Swann Logo

Swann

star star star_border star_border star_border

2.9

Overall Score

LAST UPDATED: March 1st, 2024

Swann is a security company that is based out of Melbourne, Australia. The company began with a family-owned business that has expanded to include locations in the United States, Hong Kong, Australia, and other major countries.

Swann prides itself on making security advanced, yet easy and having exceptional customer service with 24/7 availability. You can purchase Swann technology directly from its website, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Amazon, Lowe's, and a variety of other online and in-store retailers. The network of resellers is part of Swann's promise to make its technology easy and accessible to its customers.

Swann offers a variety of products, including indoor and outdoor video surveillance cameras, video recorder options, and other smart home security solutions. 

If you want to see what consumers have to say about the security company, you can find Swann reviews below

Top Ranked Companies

thumb_up

The Good

  • Camera Options
  • Features
  • Swann Pricing
  • Smart Home Options
  • Online Tools
  • Extended Warranty
  • Swann Mobile App

Camera Options

Swann is a smart security company that has a wide range of security cameras and security systems at a very low price. The company stocks well over twenty cameras. Swann's products range in price, which reflects the "do-it-yourself" approach to Swan's branding culture. Customers, depending upon their needs, can select affordable cameras for a home security project or the most expensive cameras to provide the maximum security for a business or other commercial enterprise. Having a variety of options and a wide price range ensures there are security options for most customers.

Swann camera options include bullet cameras, dome cameras, video camera doorbells, and Wi-Fi connection cameras. Individual camera prices range from $59.99 to $399.99. Security systems with additional equipment range from $179 to $2,000

Features

Swann's security cameras include a variety of features such as:

  • Motion lighting
  • Heat and motion sensing
  • 2-Way talk
  • Color night vision
  • Weatherproof technology
  • Sirens and spotlights
  • Video analytics

Swann Pricing

Because Swann offers an assortment of security products, there is not an exact price range. Having the freedom to select individual products and not being forced to purchase a large security package ensures more customers have the ability to purchase Swann products, regardless of their budget. 

Smart Home Options

Swann offers a variety of smart home options. Swann smart home security includes a wired security kit or a wire-free smart security camera that can detect and record heat and motion. Swann security cameras also have two-way audio so you have capabilities like speaking to someone who is at the front door.

Swann smart home options additionally include live streaming and remote viewing of footage from a mobile device or tablet as well as instant alerts to the Swann app when activity is detected and recorded. The company's security products are compatible with the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, so you can easily control your wireless Swann security cameras and home security system with these smart home devices. 

Online Tools

Swann's website has exclusive content resources to help its visitors and potential customers make the best security decisions for them. This includes online video tutorials and how-to guides. This makes it simple for consumers to find the help they need and to research more about Swann and its offerings. 

The company's website also has a Security Solution Finder that lets consumers select and compare security systems. If visitors need additional help regarding Swann's products, the company also offers technical support with a wide array of FAQs, customer service support, warranty and return information, and more. 

Extended Warranty

Swann Security offers a 12-month warranty on all products. If anything malfunctions, you can send it back and receive a new product. If you contact Swann within 30 days of your purchase, you can also apply for an extended warranty, which is an additional six months of coverage (18 months in total). To be eligible, you need to retain your original purchase receipt or invoice. 

Swan's website states that the extended warranty "offer excludes RC toys, Xtreem product range and products purchased as refurbished or open box from SwannStore."

Swann Mobile App

Swann has its own mobile apps that give you access to live footage from your surveillance cameras and push notifications when motion and heat are detected. Because there are multiple apps, Swann's website notes that you should check the model number printed on the video recorder or camera.

This will tell you which mobile app you need. For example, if you have an 8 Channel DVR-4500, that will require the SwannView Plus app. If you have any issues determining which Swann app to download, you can contact the company's tech support or customer service department. 

thumb_down

The Bad

  • Number of Products
  • Swann Reviews

Number of Products 

A point of concern deals with new camera customers being overwhelmed with the number of products available from Swann. While Swann does carry information on some of its bundle packages, it lacks several support options such as PDF manuals and online tutorials. However, the customization of choosing individual Swann products is convenient for many customers and Swann can assist you in selecting the cameras and equipment that is right for you. 

