Merkury WiFi Camera Not Connecting: 7 Simple Fixes (2023)

The Internet of Things has turned our homes into smart homes.

Smart WiFi cameras are the foundation of our smart home security systems.

But what can you do when your Merkury WiFi Camera isn’t connecting?

If your Merkury WiFi camera isn’t connecting, switch to 2.4 GHz WiFi, try changing the encryption settings, using a different smartphone, or connecting through AP mode. You should also reset your modem and camera and try connecting it again. If that doesn’t work, try a different modem.

This article will explain a few fixes that will get your Merkury to connect to your WiFi router.

You should try all steps before you decide to bring the camera back to the retail store.

1. Connect Your Merkury WiFi Camera to 2.4 GHz WiFi

Like most smart home gadgets, you can’t connect the Merkury WiFi camera to 5 GHz WiFi.

5 GHz WiFi is faster, but it has a significantly lower range and object penetration.

So, you wouldn’t want to use 5 GHz for a camera that doesn’t need a lot of bandwidth in the first place.

Merkury WiFi cameras only support 2.4 GHz WiFi, so any other WiFi band won’t work.

The main issue is that most routers will bundle 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi into a single access point.

For example, my router allows me to create one access point for both bands or separate them into two different WiFis with different names and passwords.

If your router comes with an app, you can change the settings through it. This is the easiest and most permanent fix.

If not, you can change your frequency band permanently in the router settings.

Note that not all routers have the same settings, but here is a generalized guide on how to do it on your computer:

Identify your Default Gateway. Go to Start > Type Command Prompt > Type “ipconfig” in the Command Prompt window and press Enter, then Copy the Default Gateway by clicking on the numbers with your mouse and pressing Ctrl + C.
Paste the router’s IP into your web browser and press Enter.
Log into the router. The username and password are usually blank or “admin.” Check the router manufacturer’s website if you’re having trouble.
Go to Wireless Settings.
Look for 802.11 or the frequency band setting. You may have to disable Smart Connect on some routers to separate 2.4 GHz from 5 GHz.
Switch to 2.4 GHz. You may need to create a separate access point for it.

Once you manage to connect the cameras, you can probably turn 5 GHz back on.

It’s best to keep the two frequency bands as two separate access points. It’s a bit inconvenient, but you won’t lose any functionality with the cameras.

Editor’s pick: Can You Use 2.4GHz and 5GHz at the Same Time? 5 Facts

2. Change Your WiFi Router’s Encryption Settings

If switching to 2.4 GHz didn’t work in the previous step, then there’s one more thing you can do. – so, don’t close the browser just yet.

For some reason, Merkury WiFi cameras don’t want to connect to certain types of encryption.

Encryption is just a fancy term for the authentication protocol that requires you to have a WiFi password.

To change your encryption settings, do all steps from 1 to 4, as explained above. Here is what you do next:

Look for the Wireless Security setting.
Change the Security to something else. The default is WPA/WPA2 on most routers. You can try WPA-PSK or remove the password altogether.
Change Encryption to TKIP or AES.

This requires some trial and error. Try to connect the camera each time you change something until you get it to work.

3. Try Using a Different Smartphone To Connect the Camera

Sometimes, the simplest fix can be the most frustrating to figure out.

If you’ve been trying to connect to the camera all day using your phone, try grabbing a different one.

If you’re using an iPhone, try Android. Try the opposite if you’re an Android user.

If you don’t have an additional phone, borrow your family member or friend’s phone to connect the camera. Use your account in the app to connect to it.

Once you do connect it, you should be able to use your phone to control it.

4. Restart the Merkury Camera and Your WiFi Router

The good old trick of “unplugging it and plugging it back in” is often the best fix.

While it’s unlikely that your camera is causing the issue, it’s worth trying.

More importantly, do this to your router. Unplug the power cord, wait for 1-2 minutes, and plug it back in.

Doing this will restart the router and your WiFi.

You can then try to connect the camera again once the connection is reestablished.

5. Press the Reset Pin on the Merkury Camera

If your Merkury WiFi camera worked fine until recently, then a simple reset could fix it.

Merkury WiFi cameras have a small reset button on the back. Depending on the model, you may need to use a small pin to push it in.

Don’t use toothpicks because they can break off and stay in the hole. It happened to me once with a SIM card tray, and it was a challenge to try and fix.

Additionally, you shouldn’t use needles either because they’re too sharp. You might destroy the button without realizing what you’re doing.

Instead, simply hold the reset pin for a few seconds until you hear the sound that lets you know you did the job successfully.

6. Try To Connect Using AP Mode

Merkury WiFi cameras let you connect through easy mode and AP mode.

Easy mode is the one you should be using because it’s simpler, but it doesn’t always work.

If that is the case, you can try AP mode.

I’ll walk you through the whole process, start to finish.

Here is how to connect to your Merkury WiFi camera through AP mode:

Download and install the Geeni app from the App Store or the Google Play Store.
Open the app, make a new account, and log in.
Plug in your Merkury WiFi camera and perform a reset.
Once the camera LED is flashing red, press the + symbol in the app > Video Camera > Geeni WiFi Camera > QR Code.
Connect to your WiFi.
Locate and scan the QR code on your camera. You’ll hear a beep if you completed the job correctly.

If AP mode doesn’t work, try easy mode once again.

7. Connect the Merkury Camera Using a Different WiFi Router

If you’ve tried everything else and nothing seems to work, try a different router.

Some users have reported that switching out their modem or router fixed the issue.

If you don’t have access to a different router at the modem, try it somewhere else.

You could bring the camera with you to a family or friend’s place and connect the camera there.

I’m not entirely sure why some routers don’t work, but it most likely has to do with the encryption settings.

Of course, this is assuming that you aren’t trying to connect to 5 GHz WiFi.

The camera can’t even see that kind of connection because it doesn’t have the required hardware.

You may also wonder: Do router antennas make a difference?

Summary

The most common reason why Merkury WiFi cameras won’t connect is because of your WiFi.

You must use a separate 2.4 GHz access point for the camera.

Also, some types of encryption and password protection cause incompatibility issues.

Some trial and error may get it working with your router. If not, try a different one.

And sometimes, a simple restart or reset will make the issues magically disappear.