Investing in SimpliSafe sensors is one way to keep your home secure and monitored. However, you may have noticed that your sensors go offline from time to time. This is a worrying trend since these sensors won’t monitor your home when offline.
SimpliSafe sensors may go offline due to low batteries in the device, longer separation between the device and the base station, or signal interference. Simple fixes include changing device batteries, placing the device closer to the base station, or moving it away from interference.
In the rest of this article, I’ll discuss the reasons your SimpliSafe sensors may go offline. I’ll also cover how to fix these issues and get your SimpliSafe sensors back to normalcy. Keep reading!
Reasons Your SimpliSafe Sensors May Go Offline
Your SimpliSafe sensors going offline means they’re not communicating with the SimpliSafe base station. When this happens, your home is left unmonitored and unprotected, exposing it to more than 34 percent of burglars who twist door knobs to access the house. Terrifyingly, this could be happening to you while you’re home, as over one million burglaries each year happen when people are home.
The main reasons SimpliSafe sensors go offline include:
Low Device Batteries
SimpliSafe sensors are used in devices like:
- Smoke detectors
- CO alarms
- Wireless security cameras
- Door and window sensors
These devices require batteries to function, and when the batteries run low, the devices will go offline. The sensors use the direct current power supplied by the batteries to communicate with the base. Moreover, they need this power to run their internal components, which include the microprocessor, memory chip, and radio transmitter.
Most devices, apart from the keypad, can operate between 3 and 5 years before they need battery replacement.
You can tell your devices need new batteries if:
- The battery indicator on display is red or yellow.
- Beeping sounds from the device.
- You see a message on the keypad that says “Low Battery.”
Follow these steps if you think your devices need new batteries:
- Remove the backplate of the device.
- Find the battery type and size required for your device.
- Replace the batteries with new ones.
- Put the back plate back on the device.
The display should now show a green battery icon, indicating that your devices have power.
Longer Separation Between the Device and Base Station
The Proximity between the base station and your devices is essential when setting up SimpliSafe sensors. The devices need to be within range of the base station to communicate with it. If they are not, they will go offline.
The maximum distance between the base station and the sensors is 800 feet (243.84 meters) in the open air. This means the distance decreases with obstacles like trees and walls in between.
Keypads operate efficiently when placed within 100 feet (30.48 meters) of the base station. Therefore, you should consider the device and keypad separation distances from the base station.
If you have a story building with metal walls, the devices on the second floor will have more difficulty communicating with the base station. The same is true for sensors in basements and attics.
You can tell that your devices are out of range if:
- The LED light on the device is not green.
- There’s no response when you press the test button on the device.
- You see a message on the keypad that says “Out of Range.”
You can test your sensor to see if it’s too far from the base station using the procedure below:
- Press and hold the “Menu” key on the keypad.
- Input your Master PIN.
- Scroll to “Test Mode.”
- Select the mode by pressing the right rocker.
- Wait for a notification from the base announcing that it’s entering the test mode.
- Press the top button on the sensor you want to test.
- The base station should announce the sensor’s type and name if they’re within the acceptable range.
- If the base station doesn’t announce the sensor’s name or type, then they are not in range. Therefore, you must adjust the distance.
Try these solutions if your devices are out of range:
- Move the base station closer to the devices.
- Place the devices closer to the windows.
- Use a wireless range extender.
Signal Interference
Your SimpliSafe sensors might go offline because of interference from other devices in your home. If you have a lot of electronic devices, the chances of this happening are higher.
The most common source of interference is cordless phones operating on the same frequency as the security system (i.e., 433.92 MHz). Other potential sources include baby monitors, garage door openers, and wireless networks.
The following signs illustrate that your devices are experiencing signal interference:
- The LED light on the device is blinking red.
- There’s no response when you press the test button on the device.
- You see a message on the keypad that says “Wireless Interference Detected.”
Try these solutions if your devices are experiencing interference:
- Turn off the device that is causing interference.
- Move the base station and devices away from electronic devices.
It’s worth noting that low battery in your devices can also trigger the “Wireless Interference Message” from the base station. In this case, the base station misinterprets the poor-quality signal from the low batteries as signal interference.
SimpliSafe’s Motion Sensor False Alarms
A false motion sensor alarm can be annoying since it sets off the security system when there’s no emergency. Although SimpliSafe’s motion sensors are professionally designed to sound only when there is motion, they’re not immune from false alarms.
The most common causes of false alarms are:
- Sunlight: Direct sunlight hitting the motion sensor can activate a false alarm. Placing the sensor away from direct sunlight is the best way to avoid such a situation.
- Heating vents: If you place the sensor near a heating vent, the heat can cause false alarms. The best way to avoid such a situation is by installing the sensor away from heating vents.
- Pets: Pets like cats and dogs exceeding 30 pounds (13.61 kg) may trigger a false alarm when they come too close to the sensor. You should adjust your sensor to avoid pet interference.
The video below demonstrates how to adjust your motion sensor for pets:
Conclusion
SimpliSafe sensors should not go offline frequently to secure your home. Your home’s security is at bay if the sensors keep going offline. Therefore, you should check for issues like low batteries and inappropriate distance between the sensor and the base station and apply an appropriate solution.
