Been told after initial Ethernet setup you can change to Wifi but
I have the AOSU app for Android 4.2.55 and under settings there is no network or wifi settings
I’ll try to help as best as I can, though just to be transparent, I don’t personally have an AOSU device that required Ethernet first for setup, so my experience on that part is a bit limited. All the units I’ve used connected directly via WiFi from the start.
That being said, here are a few things you can try to sort this out:
- Check Under Device Info or Advanced Settings:
Sometimes the WiFi or network options are not shown under “Network” but are tucked away in “Device Info” or “Advanced Settings.” It’s worth tapping through those sections to see if the WiFi configuration is located there. - Reset the Camera to Factory Settings:
If the WiFi option still doesn’t appear, try doing a full reset on the camera. After resetting, the app usually prompts you to choose between WiFi or wired (Ethernet) setup when starting fresh. This might unlock the wireless setup process if it didn’t appear before. - Check for Firmware Updates:
Even if your app is fully updated (which it is, since you’re on version 4.2.55), the camera itself may have a pending firmware update. Go into your camera’s device settings and look for a firmware update option—this can sometimes unlock hidden features or fix bugs. - Reinstall the AOSU App:
It’s a simple step, but reinstalling the app can fix glitches where certain settings or options don’t display properly.
Lastly, could you take a screenshot of how your device page looks in the AOSU app, especially the settings or device info page? That way I can see what you’re seeing and maybe spot what’s missing or out of place.
If none of this works, I recommend contacting AOSU support directly through the app, they’ll be able to guide you specifically for your camera model and app version.
This is how it should look
Thanks for trying to help but AOSU just contacted me and stated my system must be connect by Ethernet, it doesn’t support a WIFI connection.
I understand, I’m glad you were able to receive an answer from them. It’s super strange though cause I believe the solar base can be connected via wifi…don’t know why it won’t be the same for the doorbell base
So after getting ticked off running up and down to my attic trying to make sense of this, here’s the point of confusion. The CAMERAS connect to the HomeCortex via wifi. The HomeCortex DOES NOT connect to the HOME NETWORK with wifi. The HomeCortex NEEDS a physical connection. I’ve tried to goof with a direct connection to an extender but it doesn’t seem to tolerate it. It’s a really stupid design.
Yes, no matter if the HomeCortex is connected via Ethernet or if it was possible to connect it via WIFI, the cameras are connected via the HomeCortex internal WIFI.
That is what I am seeing. Now I am being told that I need to remove the devices from the app, Go outside and climb ladders to remove the cameras and repair them all over again. This is a horrible setup.
I’m having a similar problem with the HomeCortex limiting my connections. My router is at the front of my house, so connecting the HomeCortex via ethernet means it’s also stuck at the front of my house. I bought these cameras with the hopes of using it for my garage, but the signal to the HomeCortex hits <40% before I get inside the garage and just won’t work.
Did you find a solution to your problem? I thought about connecting my router to a WiFi Extender with an ethernet port, plugging that in a better position and then connecting the HomeCortex to that. Is that what you did? It sounds like it didn’t help.
Unfortunately you’re limited to Ethernet on our HomeCortex. If you can run your Ethernet cable closer to the garage, that’s the only solution.
Brian D. Moore
It took a while for my post to be approved, but I ended up using a WiFi Extender and it solved my issues. I bought a TP-Link RE550, connected it to my home network’s 5Ghz band (disabled its 2.4Ghz signals in an attempt to help with network congestion and power consumption), then plugged in the HomeCortex’s ethernet cable to it. I was able to position that setup to connect to both cameras.
This is a very serious limitation (the need to use ethernet). My modem is at the front of my house (so that’s where the HomeCortex needs to be), and I need a camera in my driveway out back, and the wifi signal isn’t strong enough back there. If the HomeCortex could connect to the modem by wifi, I could move it to the back of the house.
I just wasted my money – the system is useless to me.
No way to run an Ethernet cable to the back of the house? If not then it is a problem for you unfortunately.
Brian D. Moore
There are a couple of ways to tackle that, but all of them require you to spend a little more. The best solution would be to run an ethernet cable to a more centralized location, but that obviously isn’t always possible. If your house is newer, look into MoCA or PowerLine adapters. Those allow you to share your internet connection through the existing wiring in your home (either the actual electrical lines or cable TV coax). No first hand experience here, but those both appear to be simple plug and play solutions (MoCA looks to be the faster option). However, they’re not the cheapest, and in my case, they weren’t options. My house is older, so it doesn’t have coax everywhere and because of its age, I don’t have the most faith in its electrical.
So, I grabbed a WiFi extender with an ethernet port. It’s a little more money spent and it’s a little more clutter, but it’s an option that worked for me. While looking into this, I did see some products that can turn ethernet devices to WiFi ones. A company called Vonets has a few different adapters available, with a lot of people claiming to have used them for more heavy duty surveillance systems. Again, no first-hand experience with those, but it might be another option.
Before I bought my extender, I did a few proof-of-concepts to test if my internet speed would be able to keep up with the camera’s demands even after an extender cuts into it. WiFi extenders typically deliver slower speeds than a direct wireless connection. Look for places where you can plug in the HomeCortex (and eventual extender) that you think would better reach the cameras. Do a few internet speed tests around the house on either a phone or a laptop. Then go worst case scenario and assume an extender would only deliver half of those speeds. If it still would be fast, you’re probably good.
I also tested with the HomeCortex directly. If you have a laptop with an ethernet port (or a USB ethernet dongle)*, look into making a bridged connection so that you can connect your laptop to the home WiFi and share the internet connection through the ethernet port. Then you connect the HomeCortex into your laptop’s ethernet. It should work as though it was connected into the router. If you’ve already mounted your cameras, position that setup around the house until you get a strong enough signal. If you can load up the Aosu app on your phone and view footage through the cameras with no buffering or dropped frames, then both your position for the HomeCortex and internet speeds should be fine.
There are lots of WiFi extenders on the market, so do some research. I’d generally avoid the cheapest ones because they’re usually limited to lower speeds and might not always last long. If possible, consult reputable reviews for the models you’re looking at. The one I picked isn’t the best on the market, but it was the cheapest I could find from an established brand that supported 5G speeds, had a gigabit ethernet port and allowed for some customization. However, those might not be features you’re interested in. Every house is different from the materials and size to signal interference, so again, do your due diligence.
*You should also be able to do this with a spare router instead of the laptop. I didn’t have one handy.
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Thanks! I ended up going with the WiFi extender with an ethernet port. It works, but yeah more clutter where I don’t want it.
Which did you buy? It might help others to have a list of models that can be used for this purpose.
Another tip for anyone looking into setting these up: chart the distances between where you’d like the cameras to be placed on Google Maps/Earth. They have a feature that allows you to measure the overhead distance from one point to the other. Is it a perfect measurement? Probably not, but if you’re doing a multi-camera setup, it at least gives you an idea of how far you can push things. I don’t know if this is referring to the H1L HomeCortex or another model, but apparently the range is 22m/70ft from the camera. That’s not accounting for signal interference from other devices or thick building materials, though.