Swann Reviews

Swann reviews include some negative comments regarding the company's products. Thankfully, Swann products include a 12-month warranty and are eligible for an additional six-month warranty (18 months in total), so if there are any issues within that time frame, Swann will take care of the problem with a refund or a product replacement. 

Best Home Security Companies

gavel

The Bottom Line

Swann is a security company that offers innovative and wireless surveillance and monitoring technology with an abundance of security equipment. The company provides indoor and outdoor security cameras for more extensive security.

The company has a DIY approach to make installation simple and carefree for consumers and offers a variety of products that consumers can choose from. 

Swann security systems include smart home solutions including a mobile app that sends your mobile device push notifications when your security camera motion sensor detects movement. You can also use the app for remote viewing of your digital video recorder as well as to control your Swann products with the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. 

Swann is convenient for customers looking to buy individual security products rather than a prearranged security package that is non-customizable and may not include all desired security products.

If you want to learn more about the security provider, check out Swann reviews below. You can also check out full security systems companies if you are interested in professional monitoring and more robust security systems. 

View Home Security Camera Companies

Need a Full Home Security System? See Top Companies

Was this content helpful?
thumb_up Yes thumb_down No

Star Rating

info

1.8

star star star_border star_border star_border

186 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

13%

4 grade

8%

3 grade

2%

2 grade

3%

1 grade

74%

Sentiment Criteria

Value

star star star_border star_border star_border

Quality

star star star_border star_border star_border

Service

star star star_border star_border star_border

Trustworthiness

star star star_border star_border star_border
cancel

Filter by:

arrow_drop_down

Sort by:

arrow_drop_down
info
check_circle

Review Source

star star star star star

Jake Benson Chicago, IL

I like swann cameras so much i ordered their 5 Camera 8 Channel 4K Ultra HD Pro Enforcer NVR Security System - SONVK-8898041PT their camera is very clear and it works continuously I can also control it any where on my mobile phone

2 months ago Edited January 26, 2024

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Robert Seeley Armstrong, ON

These cameras do not capture the movement you want. They capture every snowflake and bug close up but not the stuff that actually matters. Had a fox prowling my property plain for the eye to see. None of my 5 swaan cameras caught this fox. Don't waste your money.

3 weeks ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

David Baron

A very very poor product Save your money But something a bit more pricey but that actually does the job and who's technical support team are stuck somewhere out near Katmando on a land line and who actually know what products they sell. So apparently - you need a special Andriod outlet plug to charge these up over a 12 hr period. Apparently the '6 months' battery life is if you don't turn them on. Just a poor experience on this side of the customer fence. Will not be buying any more from this company

1 month ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Jason Morgan Melbourne, VIC

Horrible company. Horrible, if none existent, customer service. I would give zero stars if I could. They promise to call back and they lie because they never do. Never buy their products again.

4 weeks ago

star star star star star

Ghoul Boi Wolf Creek, OR

The Egg cam. Shaped like an egg, with feet, connects to WiFi. Has onboard battery, onboard infrared, charges with a micro usb cable or a solar panel. Has onboard video event files accessible remotely, no DVR needed. Portable. Never turns off. Great night vision heat signature, or difference between warm figures and cold backgrounds. Caught critters immediately. Can set in new place every night if want, thanks to included magnetic mount. Weatherproof. Widefield lens. Got cam, mounts, solar panel, and cabling for $99.00 USD. Buying 3 more as soon as I can. Works great. Tested it all week. Good detection. Alerts sent to cellphone thru app. Caught neighbors dog, a fox, wandering chickens, and a cat. Model SWWHD-INTCMSOLTD is a grand slam. Thank you.

