The Geeni camera brand from Mercury Innovations is one of the market’s most affordable smart security cameras. As they say, “with Geeni, living smart has never been easier.” Once your Geeni camera falls offline, you can no longer enjoy the smart security features it offers. The offline state renders your camera inaccessible.
So, why is your Geeni camera offline?
The Geeni camera falls offline when disconnected from your network or the power supply is disrupted. Also, it could be that the camera is receiving a poor signal, insufficient to sync to the Geeni servers successfully.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the troubleshooting steps to help get your camera back online. Let’s roll.
Why Is Geeni Camera Offline?
Primarily, the Geeni camera falls offline once it’s disconnected from your Wi-Fi network or a power disruption occurs. Once the camera can’t sync to the cloud servers, the app displays it as offline and inaccessible.
That said, here are common causes of the offline problem on Geeni smart devices;
- Loss of power connection (power outage)
- Poor Wi-Fi network signal or network disconnection
- Changes in your Wi-Fi network settings – you should update the same on your device
- An overcrowded network, thus, lowering your router bandwidth
- Outdated app or device firmware
- When the Geeni servers are down
In the case of a power outage disconnection, a restart should get you going once the camera connects to your Wi-Fi network.
Therefore, before trying a detailed troubleshooting guide, power cycle your camera and check if it connects.
To power cycle, unplug the camera from the power outlet, let the power drain fully for about a minute or two, and reconnect it to power.
Observe the camera indicator light to identify its state correctly. Once connected, the LED light turns solid.
How Do I Get My Geeni Camera Back Online?
Restart your camera and ensure it is connected to a working power outlet to get your camera back online. Once the device reboots, give it a moment to initialize and connect to your home network. Refresh the Geeni app and check whether the device is back online.
The app allows you to restart or remove a connected device. To power cycle, one has to be onsite to disconnect the camera from the mains manually.
Follow these troubleshooting tips to get your camera back online;
Check If the Devices Is Powered
Accidentally turning off the main power switch or a tripped outlet to a smart device can have you fixing non-existing problems.
Ensure the camera is connected to a working outlet and the LED indicator light shows it’s connected. Observe the camera power LED light to ascertain it’s powered.
Some or all of your devices can run offline after a power outage. A quick reboot should get your device back online.
However, to avoid bombarding your router with IP address requests (if you have many devices on your setup), restart the router first, followed by a device or a couple at a time.
To reboot, unplug the device from the outlet, wait a minute for it to discharge, and reconnect it to a working outlet.
This is handy when dealing with the “Geeni device offline after a power outage” problem.
After restarting your devices, give them about two minutes to initialize and connect to your home network. Refresh the Geeni app and check whether your camera is back online.
Test Your Router’s Internet Connectivity
A drop or lost network connection is another prevalent cause of the device offline problem. Once the connection is lost, some devices cannot come back online alone and need little assistance.
Test your network by connecting a phone or tablet and trying to surf the internet. If you are disconnected or the network signal is poor, contact your ISP to fix it first.
Smart cameras require a strong and stable internet connection to sync to the servers effectively. A robust home internet is the first requirement for running a successful smart home.
Also, you can perform a speed test to check your network speed and quality. If the network is working correctly, but the device is offline, it could be a case of an overcrowded network –reduce the number of connected devices.
Again, if you make changes to your network settings, such as Wi-Fi password, security type, etc., you must update the same on your connected devices.
Once you have applied the changes on your router admin, remove the device from the Geeni app, reset it if necessary, and reconnect to the updated network.
Remember that Geeni cameras are only compatible with a 2.4 GHz network.
If your router broadcasts 2.4 and 5 GHz bands on a single SSID, you must separate them into two different networks. This helps you avoid conflicts and only connect the devices to the compatible frequency.
Generally, power cycling the router and the device works magic when dealing with drop-in network offline issues.
To power cycle, unplug the router from the outlets, give it 20 – 30 seconds, and reconnect it. Once it’s up and running, apply the same procedure to restart the smart device.
Move The Camera Closer
Most Geeni camera models are plug-and-play – they require no hub. Therefore, if you install the camera too far from the access point location, the chances of a poor signal are high.
Ensure that the camera location receives a stable and robust internet signal from your router. Moving the device closer is one way to deal with the issue.
Alternatively, upgrade your network to a mesh network topology setup or replace your old router with a newer model.
Reset The Camera and Reconnect
Suppose the camera is powered and connected to a working Wi-Fi network but still renders the offline error. In that case, it could be down to a corrupt file affecting its functionality.
Resetting the camera restores its default settings and wipes it clean, clearing any software bugs and corrupt files.
Before resetting, remove the camera from the app. Select the camera on the home screen > tap the top right “…” button > Scroll down to find and select the “Remove Device” button > Confirm your action.
To reset your Geeni camera, press and hold the reset button for 5 seconds. You should get a voice prompt once it resets. The indicator light flashes showing that the camera is in pairing mode.
Now, you can reconnect your camera through the Geeni app.
- Open the Geeni app
- Tap on the “+” icon to add a device
- Select the device category (smart camera)
- Follow the in-app prompts to reconnect to your home network.
Once the app finds and connects to the camera, the offline problem disappears.
Final Thoughts
The Geeni camera falls offline once the server communication is lost. This can be attributed to a network disconnection or power failure. Either way, getting your camera back online is the top priority, as is identifying the cause to avoid repeated occurrences.
Once you have identified the cause, do your due diligence, like ensuring the camera is powered and has sufficient Wi-Fi network coverage.
Also, ensure that your Geeni app is updated, and so is the camera firmware.
Check the remaining storage capacity if your camera has an SD card inserted. Sometimes, the offline issue occurs when the SD card is full and needs formatting.
However, other factors like power cuts and server downtime are beyond your control; all you can do is adapt to the situation and apply the available options.
If nothing gives, contact Geeni customer support with your details for help troubleshooting your smart camera.
