Why Is My Lorex Camera Offline On My Phone? Complete Fix Guide

If you’re wondering, why is my Lorex camera offline on my phone there could be quite a few reasons for this problem.

When we see “offline” our first thought should be “is my internet okay?”. This is a good approach but it’s not necessarily the case.

There are many more things to consider and in this guide, we’ll unveil all of them and show you how to fix them.

Your Lorex camera could appear “offline” due to application problems, WiFi outages, or DVR problems for hard-wired units. The solution includes re-adding your camera to the application, solving WiFi problems, and performing restarts on all units involved in the setup.

Let’s start by answering the hottest questions first!

Why Is My Lorex Camera Offline On My Phone?

If your Lorex application says that your Lorex camera unit is offline, there could only be several causes of this problem.

One of the most frequently reported cases for offline Lorex cameras is an issue in the communications of the DVR.

If the status of your Lorex camera says offline in the Lorex application, it means that the camera is not capturing motion and isn’t recording at all.

Generally said, the camera is disconnected from the network and is currently inactive.

How To Fix Lorex Camera Offline Easily?

We will split up this post into 2 parts. Troubleshooting for hard-wired cameras and then troubleshooting for wire-free cameras.

Based on whether you’re using wired or wireless cameras, jump to the appropriate heading in our guide.

Let’s begin with fixing wireless Lorex cameras that are offline:

How To Fix Lorex Wireless Camera Offline Problem?

For the ones of you with a wireless Lorex camera that appears offline, follow the steps below:

Solution #1 Re-Add Lorex Camera To App

By removing and then adding your camera to the application you can easily solve any issues concerning both instances (the app and the camera) functionality.

This method is a perfect start whenever the camera is offline before you proceed with more complex solutions.

Follow the steps below to re-add your Lorex camera:

1. Open the Lorex Home app.
2. Choose your camera and select Device Settings.
3. Go down to locate and press on Remove Device.
4. Confirm the on-screen prompt by tapping on Remove.
5. Go back to the Home Screen of the Lorex Home app.
6. Press on the “+” icon to add a new device.
7. Your smartphone’s camera will turn on to scan the QR code on your camera.
8. When the camera is recognized, press on Next to proceed.
9. Complete the on-screen steps.
10. Press on Join to connect to the camera’s hotspot.
11. Create a camera password and press Next.
12. Connect Lorex camera to the WiFi.
13. Label your camera and the setup is completed!

Check whether the camera will now still be offline. In case it is, jump to the next step.

Solution #2 Charge Your Lorex Camera

Due to the fact that your Lorex camera uses rechargeable units, you will be able to take out the battery pack and charge it.

To take out the battery pack, follow these instructions:

1. Undo the screws on the bottom of the camera.
2. Take out the cover.
3. Eject the battery pack.
4. Connect it to a standard charger for 1 hour.
5. Re-insert the battery pack into your camera.
6. Test.

Note: Insert the battery pack according to the compartment’s polarity.

Solution #3 Solve WiFi Issues

Your camera is offline probably due to issues with the internet. This is one of the most frequently reported problems, especially with the wireless Lorex cameras.

The main goal here would be to get your smartphone connected to a reliable and working WiFi.

Here’s how to find and fix internet issues:

1. Power Cycle The Router

Perform a hard reset/power cycle on the router by unplugging it from the power for 5 minutes.

2. Reduce Network Usage

Limit your internet usage significantly till the end of the guide. Prevent downloading, uploading, seeding, and high-quality streaming.

3. Move The Router Closer To The Camera

If possible, position your router a few meters closer to the camera and test.

Tip: After applying each fix, reconnect your camera through the app and check if the problem was fixed.

Solution #4 Reset The Lorex Wire-Free Camera

Now when you’re confident that the problem is not with your WiFi or with your internet, you should factory reset the Lorex wire-free camera.

Remember that the factory reset will erase ALL configurations and settings made to the camera’s settings.

Here’s how to reset the Lorex cam in easy steps:

1. Take the camera away from the stand.
2. On the back, search for a reset button.
3. Hold it down for 10 seconds.
4. Your camera is reset!

Alert: Do not let go of the button before the 10 seconds or the reset will fail.

How To Fix Lorex Camera Offline Hard-Wired Problem?

In case you’ve got a hard-wired unit, the problem could be observed in different places compared to the wireless unit.

This is why the solutions below are made for users with wired Lorex cameras.

Solution #1 Power Cycle The DVR

You should attempt to solve the problem with your hard-wired Lorex camera by power cycling the DVR.

Your camera will definitely appear as “offline” if the DVR is not performing as it’s supposed to.

This is why a power cycle will reboot ALL services and hopefully get the device back on track.

Here’s how to power cycle the Lorex DVR in your system:

1. Unplug the DVR from the source.
2. Wait for 5 minutes.
3. Reconnect the DVR’s cable back into the source.
4. Test.

Tip: If you’re suspecting that the DVR is shutting down at random, plug it into a different power source.

Solution #2 Use Different Camera Input

You should connect the camera that is offline to an alternative input entry on the DVR.

On average, Lorex DVRs have around 12 available inputs into which cameras can be secured so use a different one to test with.

Simply identify the cable of the problematic camera and disconnect it. Then, you shall plug it into an alternative available input on the back of the DVR.

That will exclude the possibility of a failed input and hopefully will restore the online status of your camera.

Note: Ensure that the camera’s cable is secured before moving on to the next fix.

Solution #3 Reinstall The Home Application

If the app is still saying that the camera is offline, you should reinstall the app from your smartphone.

Sometimes the application could glitch and not be able to function properly.

In case the application cannot connect to the services or there is corrupted data within the device, a clean install will solve the problem.

Here’s how to reinstall the Lorex app in easy steps:

1. On your phone, go to the storage tab.
2. Enter the app manager and locate the Lorex Home app.
3. Press on “Delete” under app settings.
4. Go to the App Store/Google Play.
5. Download and install the Lorex home app.
6. Test.

Note: When reopening the app after reinstalling it, log in to your account to use it.

Thus, to get your Lorex camera back online, start by removing and then re-adding the camera unit to the application. Then make sure that the WiFi is not the problem and proceed with restarting your DVR if the camera is wired. Lastly, you should re-install the entire application and conclude with a factory reset.

Read Next: How To Connect Lorex Camera To WiFi?

Last Thoughts:

We hope that the question “why is my Lorex camera offline on my phone?“ is now answered and that you were able to get it back online.

In case the problem persists, you should contact Lorex customer service for further guidance and solutions steps.