Frequently Asked Questions & Trouble Shooting
How to Set up your Account for the Brookstone Smart App and the Smartpoint Home App
Setting up your Brookstone Smart or Smartpoint Home account is easy and FREE. Just download the
Brookstone Smart App or Smartpoint Home App in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store and open the App.
Below you will see the step by step instructions for setting up your account. The set up instructions are the same for both the Brookstone Smart App and the Smartpoint Home App.
(You will not receive any unwanted emails from your Smart App by signing up)
When you open the App, you will see the start page. Press "Sign Up".
A user agreement and private policy disclaimer will then pop up. Press "Agree"
Then enter your email address that you will be setting up your account with and press "Get Verification Code"
Check your email for the code and enter that 6 digit code. (If your email does not receive an email with your code, check your SPAM folder)
Then set your password. Be sure to create a password you can easily remember. It's a good idea to write down the password somewhere in case you forget it.
Issue: My Camera/Smart Bulb/Smart Plug or
other device won't connect to my WiFi Network.
1st way to correct: Our smart products only work on a 2.4G wireless network. Please make sure that you are trying to connect to correct network. (Many household routers have a 2.4G and a 5G network that come from the same router and modem)
2nd way to correct: Signal of WiFi Network may be weak or out of range. Please make sure that the device you are connecting is in close range to the router when adding it to the smart app. It might help to unplug your router and modem for 30 seconds then plug them back in to reset your network. After doing this, wait 5 minutes or so for your network to reboot properly so you can add your device to the smart app. (Sometimes it also helps to completely close out of the smart App, and then turn your phone off and then back on and reopen the smart App so you have a fresh start with both your WiFi Network and your phone and smart App.)
3rd way to correct: You may be entering the wrong information for the network name and password on the set up screen in the app(the screen with the sad face and happy face). Please make sure the 2.4G network name is selected and for the password be sure to enter the password for the wifi network. Do not enter the password for your Brookstone Smart or Smartpoint Home account.
4th way to correct: If you have having trouble connecting your Smart Plug, Smart Bulb or other device that is not a smart camera in the Brookstone Smart or Smartpoint Home App in EZ MODE, try to connect using
AP MODE.(AP MODE does not work with our smart cameras). EZ MODE is the default mode. To connect in
AP MODE follow the step by step instructions below.(Even though the screenshots are from the Brookstone Smart App, the same process and instructions are used for the Smartpoint Home App also.)
Click on the device you are adding on the add device page of the App.
Enter your WiFi password to your network and make sure that the network you are connecting to is a
2.4G Network.
Make sure the device is blinking slowly to connect in AP Mode. To make the device blink slowly, turn on/off 3-5 times. If device is blinking fast, turn on/off 3-5 times again and device will start blinking slowly.
Then press EZ MODE in the top right corner and then select AP MODE.
Once you have the device blinking slowly, press "Confirm indicator is slowly blinking" and press the "Next" button.
Read and follow the onscreen instructions and then press "Go to Connect"
The App will automatically direct you to your WiFi settings in your phone. Look for the network named SmartLife-XXXX. Select that network to join it. Once you have successfully selected the SmartLife-XXXX network go back to the Brookstone Smart App or Smartpoint Home App.
The device will start to connect. Wait patiently for device to connect and do not exit App or turn off the device you are connecting.
Top Reasons the Smart Camera/Video Doorbell Camera
Won't Connect to WiFi Network
-
Camera is too far away from the router/modem.
Solution: Move closer to modem/router and try to connect again. If you cannot move closer to the router/modem because your doorbell video camera is hardwired into the outside electrical, you can disconnect it and plug it into a Micro USB cable inside the house closer to the modem/router and connect it there. Once successfully connected, you can unplug the doorbell video camera. Then reconnect it to your outdoor wiring. If you outdoor wiring location is within range of your router, once your doorbell camera powers on and fully boots up, it will automatically reconnect to your WiFi Network. (Please make sure to turn off power to outside electrical when disconnecting and connecting video doorbell camera!)
-
Router/Modem needs to be power cycled.
Solution: It is always a good idea to Power Cycle your router/modem before you try to reconnect the camera to your WiFi. To do this, please unplug the router/modem for about 15-20 seconds and plug them back in. it will usually take a few minutes for your WiFi Network to fully boot back up.
