As a new parent, it’s only natural to want to keep an eye on your little one at all times. Thanks to technology, we now have baby monitors that can help us keep tabs on our babies, especially when they are sleeping in another room.
According to a recent survey, 36% of parents admitted using audio baby monitors, while 39% admitted using camera and audio baby monitors. This just proves how many parents across the globe rely on baby monitors to enable them to keep a watchful eye on their babies.
Typically, there are three types of monitors: baby breathing monitors, video baby monitors, and WiFi baby monitors. Out of these three, the WiFi baby monitor stands out because it has been subject to major controversy. While these gadgets are very reliable and convenient, WiFi baby monitors have a number of disadvantages.
This article will take a more in-depth look into the disadvantages of a WiF Baby Monitor. We will also look at how to increase its security-safety if you already have one.
Top 4 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Buy a WiFi Baby Monitor
While a WiFi baby monitor allows you to watch over your child from anywhere, they also come with a number of disadvantages. Here are four drawbacks to a WiFi baby monitor.
1. Hackers Can Easily Gain Access to Your Monitor
You’ve probably heard of these stomach-churning baby monitor hacking stories. No one wants to bear the thought of their child being at the mercy of cyber hackers. Unfortunately, like any other WiFi-enabled device, baby monitors can also be hacked.
One of the most frequently asked questions about baby monitor hacking is why someone would want to hack into a baby monitor in the first place.
People hack into baby monitors (or any other security camera) for several reasons.
They may want to satisfy their fetishes. It may sound disgusting, but people (otherwise known as voyeurs) find pleasure in watching other people do certain activities. It could be dressing, bathing, to mention a few. So someone can hack into your baby monitor to watch you bathe and dress your baby or watch them sleep.
Another common reason is pranking. Some people find pleasure in scaring other people. So a prankster can hack into your baby monitor and wake up your child in the middle of the night. They could also use the talk-back feature to scare your baby and talk to them in foul language.
Someone can also hack into your baby monitor with an intention to rob you or hurt you and your family.
So how does a hacker hack into your baby monitor? The truth is, any type of baby monitor is prone to hacking, but a WiFi baby monitor is the easiest to hack into.
If you’re using a private home WiFi router to connect with your baby monitor, a hacker has to gain access to it to control your monitor. This means that they can also gain access to other internet-enabled devices connected to your private WiFi network.
Another way a hacker can gain control of your baby monitor is through public WiFi. A WiFi baby monitor allows you to control it from anywhere as long as you have a stable WiFi connection. If you’re using public WiFi to do so, a hacker can easily crack your password and access your monitor.
This is why most people prefer non-WiFi video and audio baby monitors such as the Babysense split-screen video baby monitors because it is more secure.
2. The Baby Monitor Cannot Work Unless There’s WiFi Internet Connection
A WiFi baby monitor works by connecting to your device through a WiFi internet connection. This means that without WiFi, it is as good as useless.
Another disadvantage is that the WiFi speed significantly affects the performance of a baby monitor. If you have an unstable internet connection, your monitor will automatically delay transmitting video footage or audio signals to your device. This can also be experienced if too many devices are connected to your WiFi router.
3. Using a WiFi Baby Monitor Means Dedicating Your Phone To Use As a Monitor
When using a WiFi baby monitor, this means you’re going to need to dedicate your phone to use as a monitor, something that is inconvenient at the best of times.
If you need to reply to a text message, take a call or even want to scroll through your social feeds once your little one has gone to sleep, you’ll lose the ability to watch them - something that, in many ways, defeats the whole point of using a baby monitor, and that’s not to mention that this type of monitor takes up bandwidth on your home’s WiFi.
4. WiFi Baby Monitors Can Affect Your Child’s Health
According to health experts, WiFi baby monitors can harm your baby’s overall health.
All baby monitors, especially WiFi monitors, emit radiation waves. The more advanced the monitor is, the more radiation waves it produces. So when your monitor is on, it releases these waves continuously. Some monitors do reduce these risks, however.
