Install on private network (no internet connection)

Because of security / privacy concerns, there are some of us who have purchased Wyze cameras, but do not want to install them on a network that is accessible from the internet.

Ideally, you should be able to set up a wireless access point / router that is not connected to the internet (i.e. a private network) and have a PC or Android phone running the Wyze app also connected to that private network in order to view the files recorded on cameras. Removing the SD cards from the cameras and plugging them into a PC is not an acceptable method since the cameras might be installed in places that are not that accessible.

When I try to add a new device to the Wyze app on my cellphone, the setup process seems to block when it is pulling up a list of cameras for you to select from if you are on a network that is not connected to the internet. I tried temporarily connecting it to the internet to complete the setup, and then running the cameras without the internet connection, but the IP address it was inheriting was from the main network, not the WAP that was destined to be not connected to the internet. I could not find an option in the Wyze app to manually change the IP address associated with a device. It seems that it wants me to reinitialize the device and install it again, but to do so would just be a duplicate of what got me in the situation in the first place.

You are largely screwed. The cameras wont do much (including recording to the uSD card) without checking in with the Wyze servers.
There is one possibility (that I’m going to test). If the cameras are flashed with the RTSP firmware, can you set up the camera on a network that has internet, then remove that internet connectivity? Then access the camera only via RTSP.

From what I’ve read (so far), I was under the impression that the RSTP firmware is not for the v3 device, only the previous version.

Tying themselves to the Wyze servers is a major security issue. Also, if the company fails or just decides to quit supporting this product, you end up having wasted your money on a product that would now be totally useless. With this sort of limitation and tying their product to only their own software, I will not be buying any more of their product until they change it. The actual hardware seems acceptable so far, but I am not impressed with the software design. As a retired engineer who has worked on various DoD contracts with aerospace contractors for NASA and the Navy and who has worked on avionics / electronic systems for large commercial jets, I feel that I have an appropriate background to be able to criticize their design from an engineering aspect.

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At this time, there is RTSP firmware only for V2 and Pan cameras. Wyze has stated that RTSP firmware will be available for the V3 cameras one of these days. I’m waiting for it for my eight V3 cameras.
Did my test. Took one of my V2 cameras that is RTSP flashed. Set it up on it’s own WiFi SSID and LAN and allowed that SSID access to the internet in my router. Lastly pointed my Blue Iris installation to that camera on the private LAN. Camera worked properly in all respects both via the Wyze app and RTSP streaming to my Blue Iris installation - as expected.
Next step was to set my router to drop all packets from the private LAN to the internet. As expected, the Wyze app on my phone continued to be able to watch the camera, and Blue Iris continued to be able to receive the RTSP stream.
Next, I power cycled the camera. Shortly after the camera booted and got the IP address, the RTSP stream connected from the camera to Blue Iris via RTSP. Further, as expected, the Wyze app was not able to connect to the camera.
Reset everything back to normal, and the camera working in all respects.

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Hi Jim, How do I add this request (V3 as IP cam on Blue Iris) to a “wishlist” request for Wyze. This looks like a nice, inexpensive camera for my Blue Iris software.

Thanks,
Ed

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Adding the camera to Blue Iris depends on RTSP which has already been promised by Wyze but not delivered.

Information on RTSP:

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Thanks for the reply Wild Bill. It appears the V3 is a better camera. But I’d get a V2 if it will work with my Blue Iris software.

Guess I can wait a while longer.

Thanks again,
Ed

Unfortunately, the V2s aren’t available. As far as I know, they’ve been discontinued and won’t be sold again, even though they are listed in the Wyze Shopping Website.