Outdoor Camera FAQs

Yes, and it's a great deterrent for anyone entering your property who shouldn't be there. You can set up a custom rule that tells the camera to sound an alarm and blink its LED light when a person enters a predetermined area.

It sure can. With this camera, you can locally record video onto a microSD card and view footage from anywhere.

Your Smart Gateway is a device that connects your cameras to the internet. The gateway is a white, wired device, near your router. If it's in malfunction or you are experiencing a trouble condition that says it's offline, follow these steps:

1. Ensure your internet is working. Connect to WiFi on an internet-capable device, and verify your internet is working. If your internet isn't working, please contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

2. There will be an Ethernet cable that connects your gateway to your router. Ensure that the Ethernet cable is connected securely to the back of the Gateway and in a port on the back of your router.

3. Ensure that the power cable is plugged into the back of the Gateway and secured in place. Make sure the power cable is plugged into a working outlet.

4. If all the above items are secured, unplug the power cord from the back of the Gateway. Wait one minute and then plug it back in. Wait another minute to see if the issue clears from your app.

5. If it doesn't clear, unplug your main ISP-provided router/modem. Wait another minute and then plug it back in. Once your WiFi and internet comes up, the problem should clear from your account.

If the above steps do not fix the problem with your Smart Gateway, please contact us at 1.800.PROTECT (1.800.776.8328) for further assistance.

The streaming video recorder (SVR) is a device that allows indoor and outdoor cameras to record 24/7.

It has a built-in hard drive that stores all videos and typically holds 1TB of storage. 

It works on a first in, first out basis. So, if the hard drive is full, it will automatically delete the oldest footage to make room for the newest footage. Storage can vary depending on the settings for the camera, but on average, it holds about 30 days’ worth of footage.

SVRs need to be hardwired into an internet source, so they are typically placed near a router.  

Please follow the below steps to set up Video Motion Detection. Our newer cameras use Video Analytics. For further assistance setting up person, vehicle, and animal detection, click here. 

1. Log into MyGuardianHome.com.

2. Click Video, then Settings at the top of the page. 

3. Click Video Motion Detection. If you don’t see Video Motion Detection, your camera uses Video Analytics.

4. Once your video loads, click and drag across the screen to create a detection box. (You may have boxes. Use the numbers to switch between the 3 different boxes.)

• It is recommended to create long, thin boxes across the screen to act as tripwires. 

• Avoid common areas like roads and sidewalks, and objects like trees and flags. They may cause unwanted recordings. 

5. Select your Sensitivity by using the drop down. 

6. Select your Target Size by using the drop down. Target size is how big the object will be in the detection window. 

7. Once you are finished, scroll down and click Save. 

For recordings to work, you must set up a rule: 

1. Click Video, then Recording Rules at the top of the page. 

2. Click + Add New Rule. 

3. Select Video Motion Detection. 

4. Fill in the form on the next page. Make sure to choose which camera you want the rule to run on at the top and give it a name! 

5. Click Save. 

Having trouble with a rule? Click here for help.

To troubleshoot video that is too dark or poor night vision, follow the steps below: 

1. Verify there are no objects causing a glare at night. This can be a railing, gutter, streetlights, etc.

2. Clean the lens of your camera. Dust and smudges can make your video look too dark.

3. If the live video is dark on multiple devices, adjust your Video Device Image settings (see below).

4. Our cameras automatically adjust exposure (how dark or light the feed will be) based on where it is looking. Try adjusting the camera to include more of the dark areas to change the exposure. 

Adjust your Video Device Image settings using MyGuardianHome: 

1. Log into MyGuardianHome.com 

2. Click Video. 

3. Click Settings. 

4. Use the Video Device dropdown to select the camera you wish to adjust. 

5. Click Video Device Image from the menu. 

6. Adjust the Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, and Sharpness sliders to your desired levels. 

7. Adjust Night Vision Sensitivity to High, Normal, or Low as desired. This changes when the night vision will turn on. 

8. Use the Max Exposure dropdown to change the exposure. The range is from 1/5 second and 1/480 second. If you are not able to adjust the camera’s view in the troubleshooting steps above, changing the exposure may help brighten your camera’s feed.  

