How Much Bandwidth Do Blink Cameras Use? [SOLVED]

Wireless cameras are becoming more and more popular, and that means people have lots of questions, primarily concerning internet requirements and data usage. 

Wireless cameras are extremely useful, but how exactly do they impact your bandwidth? 

How Much Bandwidth Do Blink Cameras Use? [SOLVED]

Blink cameras are some of the least bandwidth-heavy wireless cameras on the market. They only use about 750 KBs of data per five-second clip and, since Blink cameras only record when they detect motion, they use even less bandwidth.

This saves on bandwidth and makes it an excellent option for people with less than desirable internet availability. 

Continue reading to learn all about Blink cameras and find out how many GB of data a security camera uses. 

You may even find out exactly how to fix that connection issue you’ve been experiencing with your camera system.

Does Blink Camera Use a Lot of Data?

As previously mentioned, Blink cameras use about 750 KB of data each time it records a five-second clip. 

This isn’t much data, but it does add up to be quite a substantial amount over time. 

For example, one hour’s worth of video uses a little over one GB of data. 

As you can imagine, this can become quite the tax on your bandwidth, especially if the motion sensors are triggered frequently, whether by animals moving or by objects blowing in the wind. 

Despite its rather high data usage, the Blink camera is actually one of the least data-intensive wireless cameras available.

Other wireless cameras constantly record video, either streaming it directly to a screen or recording it for later viewing. 

On the other hand, the Blink camera only records video once it detects motion.

The motion detector can even be adjusted to reduce false flags caused by animals or the wind. 

Recommended Bandwidth

The manufacturer of Blink recommends that you have at least 2 Mb/second upload speed in order for the cameras to function flawlessly. 

However, as you’ve already read above, the Blink camera can only use a maximum of about 500 megabytes per hour. 

This means your Blink camera will still function with slower upload speeds; however, it could cause problems. 

Your video may appear choppy, or you could lose out on valuable recordings altogether. 

The live viewing mode could also be completely broken if your upload speed doesn’t meet the minimum requirements. 

Why Does My Blink Camera Keep Buffering?

You may notice that your Blink camera becomes unresponsive or buffers nonstop when you are viewing it in its live feed mode. 

This is likely due to a single reason: slow internet. 

As previously stated, the manufacturer recommends at least 2 MB/sec upload speed in order for the system to be completely functional.

You’ll likely have to upgrade your internet package to fix the solution; however, there are some things you can try first. 

It doesn’t hurt to try these things before you call your internet provider to upgrade to a more expensive package. 

Fixes for a Slow Blink Camera

Some issues are caused simply due to your equipment being too far apart. 

There are three primary components to your system: your router, your Sync Module, and your camera. 

The Sync Module and the camera are able to work seamlessly up to 100 feet apart; however the Sync Module and the internet router should be as close as possible.

If anything, they need to be at least in the same room. 

Repositioning your equipment should be the first thing you try if you’re having issues with your camera system. 

Your internet connection may also be slowed down by other devices connected to your router. 

Try disconnecting laptops, tablets, and phones from the in-home internet. 

If you notice an improvement to your Blink’s systems, that means your internet isn’t fast enough for all of your devices.

You’ll have to exclusively use your internet for your Blink camera system until you can upgrade data packages. 

You could also try using physical cables wherever you can. 

Everyone loves the tidiness of wireless cameras, but relying on Wi-Fi often means you are using a slower connection. 

Some connection issues can be fixed by simply resetting your camera.

It’s fast and easy, and it could be the only thing you need to do to solve your Blink’s connection issues. 

Remove your camera from the mount and locate the reset button near the batteries.

You’ll need a paperclip or a small screwdriver to press the button. 

Hold it down for ten seconds.

You’ll know the device has been reset because the LED light will blink red.

Next, reconnect the device to the Sync Module and your home Wi-Fi. 

The camera may be having a power delivery issue too. 

Blink cameras normally run on batteries; however, they can also run via micro USB cable. 

Remove the batteries from the device and run a USB cable from the outlet to the camera. 

You can also use a chargeable power brick to see if it’s a power issue. 

The final thing to check is your router’s internet options. 

Many modern routers offer the ability to toggle between 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz.

Each of these bands has its own benefits, but the Blink camera system can only use 2.4 GHz.

If your cameras are unable to connect to the internet at all, it is likely because your router is set to 5.0 GHz.

What Is The Best Internet For A Blink Camera?

DSL, cable, and fiber are the best types of internet for Blink security systems.

In fact, other internet options, such as satellite and cellular, have a long list of issues that make them borderline unusable with wireless cameras. 

First of all, satellite internet has extremely high latency due to the methods employed in sending and receiving signal. 

This means your live video feed could be as much as two to three seconds behind. 

Secondly, both cellular internet and satellite internet are subject to strict data caps. 

Considering that the Blink camera can use up to half a GB per hour, low data caps would be depleted extremely fast. 

Most importantly, cellular internet and satellite internet are both very unstable. The slightest overcast could knock out your satellite internet and leave your security cameras useless. 

The most important quality your internet needs is high upload speeds.

You can check the upload speed of your internet by doing a speed test.

You can download a speed test app from your phone’s app store, or you can run a speed test by searching for speed test in Google from your PC. 

The official system requirement for Blink cameras is 2 MB per second upload speed.