While you are waiting on this. Please completely close out of the Smart App on your phone and then restart your phone as well. Once your phone has restarted and your WiFi has booted back up, unplug your Smart Camera for about 10-15 seconds and plug it back in. Refer to the user manual of your model of camera and see if the correct color blinking light is rapidly blinking and in set up mode. If the camera is not in set up mode, please manually press the reset button for 5 seconds and release it to put the camera into set up mode. Please refer to your user manual to see where the reset button is and how to press it. Some cameras require a reset pin to insert into a hole to press the button. If the camera did not come with a reset pin, a small paperclip or the back of and earring will work.
Power Cycling all of these items will reset them all and give you a better chance of connecting with a strong signal. Every WiFi Network should be power cycled at least once a month.
-
The phone that you are using to connect the camera is accidentally connected to a 5GHz WiFi Network on your home WiFi.
Solution: Phone needs to be connected to a 2.4GHz WiFi Network. Our smart products are not compatible with 5GHz WiFi Networks. Please double check that your phone is connected to your 2.4GHz WiFi Network. A lot of home WiFi routers have two networks, a 2.4GHz and a 5GHz network. If you are not absolutely sure about your WiFi networks, you can contact your WiFi provider and they will be able to tell you.
-
You are accidentally typing in the password to your WiFi incorrectly in the app when asked to enter WiFi information.
Solution: Please double check that the correct password that is case sensitive is being entered in our app when asked. You would be surprised at how many people think they are typing in the correct password and realize that they are not.
-
The smart camera might not be in the correct set up mode.
Solution: Please reset the camera by pressing the reset button for 5-7 seconds or until you hear a chime. Depending on your camera, you may have to use a reset pin to do this because the reset button is located inside of small hole. If you do not have a reset pin, you can use a small paper clip, a skinny thumb tack or even the back of an earring. Whatever is skinny enough to fit into the hole. Refer to the instruction manual or set up video to see what color the light needs to be blinking to be in set up mode.
-
You might have a VPN on your phone that is turned on
Solution: A VPN is a Virtual Private Network that establishes an encrypted connection to a WiFi or Cellular network. The camera WILL NOT connect when a VPN is active on the smart phone being used to connect the camera to the WiFi network. Please disable the VPN on your phone and try to connect the camera again. Once the camera is connected, you may turn the VPN back on.
Check out the video below
Issue: When I try to connect my camera it says it's already linked to another account.
It is rare, but sometimes if you purchased a camera that was returned, it may still be linked to another account.
If this is the case, the screen below to the left will show. Press "Apply to unbind".
Then on the next page describe the problem and press "Feedback". Make sure your message is letting us know the issue and provide your email or phone number and press "Send". Once you do this, please send us an email at help@smartpointco.com and let us know that you sent us an unbind request and tell us the email you are using for your smart app. We will get back to you as fast as we can and let you know when you camera is unlinked and you can set it up under your account.
How to tell if your WiFi Network is 2.4GHz or 5GHz.
Most routers these days come with "dual band" WiFi. That means they have both 2.4G and 5G WiFi bands. Sometimes they are on the same SSID (SSID = network name), sometimes they have unique SSIDs, for example "YourWifi" and "YourWifi_5G". We will show you how to figure this out in the information below.
How to check if you are using an iOS device like an iPhone or iPad:
1. Open up your WiFi in the settings on your phone , and see if there are multiple options with your WiFi's name:
2. See if there are multiple similar network names, for example "YourWifi" and "YourWifi_5G".
(See image below for example)
How to check if you are using an Android Phone or Tablet:
If you have an Android phone, you can definitively confirm whether the network is 2.4GHz or 5GHz.
1. Connect to the network
2. Go to Settings > Network & internet > WiFi > Select the network properties (tap the gear icon or menu icon). NOTE: Depending on your android version these steps might be different.
3. Read the frequency setting. (See image below for example)
How to check using the WiFi Analyzer App on Android on the Google Play Store:
1. Go to the Play Store
2. Download the WiFi Analyzer App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=abdelrahman.wifianalyzerpro&hl=en_US
3. Select 2.4GHz or 5GHz from the top bar in the app, search for the network among the names.
4. If your network shows up in the 2.4GHz, then it's a 2.4GHz network.
How to check using a Windows Computer:
1. Connect to the WiFi network.
2. Open your networks panel from your taskbar and click the WiFi icon in the bottom right.
3. Click on properties for your connected network.(See image below for example)
4. In the new window that opens, scroll all the way down to the properties section
5. Network Band will either say 2.4GHz or 5GHz
How to check using an Apple Computer:
1. Connect to the WiFi network.
2. Click on the WiFi icon in the top nav bar while holding down the Option/Alt key.
3. Look at the channel information written in grey text. It will say 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz.