9. Click Save.

Your monthly clip upload limit is the number of new clips you can upload per calendar month. Each clip that is uploaded from a camera is counted toward the limit. Once you have reached the limit, you cannot upload any more clips until the first of the next month.  

To find your limit and current clip count, follow the steps below: 

1. Log into MyGuardianHome.com. 

2. Click Video on the left-hand side of the page. 

3. Click Saved Video Clips at the top of the page. 

4. The monthly clip limit and oldest recorded clip are displayed at the bottom of the page. 

All recording rules — except for alarm recording rules — will pause if you reach the clip limit. At the start of the next month, you must manually turn the rules on in the Recording Rules section.

To learn how to resume your rules, click here.

Need more clips? Give us a call at 1.800.PROTECT (1.800.776.8328) to discuss increasing your monthly clips limit. 

First, to get to your SVR Timeline, launch the Guardian app or log into MyGuardianHome.com. 

On MyGuardianHome: 

1. Click Video. 

2. Click SVR Timeline.

On the app:

1. Tap the menu in the top left.

2. Tap Video 

3. Tap SVR at the top of the page. 

You can also view footage using the app or MyGuardianHome:

On MyGuardianHome: 

1. Use the timeline at the bottom of the page to determine what day and time you wish to view. 

2. Slide the red bar to browse between times. 

3. Use the calendar button to select a different date and time. 

4. If desired, you can change the playback speed from 1x normal up to 8x normal. Please note: Using playback speeds greater than 1x requires more bandwidth from your router.

5. Use the play button to view your recorded footage. 

On the app:

1. Using the timeline at the bottom of the page, use the grey scroll bar to look back at a date or time. 

2. If you know when the event occurred, use the calendar icon to select a specific date and time.

3. The play button on the video camera and down below the timeline will play footage from your camera(s). 

4. The 1x will allow you to change the playback speed of the video. Please note: Using playback speeds greater than 1x requires more bandwidth from your router.

5. The 1h box will change your timeline from 1 hour to 1 day or 1 week. 

We recommend downloading any video you wish to save. This can be done via the website on a computer or on a mobile device using the Guardian app.

To download a saved clip on your computer, log into MyGuardianHome.com and follow these steps:

1. Click Video on the left-hand menu. 

2. Click Saved Video Clips. 

3. Hover your mouse over the clip you wish to download and then click

4. Click

5. Select your file format, and then click SAVE. 

The video will typically go to your computer’s Downloads folder, but this may vary based on your computer’s settings.

To download a saved video using the Guardian app:

1. Tap

2. Tap Video

3. Tap Saved

4. On desired clip, tap

5. Tap

Home security cameras require WiFi if they are wireless, because they need to connect to your internet to work. Typically, a minimum 2 Mbps upload and download speed is required at the video camera mounting location.

Also, you can check your internet speed with a tool such as speedtest.net. Learn more about security cameras and boosting your WiFi signal on our blog.

You can add a new rule or edit current rules on MyGuardianHome.com.

If you are setting up a video analytics rule, please click here for help. 

1. Log into MyGuardianHome.com.

2. Click Video on the left-hand side menu. 

3. Click Recording Rules in the purple banner at the top of the page. 

To add a new rule: 

1. Click +ADD NEW RULE.  

2. Select the type of rule you would like to create from the pop-up menu. 

3. Select the camera that will record for this rule. 

4. Fill in the rest of the information to customize your new rule. 

5. Click the Add button in Video Clip Recipients to automatically send the clip to via email or text when the clip is uploaded. 

