Can cameras be Jammed?

[Retired_Member]

My neighbour, who also has wifi cameras, has told me that they are interfering with my cameras. They don’t like me seeing who comes and goes from their house. They are only interfering with 1 camera. 1 week ago I knew they were blowing leaves, but the camera was not recording video. I could hear them blowing leaves through camera audio though. I put the cameras up to protect the property and to guard against a couple of bad neighbours. This is not casual interference, this is targeted interference . I see the evidence on my camera, lack of video. Can I set this up with arlo support so they can possibly see the evidence. Can I call the police?

[Retired_Member]

Well, let me answer my own question. Although it is a criminal offence to interfere with a legally placed wifi camera, I need actual proof where the jamming is originating from. My neighbour will deny she told me this. This has been going on for months. And my neighbour was right when she said either accept what we are doing or get a wired system. I will have to get at least 1 wired DVR. This is not Arlo’s fault, I have been very happy with the system. All wifi cameras can be jammed. Unfortunately, phone lines to wired systems can also be cut.

[michaelkenward]

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@Retired_Member wrote:
My neighbour, who also has wifi cameras, has told me that they are interfering with my cameras.

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What evidence do you have that they are jamming your camera?

Has it stopped working?

[Retired_Member]

The camera still works. The neighbour told me they were interfering with the cameras ability to record video when they want. The camera does not record events which are normally recorded at times. The next camera will catch a vehicle that has just passed through , but not seen by the camera in question. The neighbour says when they don’t want me to see something, they stop the camera from recording from across the street. I don’t know if it is a jammer per se, but can you direct or flood a camera with light/laser/ interference to temporarily stop it from recording.? That seems to be what they are doing. If I aim 1 arlo camera at another , can it be temporarily blinded?

[ShayneS]

@Retired_Member

Have you tried to swap locations with the cameras to see if there may be an actual issue with the camera(s)?

[Retired_Member]

No, but that is a very good idea. I will try it. 

[StephenB · Accepted solution]

It would be difficult for them to jam your camera wifi signal w/o jamming their own wifi  (unless they use an outdoor jammer, that you could likely see).

The simplest way to check connectivity is to try to live stream from the camera.  That eliminates any possibility that the motion is too far away for the PIR sensor to pick it up.

FWIW, you might consider adjusting the camera position so that the view stays within your own property.  Though not legally required, it might calm the situation with your neighbors.

[Retired_Member]

Well, I will move 2 of the cameras so the field of view is tighter. I still need to see the vehicles that drive in front of my house on the street though, as part of my front lawn has been driven over a few times. In order to have motion detected on my property, my field of view has to be a bit wider than my property. Many of the neighbours have cameras and I guarantee their camera view is no different than mine. By the way, the objecting neighbour appears to have some kind of light sitting on what looks to be a tripod on their second floor. But, I have not taken a photo., so I do not know for sure. I left my vehicle parked in my front driveway overnight and I could see light being deflected off the rear of the vehicle below my camera. I'll change the position of 2 cameras and see if it makes any difference. If you live on a street full of conflict, and property damage occurs as a result, it becomes difficult. In an attempt to protect property, the next most logical move is  to put up cameras. Behavior improves, but the conflict remains. Cameras are not the solution though. Another neighbour has cameras that capture (as part of a wider area) my family room, or so I have been warned. I now am unable to open my blinds in that particular room.  TIPS: I have a streetlight close to my residence, and I positioned my camera above an outside light which I was keeping on at night. When motion is detected at night, you can see the infared lights on the camera from a mile away ( a really easy target) I turned the night vision off, and the night vision is clearer. The other thing I am going to do is to illuminate the areas I want to see. on my property. I'll see if it makes any difference.

[Retired_Member]

By the way, thanks for the assistance. The cameras themselves are great!!!