How Far Do Baby Monitors Reach?
If you’re in the market for a baby monitor, one thing you need to consider is how far the signal can reach. If you live in a large house or if you need to be outside in the garden while your baby is taking a nap in their room, you need something which will travel a large distance. In this article let’s take a look at how far baby monitors reach and which models you might want to consider.
Why does range matter for baby monitors?
When you see the specifications for baby monitors, you may notice some operate over a very large range. While you may think this is more than enough to meet your needs, remember this distance is measured with no obstructions between the monitor and the parent unit. Depending on the material, walls, floors and doors can block some of the signal and reduce this distance considerably. For example, thick concrete walls and a well-insulated house are two big factors. Other signals around the house can also affect the efficacy of a baby monitor.
How far do most baby monitors reach?
The standard range for baby monitors is somewhere between 500-1000 ft (152-304 metres), but this is the range if you’re in an open space. The consumer website, Which have tested various audio, video and DECT baby monitors in houses and discovered that a good baby monitor will usually work over a distance of 80m, while a poor monitor will only work over 20m. Older houses usually have thicker walls which also hinders the range of a baby monitor.
Do they work outside?
Baby monitors actually work better outside than inside as there are less obstructions and other signals which can cause interference. This can be really useful if you like to go camping as a family.
What type of baby monitor has the longest range?
It depends on the model you buy, but usually audio monitors have the best range. While they can still be affected by the thickness of the walls and other obstructions, they generally work better than video monitors (which will lose their picture very quickly once they are out of range).
Do wifi baby monitors have further reach than non-wifi?
If range is an issue for you and your family, you should probably consider a wifi baby monitor. With this type of baby monitor, there is usually no parent unit, just your smartphone. This means as long as you have a wifi connection, you don’t need to worry about the range of the baby monitor. And even if you lose your wifi connection, you can use your mobile data as a backup. This is great if you’re out visiting friends and you have a babysitter or another family member looking after your infant. You can just check in occasionally and see and hear them on your phone.
The disadvantage with wifi baby monitors is if you have a poor internet connection which frequently drops out, or if you have too many devices connected to your wifi. These factors can affect the quality of the image, or worse still, you won’t see anything at all. Security and safety are also concerns so ensure you have a strong wifi password with a firewall so it’s harder for someone to hack.
How can you extend the range of a baby monitor?
If you opt for a non-wifi baby monitor, here’s a video showing how you can extend the range. Basically, you can remove the antenna inside the baby monitor (not the parent unit) and install a much better one.
However, as you can see unless you’re a bit of a whizz with a soldering iron (I guess not many people have one of these anyway!), you’re probably better off just buying a baby monitor which has big range anyway, or opt for one which uses wifi.
What is the longest range baby monitor?
Here are three baby monitors you might want to consider which all have a long range. One wifi option, one video and one audio.
Wifi
The Superuncle video baby monitor operates over a wifi connection and your smartphone or via their own parent unit which comes with a 5 inch screen. It has extra security features so it’s harder for someone to hack and tap into the baby monitor without your permission.
Video
The Panasonic KX-HN4101W video baby monitor has a range of up to 1500ft, which they claim is interference free. This is because it uses DECT technology which means other devices cannot tap in or connect to the live feed.
Audio
The ROAR baby monitor works over a great distance (over 1000ft). I tested it out on a recent camping trip and I was really impressed with the range of the baby monitor, as well as the battery life and portability.
VTech claim their DM221 baby monitor works up to a range of 1000ft. Even with interference with walls and other objects, this should be fine if you’re after a very simple audio baby monitor.
