Smart home app

[chimptard]

I am no longer able to view my cameras through the smart app on my smartphone unless I'm connected to the same wifi my cameras are connected to. I was able to view my cameras through the app using just my mobile data while I was away from home.  I'm not sure if it was something I changed within the permissions through the app or if this is caused from settings on my router. Support just kept telling me I need to get a more data through my phone service. This isn't the issue. Someone help please. 

[renojim]

Can you turn the camera off and on from the list of cameras in the app when you're not connected to the same network?  I think that might tell you if you can connect to the camera at all.  What happens when you try to view the camera?

Is it possible to connect your phone to a different Wi-Fi network than the one which your camera is connected to see if it works?  I just tried connecting to a camera that's on the other side of the country both with and without my phone connected to Wi-Fi and didn't have a problem.

Lastly, problems with the Smart Home app can sometimes be cleared up by removing and reinstalling the app, but my gut feeling is that it's something with the router.

[chimptard]

Yes, I am able to turn the camera on or off with just my phone connected to the phone data. I'll have to try another network when I can though. 

[RayRay_7]

Same issue here. If I'm using cellular data I can turn Off the camera's and turn them back on. I will be able to reconnect and view live stream for few times before connection stops. Never had this issue with previous camera systems. 

[chimptard]

I finally checked from my phone through another wifi network and yes it does allow me to view my cameras. Is this a phone permissions issue or what do you believe it could be?

[renojim]

@chimptard, do you have an Android phone?  I recall a setting on my phone that affected or didn't allow data usage unless connected to Wi-Fi.  I'd have to dig around in the settings to refresh my memory.

[chimptard]

Yes it is an android phone

[renojim · Accepted solution]

On my phone, under the "Connections" settings there's "Data usage" and under that is a setting for "Mobile data".  That's the setting I was thinking of, but if I turn it off I can't use the Smart Home app at all when not connected to Wi-Fi, so I'm guessing that's not the problem, but it still might be worth checking.

Edit:  I may have misspoke.  I think it was actually the "Data saver" setting that I was trying to recall, but I can enable that and still access my camera.  When I had it enabled way back when, I wouldn't get text messages or something like that.  It was before I had a camera, so I can't say how or if it affects that.