(See image below for example)
You can call your WiFi provider:
If you have issues with any of these methods, you can always call your WiFi provider and ask them if your router has a 2.4GHz network. Sometimes on modern routers there is just 1 network that is a combined 2.4GHz and 5GHz network, but this can be a problem for device that only work on a 2.4GHz network. Your WiFi provider will be able to tell you this and they should be able separate your router into both a 2.4GHz and 5GHz network. This way you can pick which network any of your devices connect to. 5GHz is much faster, so your TV, Computer, Tablets and Phones would probably work best on that, but that kind of network does not spread over a wide area. The 2.4GHz network is a little bit slower, but it penetrates walls and floors better and spreads farther than a 5GHz network so it works well for devices anywhere in your entire house and is great for smart devices, camera, etc....
Issue: I can't find the Reset button to reset the device.
You may have to refer to each individual device manual for locations. Manuals can be viewed here.
Smart Plugs: The reset button on the smart plugs is the power button. Press and hold for 3-6 seconds to reset device or refer to the manual.
Smart Bulbs: There is no reset button on the Smart Bulbs. To reset bulb, screw into socket and find the light switch to socket. Turn on/off light switch 3-5 times until light blinks rapidly.
Smart Bulbs-secondary method: To reset bulb, screw into socket and make sure light switch is turned on. Then screw in bulb into socket and then unscrew quickly. Repeat 3-5 times and leave bulb screwed into socket. Bulb should blink rapidly and be ready to set up.
Smart Sensors: The reset button on the Water Leak Sensor, Motion Sensor and the Door/Window Sensor are all located inside the cover of the device. Please refer to the individual sensor manuals for locations. Manuals can be viewed here.
Smart Cameras: (If the reset button is a hole, you will need a thin piece of metal to insert to push it. Your camera may come with a reset pin. If it does not, a thin paper clip or back of an earring will work also.)
BKWIFICAM: Reset button is a small hole on the top next to the Micro SD Card slot.
BKWIFICAM2: You have to manually roll the camera lens up all the way and the reset hole is by the Micro SD Card slot.
BKWIFICAM3: Reset button is a small hole on the back in the upper left corner.
BKWIFICAM4: Reset button is a small button on the back in the upper left corner.
BKWIFICAMWL1(WiFi Hidden Camera): Reset button is a small button under the faceplate of the camera on the upper right.
BKWIFICAMWL2(Security WiFi Camera): Reset button is a small hole on the side next to the Micro SD Card Slot.
BKWIFICAMB(Smart Baby Monitor & Camera): Reset button is small hole on the top next to the Micro SD Card slot.
Issue: QR Code won't scan to connect my Camera.
How to correct: (Please note that QR code that needs to be scanned is the one on the screen of your phone during set up. Not the QR code in the manual.) When the app brings you to the set up page to scan the QR code on your phone screen, make sure that the screen brightness is turned up enough to be clearly visible. Then hold phone steady in front of camera lens at a distance of 4 - 8 inches. Try moving the phone closer and farther away from the lens of the camera slowly if your camera is not scanning QR code.
If you still don't hear a beep from the camera, try turning your phone upside down and try scanning the QR code upside down like in the image below.
Try scanning like this first.
Scan QR code upside-down if scanning normal does not work.
Issue: I can't find where to purchase the optional Cloud Storage for my Smart Camera?
When you are on the main screen of the camera, click on the settings button in the top right corner or select "Cloud Storage" on the main control panel near the bottom of the screen. The settings button looks like 3 little dots or a pencil. Then scroll down until you find the where it says "Purchase VAS". Select it and you will see your Cloud Storage options. Cloud Storage service is a monthly service that costs money per month. They are multiple plans to choose from to find the best that suits you. If you do not see this in your settings, your camera may not be able to use Cloud Storage. If that is the case, you must insert a Micro SD Card into the camera to record video and see recorded video.
Issue: I can't find where cancel my cloud storage subscription service?
If you decide to cancel your cloud storage subscription service, you can do so by following the steps below.
(Screen shots may differ slightly that actual screens in the Brookstone Smart App.)
If you do not see your subscription service for some reason, please email us at help@smartpointco.com, and let us know and we will work with the billing department to cancel it on our side.
Select your camera that you have the cloud subscription with and select the settings icon in the top right corner.
