Is There a Bluetooth-enabled CCTV Camera Available?
You may have heard about wireless CCTV cameras or IP cameras that work via Wi-Fi. But is there any Bluetooth CCTV camera available?
Well, Bluetooth CCTV cameras do exist and they can be even better for monitoring your home than other wireless CCTVs. However, they have some disadvantages too that you need to know before purchasing one.
In this guide, we will explain everything about Bluetooth CCTV cameras that you should be aware of. So, without further ado, let’s jump to the point.
Is It Possible to Have CCTV without Wi-Fi?
There are many CCTV cameras available on the market that offer wireless connection. But it doesn’t mean that Wi-Fi is the only option to connect CCTV wirelessly. There are plenty of CCTVs that don’t require Wi-Fi; Instead, they require Bluetooth connectivity.
Wi-Fi allows CCTV cameras to connect to the internet. But you can connect some CCTV cameras to the internet without Wi-Fi which includes Ethernet, Bluetooth, and Z-wave.
Now, let’s see what is a Bluetooth CCTV camera and how it works.
What Is Bluetooth CCTV Camera and How Does It Work?
Bluetooth CCTV Camera uses Bluetooth technology to access and set up the security camera. It uses ISM (Industrial, Scientific, and Medical) which is a free 2.4 GHz radio band wavelength to communicate with Bluetooth devices such as tablets, smartphones, Laptops, etc.
Benefits of Bluetooth CCTV Cameras
- Easy to Set Up: The main advantage of Bluetooth CCTV is that it allows users to connect the camera to their mobile devices pretty easily. These CCTVs provide a free camera app and you can connect the camera easily by providing some security codes using that app.
- Doesn’t Require Internet: Another plus point of Bluetooth CCTV cameras is that they don’t require any internet connection. So, if you don’t have an internet connection in your home, you don’t need to get one, especially for your CCTV.
Drawbacks of Bluetooth CCTV Cameras
- Short Range: The range of a Bluetooth connection is typically 10 to 100 meters (33ft and 328ft). This means if you are far away from this distance, you will be unable to monitor the CCTV camera using Bluetooth. You can consider this a drawback of Bluetooth CCTV cameras.
- Less Secured: Another drawback of Bluetooth CCTV cameras is that Bluetooth connection isn’t secure as other wireless connections. Because Bluetooth cameras can easily be tampered with by anyone who has a compatible device within the range of that Bluetooth CCTV.
- No Cloud Storage: As Bluetooth cameras don’t require an internet connection, the captured CCTV footage isn’t stored in the cloud. Instead, you either have to manually record it or need a storage device like an SD card to store the footage.
As Security is the thing that we consider while buying a CCTV camera, Bluetooth CCTV may not be the best option. Let’s check now whether there is any alternative to Bluetooth Cameras or not.
Alternatives to Bluetooth CCTV Cameras
If you are setting up a CCTV camera for watching birds or monitoring your baby, then Bluetooth cameras are the best option for you. But for home security, it is the worst. You can’t even monitor your home from far away using Bluetooth cameras and they can easily be hacked.
The alternative to Bluetooth CCTV is Wi-Fi CCTV. They also work wirelessly and are more secure, versatile, and not much more expensive than Bluetooth. Even they can be connected to the internet so that you can monitor the camera even if you are on the other side of the world.
You still can connect the CCTV using your phone wirelessly on Wi-Fi CCTVs. However, if Bluetooth is your preference, then you can easily find Wi-Fi CCTV cameras that also use Bluetooth connectivity. In that case, you may have to pay a little extra cost but the benefit of these cameras is worth it.
5 Best CCTV Cameras That Use Both Wi-Fi & Bluetooth
Here is the list of the top 5 Wi-Fi CCTV cameras that support Bluetooth connectivity and their pros and cons.
| Product | Pros | Cons |
| Reolink Argus 3 | 1. Use both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. 2. Solar-powered. | 1. Need an SD card to store footage. |
| Blurams Indoor Security Camera | 1. Very easy to set up. 2. You can talk through the camera. 3. It has motion and sound detection features. | 1. Only suitable for indoor use. |
| Eufy Indoor Camera. | 1. It is compatible with Google and Apple products. 2. Has two-way audio. | 2. Internet connection is mandatory. |
| Google Nest Cam. | 1. Excellent quality and is considered the best camera. 2. Easy to set up. | 1. Expensive. |
| KAMI Security Camera | 1. Has night vision feature. 2. Motion and face detection features are available. 3. Very low price | 1. Only compatible with certain SD cards. 2. Issues with cloud storage are reported. |
Frequently Asked Questions And Answers
Can CCTV Cameras Work Without Internet?
Yes, there are a variety of CCTV cameras available on the market that don’t require any internet connection to work. These CCTV cameras are used where there is poor internet service or a lack of high-speed access. These cameras don’t have any cloud storage.
Is Wi-Fi or Bluetooth Better for Camera?
Wi-Fi Camera is much more secure and reliable. And they also can be controlled from a long distance. Whereas the Bluetooth camera is not so secure and can be controlled under a limited distance. So, Wi-Fi is way better than Bluetooth cameras.
How Far Will a Bluetooth Camera Work?
If the Bluetooth camera has a strong Bluetooth signal, then it can be used from 328ft or 100 meters far away from the camera. However, most cheap Bluetooth camera offers a range of 33ft or 10 meters.
Which App Is Used for Hikvision Camera?
The name of the app is mentioned in the manual of the Hikvision camera. If you don’t have the manual then type “Hik” on the Play Store or AppStore and you’ll find the app named “Hik-Connect – for end users”.
Conclusion
There are plenty of Bluetooth CCTV cameras available on the market. How they work, where they are used, and the pros, cons, and alternatives of Bluetooth CCTVs are explained in this article. So, we hope, you’ve got your answer after reading this guide. If you still have any queries regarding this topic, please don’t hesitate to ask in our comment section below. Thanks for reading.