5 years ago

star star star star star_border

Mark Campion Melbourne, VIC

I purchased a 4K 16-channel NVR PoE system a few years ago. The product came with 8 PoE cameras. I have installed 5 of them so far and overall my experience has been hassle free. The picture quality is very good, day or night and they have audio, (which I don't use. The reviews seem to indicate that the wifi systems cause the most headaches. I deliberately stayed away from wifi stuff - wifi in general can be a bit unreliable. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is the outdated software that Swann used at the time. Perhaps it is more streamlined and intuitive now, as I said, my system is a few years old.

1 year ago

star star star star star_border

Rhonda Peters Parker, CO

No fee for monthly service which is what I wanted and am VERY happy with. I have the 4k DVR with 8 cameras and its great to monitor my house. The software took some work to get set up and learn how to navigate, but the customer service was helpful and I have monitoring on my phone and laptop over the internet. Its fun that the alarm and light feature can be activated remotely and family members can be pranked. The downside is that to access the DVR directly requires a computer or TV monitor that takes HDMI directly. I have a VGA device so will need to upgrade. Great motion feature--so it only records when motion, and evidently cannot download recordings on my phone, but can from the internet. Overall this was a good a choice and good buy.

3 years ago

star star star star star

Ray G

I have just purchased a Swann 3K series wired system, system arrived packaged perfectly in security sealed box. Everything has worked perfectly including network connections to my iphone, video quality of the 5MP cameras is great, Night vision has good range and clarity in IR mode. Everything just works. Hardest part of the entire job was remembering my iphone App store password.

4 years ago

star star star star star_border

CL Daugherty Services Auburn California Auburn, CA

I'm not a person who normally writes reviews nor do I look at them because it's usually filled with personal opinions and not facts. Well for some reason I did read a few reviews after being on a sport website. after reading Schwan's reviews and all the people complaining about their product and service I realized the reviews were filled is just that, people complaining about a cheap camera system should have unlimited support and things that were stolen during the non operation of the system like it was swans fault that their stuff was stolen come on people it's where you live not the camera systems they're stealing your stuff grow up you don't get champagne on a beer budget. I've been using in purchasing Swan products for about 20 years now and the one thing I have realized is the abundance of different products for the price range of $14 to well over $1,000 summer quality summer not quality but you don't get these options with a regular security camera company you will pay through your nose and you will always have a tech that comes out to help you navigate your system because they are truly complicated. Swan is geared for do it yourself fur if you are not a do-it-yourselfer do not purchase this product if you are go ahead it's a very reliable product some things that are new in the box yes go bad they've always stood behind their product I've never had a problem exchanging anyting nor have I had continuous product failures everything that I purchased has work for me with the exception of a few things flawlessly for the price you will not get a better system. I noticed some people have complained about things not working after having electricians or other people install them that's not swans problem they offer certified installers for a very cheap price if you're not using one of their certified installers you're gambling on your own it's not the company's fault. People don't realize it when you're installing some of the products even if they are weatherproof doesn't mean they are bulletproof the Sun the rain and the elements have a huge effect on the way these cameras work or operate or can be affected this is why if you're not a do-it-yourselfer and you do not understand certain things about how a security system works you should not buy these products and just purchase a security system from a security company and then you will see how much it really costs and how hard it is to set up the system even with 24-hour support it doesn't mean everything is going to work all the time so with that being said this is what I think of swans products. They are one of the best products you can buy for the money relatively simple to install relatively simple to use and the best part about it is it's at the convenience of almost any of your local brick-and-mortar stores saves you from waiting for delivery of anyting you got Hands-On in the store you can see what you're purchasing and decide a little bit better if that's something you want to buy if you are do it yourself over and looking for a good security system at a low cost these are the products for you they are everywhere and in abundance. You will not get a better product for the price I stand behind Swan because so far after last 20 years they've stood behind me at my numerous different properties and made them much more safer and much more easier for the police to enforce punishment on the crimes that have been committed . thank you Swann for giving me peace of mind and help pursuing Justice where is before I would have just in another victim without a clue what happened or what's going on. Thank you again Swann

4 years ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star star star

Robert Rootes Bestselling Author Fredericksburg, VA

When it was time to install security cameras around the property, I did a lot of research. I looked at the products and how they varied and what they offered for package deals. I chose Swann because they have a strong background and great reviews from users like me. I want to believe in the integrity of a company before I make a decision. When you install something and expect it to last without malfunctioning or needed repairs, you want to get something that will stand up to the elements. Swann had exactly what we needed, the number of cameras we wanted to install, the the hardware needed to get everything done within a budget.