Although these radiation waves are weak, they can affect your child’s brain development over time. That is why it is essential to turn off the monitor when it is not in use and to consider placing it further away from your little one to reduce these risks.
How Do I Know If My Baby Monitor Has Been Hacked?
With baby monitor hacking incidents being more common, it is essential to know how to identify if your WiFi baby monitor has been hacked.
Check If Your Baby Monitor’s Camera Is Rotating
One of the ways a hacker can mess with your monitor is by remotely rotating its camera. They mostly do that to spy on your child’s room to see if there’s any adult around. So it is essential always to check if your WiFi baby monitor’s camera is out of place.
Check If Your Baby Monitor’s LED Lights Are Blinking Unusually
Many WiFi baby monitors have LED lights that automatically turn on when someone receives video footage from its camera. If you notice your monitor’s LED lights blinking unusually, then chances are a hacker is viewing video footage from the camera.
Check If Unusual Voices or Noises Are Coming From Your Monitor
According to many baby hacking stories, the sign that indicated that the baby monitor was hacked was strange voices coming from the monitor. This can be an absolute nightmare, especially if the hacker is scaring your baby.
That is why it is crucial to always listen for any strange noises or voices coming out of your baby monitor.
Check If Your Baby Monitor’s Security Settings Have Been Changed
When hackers gain access to WiFi baby monitors, they often change the security settings to default. This will enable them to mess with the monitor anytime they want.
Apart from setting your password, it is essential always to check if the settings have been changed back to default.
How To Protect Your WiFi Baby Monitor From Hackers
If you already have a WiFi baby monitor, do not to worry. Here are some things you can do to prevent your monitor from being hacked.
Do Not Reuse a Password or Username
Using the same password or username across several accounts paves the way for hackers to access your monitor. If a hacker already knows your password to a particular account, they can try using it to gain access to your monitor and maybe get lucky.
Regularly Change the Security Settings in Your Baby Monitor
Setting a strong, unique password isn’t enough to protect your baby monitor from hackers. Most experts recommend changing your security settings regularly, and this will prevent potential hackers from figuring out your password quickly.
It is also crucial to change your WiFi password regularly, and changing will ward off hackers and keep freeloaders from using your WiFi without your consent.
Register Your Baby Monitor With Its Manufacturing Company
Although it might not seem important, registering your baby monitor with its manufacturing company can keep off hackers. If the company discovers any security vulnerabilities in its devices, it will notify all registered users. So registering your monitor will keep you in the loop if such an incident occurs.
Update Your Baby Monitor’s Software Regularly
Updating your monitor’s software enables it to be equipped with the latest and strongest security patches, therefore, warding off potential hackers.
Do Not Access Your Baby Monitor Via Public WiFi
It is highly recommendable to access your monitor only via your private WiFi. Gaining access to your baby monitor through public WiFi increases the risk of it being hacked.
Disable the Remote Access Feature in Your Baby Monitor
One of the most common ways hackers can breach your baby monitor’s security is through accessing the remote feature. While it is a useful feature, disabling remote access can significantly keep off hackers.
However, if you really need it on, always change the camera’s security settings. It is also essential to keep on checking the baby monitor’s login data. If you see anything unusual such as strange IP addresses, then there’s a possibility that a hacker has gained access to your monitor.
While these tips are handy, the most effective way to keep hackers from harassing you and your child is by purchasing a non-WiFi baby monitor such as the Babysense V24R compact video baby monitor.
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Baby monitors have evolved from simple “walkie talkies” to advanced devices that enable parents to control almost everything inside their child’s room.
While WiFi baby monitors have become popular because of their convenience, they have been an easy target for cyber hackers.
Babysense produces top-notch baby monitors and has remained on top of the baby monitor industry over the years. Our monitors are not only reliable, but they also guarantee to keep your baby safe at all times.
