Connection Tips - Master Your FieldNode

Everyone wants their photos to come through, it’s how you know what’s moving when you’re not in the woods. You can’t control every bar of service, but you can set your camera up for the best chance at reliable uploads.

1. Natural Obstructions

• Terrain matters. Low creek bottoms, ridges, or thick woods make signal tough.
• Always test signal when mounting.
• If your spot only gets “Weak” or “Fair,” switch to delayed uploads,  fewer connection attempts = longer  battery and better reliability. 

2. Weather

• Heavy cloud cover, thunderstorms, or snow can temporarily reduce signal.
• Running on delayed upload cycles helps cameras ride out these conditions.

3.  Cell Tower Traffic

In some areas, network performance can vary depending on how busy nearby cell towers are.

• Remote areas may have limited tower coverage, which can slow down data uploads.

• Towers near highways or towns can become congested when many devices are trying to connect at once.

To help your camera stay connected and send photos reliably, reduce the number of daily uploads by switching to hourly or daily upload settings.

• This lowers how often your camera has to “check in” with the tower, saving battery life and improving reliability when signal strength fluctuates.

4. Weak Signal

• Test multiple spots, even a few feet apart, to find stronger bars.
• In low-signal areas, 24-hour upload schedules give your camera the best chance to stay connected.
• Make sure your antenna is rotated up.
• Check your signal directly in your FieldNode App. 

---

Connection FAQs

“Why is my camera not checking in?”

• Signal may have dropped since the last connection. Cameras are set to auto-check every 25 hours,  if it hasn’t, do a quick manual reset to reconnect.

“Why can’t I force my camera to connect?” 

• If the signal is dropped, the camera can’t talk to the app, just like when your phone is out of service. A manual reset usually reestablishes the connection.

“Can I run my camera in low-signal areas?” 

• Yes, but expect more ups and downs. Test a few different spots to find the strongest signal and set uploads to 24 hours so your camera only has to connect once a day.

“My camera shows good signal, why isn’t it connecting?”

• Cell signal isn’t steady. Tower traffic or daily fluctuations can drop it below what you saw when testing. Switching to delayed uploads helps smooth those dips and saves battery.