6. Click Save. 

To edit a rule: 

1. Click the pencil icon next to the rule you wish to edit. 

2. Update any information in the rule. 

3. To add a new Video Clip Recipient, click add. 

4. To remove a Video Clip Recipient, click the “X” next to the contact info. 

To delete a rule: 

1. Click the trash can icon next to the rule you wish to delete. 

2. Click the red Delete Rule box to confirm you wish to delete the rule. 

There a few different troubleshooting steps to try if your camera has stopped recording.

1. Make sure you can see the live video feed from your camera. If you are unable to connect to the camera, please click here for help.

2. Check your Upload Limit by following these steps:

• Log into MyGuardianHome.com. 
• Click Video, then Saved Video at the top of the page. 
• Scroll to the bottom of the page. You will see your current totals listed in a progress bar.  

Please note clip upload limits reset on the first of each month. To increase your limit, please give us a call at 1.800.PROTECT (1.800.776.8328). 

3. Check your Recording Rules. To learn about unpausing your recording rules, click here.  

4. Edit your existing rule to make the detection more sensitive.

Don’t have a rule yet? Click the Add New Rule button to create one.

For help, check out:

Set up a Video Analytic Rule

Set Up Video Motion Detection

Depending on the model of your camera, you may or may not be able to adjust the length of the clips recorded from your camera.

If your model supports adjusting the camera clip length, you can do so by following the steps below.  

1. Log into MyGuardianHome.com.

2. Click Video on the left-hand side.

3. Click Settings in the upper right, inside of the purple banner. 

4. Use the Video Device dropdown menu to select your camera.

5. Click Saved Video.

6. Use the Camera-Triggered Clip Length dropdown menu to select the length of time for your camera to record.

7. Click Save.

First, please make sure that you’re connected to WiFi and the camera is plugged into an outlet with working power. 

Then, follow the steps below. You will need your network name and password, and a mobile device.

1. Locate the WPS button on the back of the camera.  The WPS button may say “Reset” on some camera models. 

2. Press and hold the WPS button for 6 seconds, or until the LED on the camera flashes white. 

3. Go to your WiFi settings on your mobile device. 

4. Connect to the network that says ALARM(XX.XX.XX). 

• The “XX.XX.XX” will be different for each camera. 
• Newer camera models will start with “ADC”. 

5. On the same device, open your internet browser and type this in the URL bar: 192.168.1.1 and press go.

If this doesn’t work, please place your device into airplane mode. 

6. Follow the on-screen instructions to scan for WiFi and select your network. Remember to input your network password.

Try this method a second time if your camera doesn’t connect. Still stuck? Give us a call at 1.800.PROTECT (1.800.776.8328). 

Your camera must be plugged in and connected to the Internet for recording rules to save. If you are unable to connect to your camera, please click here for help.

If you don’t see the rule you’re looking for, you will need to create it. For help creating a new rule, please click here.

If you have reached your monthly clip upload limit, you will not be able to turn on the recording rules until the first day of the next month. Please call us at 1.800.PROTECT (1.800.776.8328) to upgrade your clip limit.

Learn more about your monthly clip upload limit here .

How to pause and resume video recording rules on your desktop:

1. Log into MyGuardianHome.com.

2. Click Video.

3. At the top of the page, click Recording Rules. 

4. Tap the toggle switch in the top right of the rule. If it’s grey, the rule is off. If it’s blue, the rule is on. This automatically saves the rule.  

How to pause and resume video recording rules in the Guardian app:

1. Launch the Guardian App.

2. Tap the menu icon.

3. Tap Video.

4. Tap the App Settings icon

5. Tap Recording Rules.

6. Tap the toggle switch in the top right of the rule. If it’s grey, the rule is off. If it’s blue, the rule is on. This automatically saves the rule.  

The dimensions of an outdoor camera are approximately 2.5" L x 2.5" W x 4.5" H.

No. It is wireless in that it doesn't require running a wire directly to your router, unlike traditional hardwired cameras. But even though the cameras work on your WiFi, Guardian will still need to run a wire for power to an AC outlet. Your professional installer will walk you through how this works.