Cams bounce between "No Signal" and connecting fine

[LTek]

Most cams in Blue Iris lose connection (No Signal) frequently and then minutes later connect again. Some more than others.

Cams:
8 Samsung Smartcams across 3 floors - all model, 6431BN
1 older Samsung Smarcam Pro version - on main fllor
1 RCA/LaView/Hikvision Doorbell cam - on main floor

Wifi:
Recently changed from ASUS AP to Unifi UAP-AC-LR
-- Unifi AP covers the entire house with a pretty strong signal, stronger than the ASUS did.
-- I have no 5G radio interference and very little 2G radios around me. All Cams are on 5G and set to channels/bandwidths that do not even come close to any other channels in use. I have also tried putting some on 2G, doesnt help.

As a test: ALL Samsung Wisenet cams can use the Android Samsung Smartcam+ app over the Internet via the Samsung proxy -- and ALL cams connect / show perfectly even when BI shows them as 'No Signal'

Is there a BI setting that could help or a Unifi setting that might fix this?

thx for the help

 

[sebastiantombs]

You're pushing the bandwidth limits of your WiFi network. Pull some CAT5, or better, cable where you can and it'll go away. Cut the WiFi load. Wired cameras don't drop out (unless they're Reolink).

 

[mikeynags]

The first review of that 6431BN camera on amazon.com is entitled " Unreliable cameras disconnect from wifi after some time."

 

[SouthernYankee]

I tested on a dedicated camera only wifi, Separate SSID and Channel, 2.4 GHZ. With 3 wifi cameras at 2 MP, 10 FPS / Iframe 10, VBR, 3072 kbps. Max direct distance from the access point to the cameras was no more than 50 feet on a single story house. Each camera had about 300 signal drops per day.

I no longer use wifi.

 

[LTek]

@TheDank
The Samsung cams do not stream anything to the Internet unless I'm using the Android App to view them. There is no online recordings, only on the internal SD card and I only have the cams set to record local on the SD card, when motion is detected.
The settings for BI are similar, they do not record 24x7, only on motion.

Oddly, some of the cams with stronger signals show "no signal" when much weaker ones stream fine.

BUT, you do make a great suggestion... I have in the past played with the bit rates and frame rates... I'll try that again.

 

[SouthernYankee]

BI is receiving the stream from each camera 100% for the time. That is what is required to do motion detection in BI.

BI does not use the SD card.

 

[LTek]

Yes, I understand that - which is why I've just lowered the FPS to 15 on most of the cams. It doesnt seem to make any difference.

 

[sebastiantombs]

Rather than play with frame rates, try shutting one camera down at a time, unplugged with no power, until the dropouts stop. That will, at least, tell you where your maximum bandwidth saturation is at.

 

[SouthernYankee]

sebastiantombs.

This will work it it is a saturation problem, But it will not work it it is an interference problem. What is need is a screen shot from a wifi analyzer on the 2.4 GHZ bands. An APP on the phone or tablet. A screen shot on each floor of the house.

 

[Teeauu]

IMO cameras and WiFi doesn't mix. If you are going to use cameras and don't have an Ethernet or Fiber run there, use a quality AP, don't depend on the WiFi card that is in the camera.