2 years ago

star star star star star

Steve

Surprised to read the poor reviews. My experience was different. Telephone support was excellent with patient, knowledgable staff who guided me through a problem and eventually diagnosed that a small battery needed replacing inside the unit. 6 screws later and a new battery fitted and all as new. Great service all round.

5 years ago

star star star star star

David Cochrane

We feel much more secure when we are away with peace of mind knowing we can view our property when we are not home. The pricing is affordable for families which is a big relief and the warranty is great 18 months free warranty.

5 years ago

star star star star star_border

John Needham

the only reason I have given a 4* and not 5 is that the software is a bit clunky, especially the playback option which takes an age to go through and find the video clips needed. In all other respects, quality of images, remote access via iPhone, iPad or any tablets great for the price. I have also found customer service to be very helpful. They quickly sorted out my initial setup problems and I have had trouble free coverage since.

6 years ago

star star star star star

John Pandjak Royersford, PA

I would have given them a ZERO when I discovered the system I have was not compatible with IOS11 on my iPhone. I finally called TechSupport and with in a few minutes I had an answer for a different client app for my phone (ASEE+). A minute or two after downloading the App my cameras were again viewable on my iPhone. Now they get and deserve a 10+.

6 years ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star star star_border

Floyd Gipson Springfield, IL

I like the system, but I get a lot of false alarm when cars go passed the house.

1 month ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Bill Gettig Myrtle Beach, SC

Every time I try to watch live or playback it will move about 1 second Every 5 seconds! Will not play live or playback,. Use to work better. Trying to figure which system to switch to. So over swann. And I have good internet over 300 mbps. It worked better before they did away with the thumbnails that I could find recordings easier. Not happy with swann at all. Looking to replace them.

8 months ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Lin P Peoria, AZ

2 times in the last 10 months we needed footage off our cameras, last time law enforcement needed it. Camera captured before & after but not the actual incident. Customer service blamed it on wiring issue! We now have it on 24/7 recording instead of detection. Still within warranty but Swanns not honoring it. SAD!!! Support & System not worth the $$$!

8 months ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Ann Herriman, UT

Garbage product. Faulty camera right out of the box. Spent an hour with customer support. I described the issue right off the bat to the agent, who proceeded to ignore me and insist I go through troubleshooting steps I had already done, and completely ignored/disregarded or just didn't read my messages at all, stating that I HAD already done those troubleshooting steps. Support agent concluded that the camera is faulty, which could have been concluded in the first 5 minutes had the agent bothered to read literally ANYTHING I had written to them. I don't know why they even have a support department if their only purpose is to waste your time for an hour and not read a damn thing you wrote. Returning the whole camera set because of how poor their customer service is. I have to admit though, I'm glad I know this at the time of set up so I can return this system and never deal with this so-called "support" team that will just give you the runaround and ignore everything you say. Avoid this company at all costs, they may be a great deal at Sam's Club but there is absolutely NO excuse for this insulting level of "support" that they offer, not to mention the article base is useless and it's nearly impossible to get their useless support anyway.

10 months ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Jeff Moody Grants Pass, OR

Echoing everyone else's experience: THERE IS NO CUSTOMER SUPPORT! Customer satisfaction isn't important to them. After installing system everything worked for 2 weeks. A light failed on a camera. The chat bot kept telling me to rephrase my issue. I tried every phone # I could find. Illminating when their 1st message says don't be hostile over the phone or I'll be blocked. Put on hold, asked if I would do a call-back, I declined, informed I was put on call-back que, never did, I called back, immediate informed I'm on call-back & hung up on me, start a chat for an exchange, informed I have to verify with tech support, started that process... figured I should check other cameras status, 3 CAMERA LIGHTS HAVE FAILED! I'm returning the whole system to Best Buy with a bad review!

