Do THIS If Your Surveillance Camera no Longer Works!

You are about to leave your home, you take a look at the surveillance screen and suddenly, there is panic! The dreaded black screen! Your surveillance camera seems to no longer work. The lights flash, are red, or worse, there are none. You’re in a hurry, you may be about to go on vacation…

Here are the first things to look for:

1. Check your internet connection
2. Check power supply
3. Check connectivity
4. Update firmware

But let’s see more details about these likely issues and how to fix them.

My surveillance camera no longer works: the different solutions

Before contacting a specialist and risking wasting time on a telephone server, here are 6 verification steps that you can carry out yourself, without the need for any particular knowledge of electronics or IT.

In most cases, you will find a solution to your problem before you reach the sixth step. Follow the procedure in order, starting with the wiring , then resetting the software and ending with the hardware .

Is the internet connection faulty?

To operate, the surveillance camera requires a reliable and good quality internet connection.

1. Go next to your box and check for any error messages. If the lights are green, connect to the Internet using another device, a laptop, or a phone to check your Internet connection.
2. If the connection is normal, examine the connections of the box and more particularly the Ethernet cable which connects the camera to your box. If you have a spare cable (which we highly recommend), replace it and reset your surveillance camera.

Is the camera powered by electricity?

In case the camera is turned off and no indicator is displayed, check whether the surveillance camera is supplied with electric current.

1. Make sure that the sockets are well connected, that the cables are in good condition.
2. In case these cables pass through the roof space for example, make sure that they have not been nibbled by rodents.

We recommend the use of protective sheaths to protect the electric and Ethernet cables when they pass through the attic.

If the surveillance camera is powered by a battery :

1. Check if it is fully charged. A red flashing light should then appear on the camera housing.
2. If not, remove it all the same, dry it and if you find traces of humidity, put it to charge and replace it with a new battery.

It is best to always have spare batteries in the house for this kind of situation.

Is the surveillance camera connected correctly?

After these two steps, if your camera still does not work:

1. Check its connections: disconnect and reconnect the power plug and the Ethernet socket for devices with a double connection.
2. Perform the same maneuver if your device is equipped with a POE injector which supplies the surveillance camera with the single Ethernet cable.
3. Replace your POE injector if you have a second injector to check if the problem comes from there.
4. reset your surveillance camera by following the procedure indicated in the installation manual.

Again, we advise you to have spare parts available to compensate for any eventuality.

Do you have firmware and / or update issues?

The cause of the failure can also come from the software. Firmware (embedded software) is installed in the device and performs updates automatically and regularly. It is possible that during one of these updates, a malfunction appeared. If that is the case :

1. Turn off your device (remove the power cord or Ethernet plug).
2. Then press and hold the reset button for at least 10 seconds while reconnecting the device.
3. Connect a laptop or PC to the camera using an Ethernet cable.
4. Open your browser and enter the IP address that you will find in the installation guide for your device, in the “Troubleshooting” section.
5. Select the specific firmware for your device (again you will find this information in your installation guide or by typing the keywords “firmware and” brand of your surveillance camera “on the internet).
6. Reset your surveillance camera once the download is complete.

The waiting time can then be up to 5 minutes.

Surveillance camera malfunction

If all the points mentioned above do not give the expected results, then it is most likely that the problem is of a material order, that is to say directly related to your surveillance camera. But all is not yet lost!

1. Unhook the surveillance camera from its location and place it on a clean, free table.
2. Take a small Phillips screwdriver and open the camera housing.
3. Clean the various components of the camera very carefully using a cotton swab (take special care not to tear off resistors or small electric cables on the motherboard) and remove the dust.
4. Then close the case and perform a factory reset on the device. To do this, press a very small button directly located on the motherboard.

Change device

If this last step is not successful, then all you have to do is change the device. If it is still under warranty, send it to the manufacturer. Otherwise, take the opportunity to take a more recent model. Ask about the different offers and don’t hesitate to get professional advice. It would also be critical to define the causes of your device failure to prevent a similar situation in the future.

Maintenance for prevention

Surveillance cameras are complex devices that require special care. They are subject to bad weather, temperature variations, as well as variations in electric current. Depending on the updates, they may also suddenly stop working.

Thus, it is desirable to follow the procedures mentioned above during an annual or even biannual verification to prevent any disappointment. Opt for offers where the maintenance of your surveillance system can be carried out by the company itself.