Blink cameras and NAT, maybe?

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TimBaeten
TimBaeten Posts: 10 Spectator
in Home Networking

Greetings all,

I'm seeing strange behavior with my Blink camera (and, actually, Ring has the same problem too). I connected my router to the Spectrum modem via ethernet and then connected the Blink (or Ring) camera to the 2.4G SSID. I could not reach the Blink (or Ring) servers. However, when I disconnected the wifi router from the Spectrum modem and connected to the internet via my cell phone hotspot, I can connect to blink (or ring). Same wifi router and the same SSID, the only change is the upstream connection to the internet. This is a head scratcher, any thoughts? Tim

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  • Jaleesa_F
    Jaleesa_F Posts: 359 ✅ Verified Employee Moderator
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    Hello @TimBaeten

    I am happy to look into this for you! Are you using the Spectrum wireless router? Or do you have your own router connected?

  • TimBaeten
    TimBaeten Posts: 10 Spectator
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    Thanks @Jaleesa_F, I've tried both kinds of wifi router. the same problem happens. The cameras report they can't connect. If I connect my router to the internet via a hotspot, the cameras connect fine. The only change is the upstream internet.

  • Jaleesa_F
    Jaleesa_F Posts: 359 ✅ Verified Employee Moderator
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    @TimBaeten

    You're welcome! Are your cameras 2.4ghz compatible only?

  • TimBaeten
    TimBaeten Posts: 10 Spectator
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    Yes, 2.4Ghz only. Please note, they connect to the 2.4 AP just fine, it's when I change the upstream connection to the internet to Spectrum that the cameras fail to be able to connect to their servers. It seems that the Spectrum modem is doing something to block/disallow the connection.

  • HT_Greenfield
    HT_Greenfield Posts: 706 Contributor
    edited March 25
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    Stupid question with regard to your still-open previous discussion: What's the status of the blink sync module? Is it all the same story as the blink camera at this point or what? Just curious.

  • TimBaeten
    TimBaeten Posts: 10 Spectator
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    @HT_Greenfield, it's not a stupid question. When I talk about Blink, I'm actually referring to the module, since the camera talks through it. When I talk about the Ring camera, it's the camera itself. Same behavior, neither connect when the Spectrum modem is in the path.

  • HT_Greenfield
    HT_Greenfield Posts: 706 Contributor
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    Just curious if you could get your laptop out and hit 🔗https://www.speedtest.net and run the test with your laptop connected to your 2.4-GHz service set while the router is uplinked to your DOCSIS modem and then again with your router instead connected to your cellular network hotspot and compare the average up and down throughput and latency between the two and, in particular, what the up-wise bottom line is via DOCSIS modem uplink.

    P.S.: i only asked about the blink sync module because i had the impression that not all blink cameras require it although all will work with it and, in any case, both supposedly need internet connectivity via Wi-Fi.

  • HT_Greenfield
    HT_Greenfield Posts: 706 Contributor
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    You could also try both IPv4 and IPv6 Google DNS on the router and see what happens.

    🔗https://developers.google.com/speed/public-dns/docs/using

  • TimBaeten
    TimBaeten Posts: 10 Spectator
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    @HT_Greenfield, you may be right, the newest Blink cameras may not require the module (and I think they also support 5GHz), but mine do require a module. The Google DNS is great idea, I will try that on my router.

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