A while back, I spent quite a bit of time researching different security camera brands. I wanted a system that could help keep my family and property safe without having to pay for a cloud storage subscription. I also wanted 24/7 recording and solar-powered cameras.
After doing my research, Eufy seemed like the best fit for my needs.
Unfortunately, my experience has been pretty disappointing, ranging from bad to downright terrible. After spending hundreds of dollars, I’m starting to think I made the wrong choice. I wanted to share my experience in case you’re considering Eufy, too, so you can weigh your options carefully before investing in its ecosystem.
My Eufy Camera Setup and Why I Chose It
I live in a basement apartment, and one of my biggest concerns was keeping my cars safe. I’ve actually had my side mirrors stolen twice while my cars were parked in my building’s parking lot.
Since there weren’t many suitable spots to install cameras and I was worried someone might steal them, I had to get creative with how I set everything up.
I installed a camera I call Parking 1, hooked it up to a solar panel, and set it to record 20-second clips. I also installed a second camera, Parking 2, and ran a cable from my apartment’s laundry room out to the parking area.
At first, everything worked pretty well. The only issue was that Parking 2 occasionally failed to charge during the first few days, when I temporarily connected it to a different solar panel while we finished the electrical installation.
I contacted Eufy support, and to their credit, they were incredibly helpful. They even sent me a replacement.
After that, I bought two more cameras: one for my living room and another for my balcony, which overlooks a street running parallel to the one next to my parking lot.
For reference, here’s my setup:
- Parking 1: EufyCam S3 Pro
- Parking 2: EufyCam S3 Pro
- Balcony: EufyCam S3 Pro
- Living Room: Eufy Indoor Cam S350 (4K)
- HomeBase: HomeBase 3
- Wi-Fi System: eero Wi-Fi 7
- Outdoor Access Point: eero Outdoor 7, connected via PoE
Connectivity Issues and Multi-Bridge Problems
I’ve read about Eufy’s “Prioritize Router” feature and would be happy to give it a try. Unfortunately, the option still doesn’t show up for any of my cameras.
I haven’t been able to test whether this feature would fix my connectivity issues because the setting simply isn’t available on my setup.
I’d like to hear from other S3 Pro owners using a HomeBase 3. Do you have access to this feature, or is Eufy still rolling it out gradually? Could there be specific requirements my setup doesn’t meet?
If this feature is designed to help cameras stay connected to Wi-Fi instead of switching back to the HomeBase, it sounds like exactly what I need. Unfortunately, I still can’t test it because the option isn’t available in my setup.
Home Assistant, Scrypted, and HomeKit: Another Disappointment
I also planned to integrate my Eufy cameras with Apple HomeKit using Home Assistant and Scrypted.
If you’re thinking about buying Eufy cameras for a similar setup, I’d strongly recommend looking into the integration limitations first before committing to the Eufy ecosystem.
In my experience, Eufy’s Home Assistant integration has been incredibly disappointing, especially when it comes to handling multiple video streams. These limitations have made it much more difficult than I expected to get my setup working the way I wanted.
I knew getting third-party integrations to work might take some effort, but I didn’t expect the limitations to be such a major roadblock.
This was another point where I started wondering whether choosing Eufy was the right decision for me.
So, Where do I Go From Here?
I’m still willing to see if I can make this setup work, but honestly, I shouldn’t have to spend this much time troubleshooting security cameras that are supposed to give me peace of mind.
I bought these cameras to keep my family and property safe, not to spend hours troubleshooting them. I’m constantly reconnecting devices, testing power supplies, tweaking network settings, replacing cameras, and trying to figure out why a camera just a few inches from a wired access point can’t maintain a stable connection.
Has anyone else experienced similar issues, especially with Multi-Bridge and the S3 Pro?
- Has enabling Prioritize Router actually fixed the disconnection issues for anyone?
- If you own an S3 Pro and HomeBase 3, does the Prioritize Router option show up in your settings?
- Has anyone found a reliable fix for cameras that keep disconnecting from Wi-Fi or the HomeBase?
- Has anyone successfully integrated multiple Eufy camera streams with Home Assistant, Scrypted, and HomeKit?
I’m open to suggestions and would genuinely appreciate any help. I’d rather not replace my entire system if there’s a reliable way to get everything working properly.
But if I can’t get this setup working as it should, I’ll seriously consider switching to another brand.
At this point, I just want a security system I can actually rely on.