Camera Went Offline — How to Get It Back
Your camera was working fine, then went offline. Here's how to get it back online.
Camera Went Offline — How to Get It Back
Your camera was working fine, and now it's showing offline. This is almost always fixable in a couple of minutes. Here's what to check.
This Is Different From Setup Problems
This article is for cameras that were working and then stopped. If your camera never connected in the first place, see the Pairing Stuck article instead.
Check the Basics First
Before anything else, confirm two things:
- Is your home WiFi working? Open a website on your phone. If the internet is out, the camera can't connect either — that's the whole problem. Restart your router and wait a few minutes.
- Is the light socket powered? Look at the camera. Is the light on? If there's no light at all, the camera has no power.
Most Common Causes
1. The wall switch got turned off
LightCam needs constant power. If someone flipped the switch off — even accidentally — the camera lost power and went offline.
Fix: Turn the switch back on. Give the camera 2 minutes to reconnect. It should come back on its own.
This is the most common reason cameras go offline. Consider leaving that switch in the ON position permanently.
2. Your WiFi password changed
If you got a new router, reset your router, or changed your WiFi password, the camera still has the old password saved. It can't connect automatically.
Fix:
- In the app, go to Settings → [Camera Name] → Wi-Fi Settings.
- Follow the steps to reconnect the camera to your network with the new password.
- You won't lose any clips or settings — just the WiFi credentials update.
3. Your router restarted
After a router restart, cameras sometimes take 2–5 minutes to reconnect on their own. Wait before doing anything. If the camera is still offline after 5 minutes, move on to the steps below.
4. The camera is too far from your router
WiFi signal can change over time — a new appliance, furniture rearranged, or seasonal changes can all affect it. If the camera is in a spot with a weak signal, it may start dropping off.
Fix: Check the signal strength in Settings → [Camera Name]. If it's weak, try moving a WiFi extender closer to the camera, or consider a mesh WiFi system.
How to Manually Reconnect
If the camera is still offline after checking the above:
- Go to Settings → [Camera Name] → Wi-Fi Settings in the app.
- Follow the on-screen steps to reconnect.
This does not delete your clips, settings, or anything else. It just updates the WiFi connection.
If Nothing Works
Do a factory reset and start fresh. Your cloud clips are preserved — they won't disappear.
See the Factory Reset article for step-by-step instructions.
Still need help? Go to Account → Messages in the app.