimpliSafe” in the search bar. Wait for the app icon to appear. Click on it
3. Click on “install” on the new screen. Wait till the installation is complete.

• Close all Background Apps

The SimpliSafe app may not work if multiple apps are running in the background. It is better to close all the apps on the ground before you use the SimpliSafe app.

• Change the Wi-Fi Network Band.

You can try this method if the app doesn’t work, although other apps work fine. SimpliSafe devices and apps only support a 2.4 GHz WI-Fi network. If you are using any other network bandwidth, the app may stop responding. It happens especially with those who use 5 GHz WI-Fi networks.

• Clear Cache

Sometimes, the SimpliSafe app may stop working due to the huge volume of cached files. Here is how you can clear all the cached files from the app-

1. Open “settings” on your smartphone.
2. Under this tab, select “apps.”
3. Select “SimpliSafe” app to open the app settings page
4. On this page, select or tap on “clear cache.” Wait till the cache file volume turns to zero.
5. Close “settings” and try using the SimpliSafe app again.

• Contact Customer Support

Suppose you encounter any problems despite trying all these methods mentioned here. In that case, you can connect to the SimpliSafe customer support team. They will help you to figure out the problem and may even send an expert to your home for further examination.

Simplisafe Troubleshooting: FAQs

Conclusion

SimpliSafe devices can stop working due to various reasons, including battery issues, base station distance, app problems, poor Wi-Fi connectivity, etc.; here we have provided you a detailed guide on how to solve the problem in case one of your devices is not working. You can try using these methods as per your preference. If the problem persists, it is always better to contact the customer support team for expert assistance.