Then select
"Purchase VAS".
On the next page, select "My Orders".
On the next page, you will see all of the cameras that you have cloud service with. Select the camera and press cancel.
Issue: Features in my camera or my camera itself is not working correctly.
How to correct: This may be an issue our technical team will need to resolve. If you have an issue with the performance of your camera, click on the settings button in the top right corner of the main screen of the camera. It will look like 3 little dots or a pencil. Then click on "Device Information". Take a screen shot of the screen or write down the "Device ID" and email that Device ID to us along with the issue your camera is having. You can email us at help@smartpointco.com. (We recommend taking a screen shot and emailing it to us so you can be sure there are no typos). It helps if you are able to take a video of the problem or screen recording and you can attach that to the email also. See below for a visual.
How do I Mount my Camera on the wall?
Mounting method for BKWIFICAM1/SPWIFICAM: Use the included wall anchors and screws to attach the mounting plate to the wall where you would like the camera to be. (Wall actors only need to be used it mounting in concrete or brick or if you want it to be extra secure in drywall) Screw in screw nut into bottom of camera. Then slide the camera onto the mounting plate with the screw nut. You may need to tighten screw nut if the camera feels loose on the mounting plate. Once camera is mounted you will need to open up the camera in the app and move the lens to be a the desired angle using the tilt and pan controls. If the video is upside down, go into camera settings at the top right corner of the main camera screen and select "Basic Function Settings" and turn on "Flip Screen".
Mounting method for BKWIFICAM2: Use the included wall anchors and screws to attach the mounting plate to the wall. (Wall actors only need to be used it mounting in concrete or brick or if you want it to be extra secure in drywall) Line up the notches on the mounting plate with the grooves on the bottom of the camera. Then slide the camera onto the mounting plate and turn until secure. Once camera is mounted you will need to open up the camera in the app and move the lens to be a the desired angle using the tilt and pan controls. If the video is upside down, go into camera settings at the top right corner of the main camera screen and select "Basic Function Settings" and turn on "Flip Screen".
Mounting method for BKWIFICAM4/SPWIFICAM4: On the bottom of the base of the camera you will find two holes with notches next to them. Place two screws into the wall where you would like to mount the camera and make sure they are spaced the same width as the holes on the bottom of the base. Then line up the notches on the camera base with the screws in the wall. Then slide the camera onto the screws and turn until secure. If the camera is still loose, you may need to tighten the screws in the wall.
All of the Cameras can be mounted on either the wall or ceiling. As mentioned above, if the camera is upside down you will need to go into settings and turn on "Flip Screen" so the video is right side up.
Wall Mounted
Ceiling Mounted
Issue: How do I disconnect my device from my current WiFi Network
and connect it to a new WiFi Network?
If you need to change the WiFi network that your device is connected to, delete the device from the Brookstone Smart App or the Smartpoint Home App. Then start the set up process again as if you were adding a new device when you are connected to the new WIFI Network that you want to the connect your existing device to.
To delete a smart device from you App, please follow the steps below in Method 1 or Method 2.
Method 1
Select the Smart Device that was connected to your old WIFI and is now offline in your App.
Then select the settings icon in the top right corner.
Scroll down to the bottom of the settings page and press "Remove Device".
Then, confirm the deletion on the Smart Device.
Method 2
Long press the Smart Device you want to delete.
Then select that device on the next page.
Then, confirm the deletion on the Smart Device.
Once the Device is deleted from the App, set up the device as if it was a new device with the original set up instructions onto the new WIFI Network in your house. (When a device is deleted, it usually goes into set up mode automatically when it is plugged back in. If this does not happen, press the reset button on the device for about 5-7 seconds to put it into set up mode. You may need to look at the original instructions to see how long to hold the reset button or on how to reset the device.)
Issue: I don't know what kind of memory card to use in my camera or how to install it.
All of the Smartpoint and Brookstone Cameras use Micro SD Cards. To install a Micro SD Card, insert it into the slot on top or side of the camera depending on your model of camera. (See images below to make sure you have the correct type of memory card) Once you correctly insert it all the way it should click into place. To remove it, press down on it slightly and it will pop out. The cameras can use any memory size of Micro SD Card up to 128 GB in size. (Check user manual of camera to see the max size Micro SD Card that the camera is compatible with). If you have misplaced your manual, you can find them on our website by clicking on "User Manuals" at the top of the webpage.
