In the technology world there is an ongoing joke that men love Bluetooth, and if you want to sell men something just add Bluetooth. But if you want to sell everyone something, add WiFi. While to most of us, it might not seem like a funny joke, but it might give us a little insight on the reasoning behind the creation of WiFi trail cameras.
A WiFi trail camera is a trail camera that has the ability to connect to an existing WiFi network, allowing the user to gain access to pictures and control basic camera settings from a remote location.
It is funny how in general a person’s mind is slightly manipulated to needing the latest and greatest technologies. When I first heard of the ability to use WiFi on a trail camera, I instantly felt as though it would fill a need. I mean a camera with WiFi would definitely fill a void that my fleet of cameras has been missing, right? Not necessarily, but there are a few instances in which a camera with the ability to connect to WiFi would be beneficial.
What is WiFi
It is understandable that you use the term WiFi interchangeably with what we know as wireless internet connection. In our society when you see a sign that says free WiFi at a coffee shop, or hotel, it means that they provide you the opportunity to connect to their internet via WiFi. But WiFi itself is not internet.
WiFi is simply just a network in a localized area that allows electronic devices to connect, without the use of cables, creating radio waves allowing these devices to connect. These networks can be connected to internet through a WiFi router, which as we know is the primary use of WiFi, however the connection to the internet is not imperative to have WiFi.
The technology of WiFi is very similar to that of Bluetooth connections, except with Bluetooth, the connection is a direct connection between only two devices, while WiFi allows multiple devices to connect to the same network.
What is a WiFi trail camera
A trail camera with WiFi is a misunderstood concept for most. It does not necessarily mean that the trail camera has its own WiFi network, although this technology frequently floats in and out of the industry (more on that later), but typically means that it has the capability of receiving WiFi signals. That is an important distinction that most people looking to buy a trail camera should understand.
If you are placing a WiFi trail camera in the big woods of Minnesota, miles from any town, the ability to use the signal capability of the trail camera, will be rendered useless. In fact most WiFi signals only reach between 100-300 feet, meaning the farthest away you can place your camera from a WiFi router will be 100 yards.
As previously mentioned, occasionally there are trail cameras that hit the market that are equipped with their own WiFi router built into the camera. While this seems like an intriguing feature, when you see this remember to understand that WiFi on its own is not an internet connection, rather is just a radio wave that can connect multiple devices to one network.
Remember, if you are not paying for the internet service it is not connected to the internet. I have found that a lot of people purchase WiFi cameras under the assumption that if they get a WiFi trail camera, it is an easy way to avoid monthly payments on a cellular service. Just remember in order for a WiFi network to be connected to the internet, there needs to be access to the internet.
In most hunting situations, deep in the woods or swamps the only way you will ever get internet connection is by purchasing a cellular plan. If you are paying for a cellular service, which will automatically connect your camera to the internet, there is no need for the WiFi feature to begin with.
When You Would Use a WiFi Trail Camera
Home Security
The most common use for any trail camera with WiFi compatibility is for home security. The use for a WiFi connection for a trail camera that is hung near your front door, or at the end of your driveway makes sense for those who can connect into their house WiFi. Being able to connect the camera to the existing internet connection allows you to check your camera through that camera’s app, providing you the opportunity to check the camera from your mobile device.
If you are hiding your camera in a nearby tree, or hanging the camera higher in the air in order to keep it out of the sight of trespassers, connecting to your internet through WiFi can be very beneficial. It saves you the time and energy from having to physically check the camera, which can be very involved if you are hanging your camera from your eves or higher into a tree.
Behind Your House
If you are using trail cameras for your back yard, whether if that is to monitor a feeder in your yard, or if you have a rare situation where you are hunting close to your house, or in a neighborhood, using a WiFi trail camera can have its benefits as well.
I have a good friend that mounts his trail camera to the back of his barn. The camera looks over a small patch of woods that is a part of a drainage ditch that leads out to an Agricultural field. Historical data from previous years has proven that bucks use this small parcel of thicket to bed during the rut. It allows the bucks to be able to look over the bean field and still bed in an area that is safe and secure while waiting for does to filter into the field.
Rather than going out and checking the camera on a daily basis to confirm when the bucks have moved into the area, and potentially spook them, he uses a WiFi connected camera, that will allow him to check the activity and still keep a safe distance from the area until it is time to hunt.
WiFi and Eye-fi SD Cards
With complete transparency, I have never personally tried a WiFi or an Eye-fi SD card. But the market is flooded with these SD cards that apparently have the ability on their own to connect to an existing WiFi network.
The Eye-fi sd card needs to be connected to the WiFi system before you bring it into the field. You can do this by plugging the SD card into your computer, and download the software that allows your card to connect to the same WiFi your computer is on.
Similarly to a trail camera, you will need to be in WiFi range in order to receive photos from the Eye-fi SD card, essentially giving you the ability to make any trail camera a WiFi camera. Again, I have not experimented with this type of SD card, simply because they are considerably more expensive than a normal SD card, and the added benefit in my situation doesn’t outweigh the costs. But for those who wish to make their existing trail camera into WiFi compatible, this is a cheaper option than buying another trail camera.
Battery Consumption
You have likely noticed with your cellular phone, that when you are connected to WiFi your phone eats through battery life at a much faster pace than it normally does. The same logic applies to trail cameras as well. As long as there is a WiFi signal, the camera will constantly be using battery even in its resting state, in order to stay connected to the signal. This will drain your battery at a very fast pace, in some instances at a 70% faster rate.
In these situations it might be a good idea to use an external battery source with your camera. Solar panels and external 12 volt batteries in conjunction with lithium ion batteries will give you the most life for a WiFi trail camera.