Note: On some of our models,
like BKWIFICAM4, the
"Storage Settings" only shows
up in the settings menu once
a Micro SD Card is installed.
See images below to see how Micro SD Cards are inserted into different models of cameras.
Once the Micro SD Card is installed you need to format it. To format the card, go to the settings of the camera by clicking on the icon at the top right corner of the camera screen, then click on “Storage Settings”, then click on “Format”. Then wait 1-2 minutes while the memory card is formatting. Once your Micro SD Card is done formatting it is ready to record footage.
In the Storage Settings menu you can adjust your camera's recording settings. To record video to your new
Micro SD Card you must have "Local Recording" selected. You can also select what your camera records.
You can have your camera record only when it detects motion or all the time. To have your camera only record events when motion is detected, you must have motion detection turned on in your settings. You can set your motion detections settings to low, medium or high. Experiment with this to see if you get too many or too little notifications.
If you select "Non-Stop" recording, your camera will record everything until the Micro SD Card fills up with recordings. Once it fills up, it will start overwriting the oldest footage on you Micro SD Card with the newest footage. Your Micro SD Card will be able to hold more days of footage the larger the memory of the card is.
For example, if you have a 32GB Micro SD Card, you can probably view past footage from up to 9 or 10 days ago. If you have a 128GB Micro SD Card installed, you can view about a month worth of footage.
If you select "Event Recording", your camera will only record when motion is detected.
How do I turn on/off Motion Detection and Motion Tracking?
All of our cameras are equipped with Motion Detection. To adjust the Motion Detection, from the main camera screen you will need to press the settings icon in the top right or the "Alarm" button near the bottom.
From there, you can turn the "Motion Detection Alarm" on or off. You can also adjust the sensitivity level. If you have the sensitivity level set on medium or low, it will detect and record less. If you have it set on high, it will detect and record more movement. Experiment with what setting works best for you.
In the above section 9.1, it addresses how to set the camera to record all the time or just when motion is detected.
if you select "Schedule" you can set a schedule to a time of day that you would like the camera to detection motion. For example, you can see in the screen shot below that the camera is set to detect motion only from 10:00am to 4:00pm everyday. You can always turn your schedule on or off any time you like and even delete them if you want. To delete a schedule, just swipe left and press delete.
Some of our cameras also have a Motion Tracking feature. You can see in the screen shot above that you can turn this on or off in the "Detection Alarm Settings" screen. If you have this feature turned on, your camera will follow any movement it detects so you won't miss anything. You can turn this on or off at any time.
Why am I not receiving Motion Detection Notifications?
Sometimes notifications might not be coming through on your phone when motion is detected. To fix this issue, first you need to go into your phone's settings and find the notifications section and make sure that the Brookstone Smart or Smartpoint Home App is turned on.
Once you make sure that the notifications are turned on in your phone's settings, go into the settings of your smart App. To do this, select the "Me" icon in the bottom right on your home screen. Then select "App Notification". On the next page, make sure that "Enable Notifications" and "Alarm" is turned on. On the previous screen there is also a "Sound" option that you can turn on/off. When this is on, it will have your notifications from the smart App make a sound on your phone when you receive them. If you have it turned off, you will only receive the notifications on your phone's screen with no sound. You will also need the sound option turned on in your phone's settings for notifications to hear the sound. In the above images in step 3, you can see where to turn this on/off.
You can even get the motion notifications on your smart watch by enabling the notifications in your smart watch's settings and making sure the notifications for Brookstone Smart or Smartpoint Home are turned on.
How do I check past recorded video?
To view your recorded footage, open your Brookstone Smart App or Smartpoint Home App and select the camera you would like to see past video from. On the live feed camera screen, select "Playback", then select "Date".
You can then select the day you want to view the footage from and scroll using the slider until you find the time you need to view.
If you have "Event Recording" selected in "Storage Settings", the portions of the timeline that have recordings will be highlighted on the slider showing the time of day.
To record any footage and save it to your phone you can either press "Record" while live footage is being shown to record live footage or you can view old footage and then while you are viewing the footage you want to record you can press "Record" to record and then press "Record" again to stop recording. To view your recordings, select "Photo Album" from the main camera screen. From there, you can select a video clip and then save it to your phone's camera roll.
How do I download/save recorded video or photos from Camera?
To save Recorded Video or Pictures taken with your smart camera, please refer to the images below. The App may ask you for permission to access your photos. You must allow this in order to save images and videos from the camera to your phone or tablet.
Select the camera, and then select "Photo Album".
On the next page, select the picture or video you would like to save.
Press the icon in the bottom left. (To delete pic or video, select the trash can in the bottom right)
If you haven't already, allow the App to access your photos on your device.
Then select "Save Image" and the picture or video will be saved into your camera roll.
If you have multiple cameras linked to your Brookstone Smart App or Smartpoint Home App
you can view all of the live footage simultaneously. See below on how to do so.
When you have more than one camera connected to your smart app, you will see a small camera icon in the top right corner on the home page of the app. Click on that small camera icon and you will be directed to an app page that shows all live feeds of your camera at the same time on a split screen.
The first time you do this you will see onscreen instructions showing you how to control your live camera feeds.
You can check the "Do not show this again" and then these instructions will not show up any more.
The camera feed that is highlighted in a red box will be the one you are currently controlling. Touch any of the other camera feeds to switch the selected camera. To view the split screens larger, you can either press the enlarge icon at the bottom right of the screen or turn your device sideways like in image (4) below.
This comes in handy when you want to quickly check all your feeds at the same time in a quick manor.
How to Add multiple Cameras to you Smart App.
Adding a camera after you have already added one might be a little confusing because the "Add Device" no longer shows up. When the "Add Device" button is visible when no devices have been added yet, you can still use this other method though. The process is easy. Instead of pressing "Add Device", you can press the (+) sign in the top right hand corner. Then simply follow the same instructions you followed to add the first camera.
Home Screen with no devices added yet
Home Screen with 4 Cameras added
Starting the process of adding a Camera
Changing the layout of your devices on the home page of the Smart App.
On the home screen, if you press the 3 dots near the top on the right, you can change the layout of your devices. After you press the 3 dots, press "List View" or "Grid View" and the way your home screen is laid out will change. Image 2 and 3 below show the difference between "Grid View" and "List View".
Grid View
List View
You can also rearrange the order of your connected devices by pressing the the same 3 dots and then you press "Device Management". On the next screen you can long press any of the devices and then move it around to change the order. You can also select any device and then select "Remove Device" at the bottom to delete it from the App.
You will also see an option to select "Room Management" when you select the 3 dots. On the "Room Management" screen you can add or delete rooms and rearrange the order of them. When you select a room you will see a list of all your devices. From there you can press the (+) symbol to add these devices to a room to keep them more organized.
Question: If I want to move my Smart Device to another room in my house
on the same network, do I have to set it up again in the App?
All of our Smart Devices save the log in information that you entered when setting up the device so if you were to unplug the device and move it to a different room in the same house it would reconnect to the same Wi-Fi Network automatically once it boots back up. If you plug the device back in and it is in a different place with a different Wi-Fi Network, you will need to delete the device in the Smart App and then set it up again like a new device on the new Wi-Fi Network. When you delete the device before setting it up on an another network, it might ask you if you want to delete and wipe data or delete and keep data. If you wipe the data, when you add it again to the App it will be in factory settings. If you delete it and you don't wipe the data, when you add it again to the App it will keep the custom name you gave the device if you did give it a custom name.
Kitchen
Living Room
Basic Function Settings in WiFI Cameras
When you go to the settings menu on any of the cameras, you will see "Basic Function Settings".
When you go to the settings menu on any of the cameras, you will see "Basic Function Settings". In
"Basic Function Settings", you should see "Status Indicator", "Flip Screen", "Time Watermark" and "Talk Mode". Depending on which model of camera you have, you may see different options.
Status Indicator is the light that is on, on the actual camera when it is connected to the WiFi. You can switch this off so the actual camera will not have a light and will appear off. This is handy for when you want the camera to appear hidden or if the light is too bright when the lights in your house are off and the status light is distracting.
Flip Screen lets you turn the screen orientation 180°. This is useful if you mount your camera from the ceiling so it is upside down. Once you select "Flip Screen", even though the actual camera is upside-down, your live feed will be right side up.
Time Watermark allows you to view the time on the live feed. If you turn this off, the timestamp on the live feed will not be visible. (This option is only available on some camera models)
Talk Mode allows you to switch between One-Way Communication and Two-Way Talk. Whichever one of these is selected is activated when pressing the microphone icon on the main camera live feed screen. (This option is only available on some camera models)
How to use the Message Center
From the Home Screen of the App, press the "Me" icon at the bottom right and then on the next page, press "Message Center".
On this screen, the Alarm tab will show first and you will see all the alarms that your devices are notifying you of. Usually the alarms that devices notify you of are sensor alarms, like motion detection, water leak detection and window/door sensors.
When you have motion detection turned on in your camera's settings, the notifications for all of the motion detected is in the message center. They will be separated by date. When you click on a date you can scroll down to see all the notifications. The motion notifications for the cameras will have a screenshot to show you what motion it captured and it shows what time it was captured. If you click on "View", it will redirect you to the live feed of that selected camera and then you can click on playback to go back to the time of when the motion was detected.
When you are on the "Message Center" you will see 3 icons at the top of the page in the middle. These icons are for the "Alarm", "Home" and "Bulletin" tabs.
Alarm Tab: Displays device alarms, automatic notifications, alarm notifications and scheduled execution failure alarms.
Home Tab: Displays family-related messages, including messages for adding or removing home members, removing homes, setting a family member as the administrator, adding devices, and sharing devices.
Bulletin Tab: Displays notifications for user feedback status updates, new device login, phone call notification,
SMS notification, and official pushes.
How to connect our Smart Devices to Amazon Alexa and Google Home
Many of our smart devices work seamlessly with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Below you will find a step by step process of how to connect your new device to your smart speaker so you can get the most out of it.
First we will show you how to connect your device to Amazon Alexa.
Please make sure that your Alexa app is connected to your Amazon Echo and both work together successfully on your Wi-Fi home network.
Log into your Alexa app and tap the bottom right corner.
Then tap “Skills & Games”.
Type “Brookstone Smart”, and then find the “Brookstone Smart” app
in the search results and tap it.
Then tap "Enable to Use".
Next you will enter your log in info for your Amazon Alexa account and press "Link Now".
Select the Brookstone Smart App and then tap "Link Now" again.
Press the "Authorize" button to link your accounts.
Once your accounts have been linked together, tap "Close" at the bottom.
On the next page, select "Discover Devices" and wait. This may take up to 45 seconds.
All of your devices that are linked to your Brookstone Smart App will be found. In this example, we have just 1 smart bulb connected.
Once you tap "Set Up Device" you can now control your device with the Alexa App and with your voice using your smart speaker.
Try these commands and see what happens by asking Alexa:
- Alexa, turn on the “Smart Bulb”
- Alexa, turn off the “Smart Bulb”
Note: The device name is the one you give to the smart bulb in the “Brookstone Smart” App. Let’s name it “Living Room”.
For example, now you can say:
- “Alexa, make the Living Room Blue”,
- “Alexa, make the Living Room White”, etc.
Any device you connect to the Brookstone Smart App should automatically be added to Alexa. If it does not add automatically, ask Alexa to discover devices.
Now, we will show you how to connect your device to Google Home.
Please make sure that your Google Home App is connected to your smart speaker and both work together successfully on your Wi-Fi home network.
Download and open the Google Home App and log in with your Google account.
Once you are logged into your Google Home App,
press the (+) icon in the top left hand corner.
Select "Set up device" on the next page.
Then select "Works with Google".
Press the magnifying glass icon to type in the app you would like to link to your Google Home account.
Type in Brookstone Smart and select it below.
Then enter your log in info for your Brookstone Smart App and press "Link Now"
On the next page, select Brookstone Smart and tap "Link Now" again once it is highlighted.
Press the "Authorize" button to link your accounts.
All of your devices that are linked to your Brookstone Smart App will be found. In this example, we have just 1 smart bulb connected. Select the device and then tap "Next".
Then select the home your would like to assign the device to and press "Next".
Then select the room youwould like to assign the device to and press "Next".
You will now see the device on your home screen of your Google Home App. Press it to control it.
You will then see the control panel for that device. You will also be able to control your device with your voice using your Google enabled smart speaker.
Try these commands and see what happens by asking Google:
Just start by saying:
-“Hey Google, turn on the “Smart Plug”.
-“Hey Google, turn off the “Smart Plug”.
Note: The device name is the one you give to the smart bulb in the “Brookstone Smart” App. Let’s name it “Living Room”.
For example, now you can say:
-“Hey Google, make the Living Room Blue".
-“Hey Google, make the Living Room White", etc.
Any device you connect to the Brookstone Smart App should automatically be added to the Google Home App.
Issue: One or our customer service reps asked you to run a network diagnosis report
on your WiFi Network and you don't know how
If you are having difficulty connecting your smart device to your WiFi Network, the WiFi Network may not be compatible and may be having issues. To test this, one of our customer service reps might ask you to upload your log in your account and run a diagnostics report and send it to our technical team to see what the issue was while trying to connect.
To upload a log to us, follow the step by step instructions below.
From the home page of the App, select "Me" at the bottom right hand corner and then select the settings icon at the top right corner.
On the next page, select "About".
Then select "Upload Log" and on the next page, press "Upload Log" again.
After you have uploaded your log, continue with the instruction below to send us your network diagnosis report.
To send us your network diagnosis report, follow the steps below.
From the settings screen, select "Network Diagnosis"
On the next page, press the "Start Diagnosis" button.
Then wait 1-2 minutes for the process to complete. Do not leave the app while this is happening.
Once, the Diagnosis is completed, press the "Upload Log" button.
Then select "Copy the Log to Clipboard".
After that, open your email and compose a new email and address it to help@smartpointco.com. Then hit paste, to paste the report in the body of the email. To paste on an iPhone, tap the screen where you want to paste, and then press paste.
After you have uploaded your log and sent us your network diagnosis report, please email us with your email that you have your Brookstone Smart or Smartpoint Home under and let us know that you have sent us your log and diagnosis report. We will then get back to you as soon as we can with assistance and let you know if we have discovered the issue.
Issue: Your Camera or multiple Cameras went offline suddenly.
If one of your cameras or all of your cameras goes offline all the sudden, please try these steps.
1. Unplug the affected camera(s) for about 15-20 seconds and plug them back in and wait for them to power back up. They should reconnect to your WiFi Network. If they do not, move them closer to the router/modem and plug them in there. See if they connect to your WiFi after they power up when they are closer to the router/modem. Please try this when they are within 30 feet of the router/modem. If they still do not reconnect your WiFi, proceed to next step.
2. The reason this may be happening is because your cameras are probably too far from the router/modem and are not receiving a strong enough signal from the router/modem. You can see the signal strength on the live feed screen of your camera in the top right corner of the screen. Our cameras need a signal strength of at least 80% or higher to work correctly and not go offline.
In order to get your cameras reconnected so you can check the signal strength, you will need to delete them and add them to the app again like you did the first time you set them up. Please refer section 8 to see how to do this. (WARNING: If you have video clips or photos saved in the album of the Smart Camera, they will be deleted, once you delete the camera from the app. We suggest always allowing access to your phone's photos so that you can save important video clips and photos to you phone's camera roll, so they are backed up and safe. When you reconnect the camera to your app, if it has a Micro SD Card installed, you will still be able to access the recorded video on that Micro SD Card.)
3. It is always a good idea to Power Cycle your router/modem before you try to reconnect the camera to your WiFi. To do this, please unplug the router/modem for about 15-20 seconds and plug them back in. it will usually take a few minutes for your WiFi Network to fully boot back up.
While you are waiting on this. Please completely close out of the Smart App on your phone and then restart your phone as well. Once your phone has restarted and your WiFi has booted back up, unplug your Smart Camera for about 10-15 seconds and plug it back in. Refer to the user manual of your model of camera and see if the correct color blinking light is rapidly blinking and in set up mode. If the camera is not in set up mode, please manually press the reset button for 5 seconds and release it to put the camera into set up mode. Please refer to your user manual to see where the reset button is and how to press it. Some cameras require a reset pin to insert into a hole to press the button. If the camera did not come with a reset pin, a small paperclip or the back of and earring will work.
Power Cycling all of these items will reset them all and give you a better chance of connecting with a strong signal. Every WiFi Network should be power cycled at least once a month.
4. Once everything has been power cycled, follow the set up instructions of your camera to set it up as if it was a new camera. If the signal strength is still not over 80% after all of these steps, you may need to talk to your WiFi provider about your WiFi signal and they may need to correct it.
Issue: Camera will not connect using the QR code.
If the smart camera will not connect after scanning the QR code, make sure that....
1. Your phone is connected to a 2.4 GHz WiFi network when trying to connect.
2. You are typing the correct case sensitive password when the app asks you in the set up process.
3. You are not too far from the router/modem.
If your camera will still not connect after all of this, try connecting in EZ Mode, instead of QR Mode.
(Not all models of cameras support EZ Mode)
From the Home Screen, click on "Add Device" in the top right corner.
Select "Smart Camera".
Select "QR Code" in the top right corner on the next page.
Then select "EZ Mode".
Follow the directions to connect it like you would a smart plug or bulb without scanning a QR code.