11 months ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Gerald Visser Sydney, NSW

Purchased two swifi spot cam 1080p cameras from Bunnings in October 2022 and is still under warranty. Although wired to the modems, one camera is faulty. Bunnings has requested me to bring the camera back along with all the cables for a refund. I paid more to get a tech guy to wire the cameras than the cost of the cameras. A replacement is not possible until I return the complete package. I have been communicating with the swan tech support team to get the issue fixed since January but not getting anywhere. They take ages to reply and you could hold the line for over a hour before someone answer. The mounting in the other camera is cracked due to the garden heat. Placed a order in the special order section at bunnings. Got a call back from Bunnings to say that the bracket cannot be purchased separately and I have to purchase a new camera. I am also told that this model is discontinued item. My advice to consumers is not to buy any swan products.

11 months ago

star star star_border star_border star_border

Howard Thrift

Intermittent working products , recently purchased an indoor unit which has turned out to be piece of junk. After initial setup all seemed fine but then gradually we could not log into monitor the house . After rebooting resetting and spending hours trying to pair and self setup the camera it fails every time to connect . During the setup procedure it says connecting and the pairing light does what the instructions say , then it says please wait were setting up your camera 10 minutes later it says 100% successful and then gives a message cannot connect to camera . The camera is now residing twenty feet below the house after bouncing off the driveway , never had so much of a problem trying to get a simple camera to work .

1 year ago

star star star_border star_border star_border

X Minneapolis, MN

Swann cameras are great...when they work. We have 6 wireless cameras and 2 hardwired floodlight camera, we've had them for 2 yrs. The wireless cameras constantly go offline and you'll spend half of your life troubleshooting them and trying to get them online, even when you're sitting right next to your modem with a "weak or no signal" according to the camera. The floodlight simply doesn't record activity half the time. Now the lights are strobing and we can't get them to stop, so we had to turn it off and it's worthless at this point. The app crashes frequently on multiple devices. Don't waste your $$ on Swann products, they're basically expensive paperweights that slowly steal your life trying to get them to work.

2 years ago

star star star_border star_border star_border

Paul Tampa, FL

I'm delighted to see the numerous frustrations with Swann support. Me too, and I have a story that should shock you. I cannot record on my Swann system. Twice the local sheriff's office rang my bell asking to see footage that would help them with what they were called about, and twice I told them I have a Swann system and Swann does not have the passwords for their equipment, based on my experience. You see, shortly after I installed the cable-based system (I was in tech) I realized I needed a password to record using the cameras. I called Swann several times (four times) asking for it. Someone in tech support told me they do not have passwords for their DVR decks. I was in tech, and cannot believe that a tech company would not have a database matching serial numbers with passwords. It shouldn't be. So I'll send communication to Swann's executives asking for the password. If that fails, I'll tell their competition about this and let the local law enforcement know that Swann products are not reliable for crime prevention and security. It's unfortunate, I like the products but the money they're spending in tech support is wasted. Happy New Year.

5 years ago

star star star star star

Mike

I cant believe the reviews here. I went from a Arlo V1 to this and they have been great. Im using the 1080p wifi ones with iphone. Notifications have been instant. A great system for the price point!

5 years ago

star star star star star_border

Mickey Ballard

It's a very good security camera for the price. I didn't think I needed one but the second day I caught a prowler with the video footage identifying him wasn't no problem.just wish the night vision was a little clearer but it's a ex excellent camera

6 years ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star star star

RONALD J BOLLINGER Minneapolis, MN

Thought it was a great camera for the price, although wasn’t expecting much for what I paid. But was surprised by the quality of the picture and the features that it came with. I would and have purchased more of these cameras. Very nice product.

1 year ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star star star

Kayla Heddleson Pittsburgh, PA

I bought a swann surveillance camera system at sam's club that came with 8 cameras that I bought 8 years ago. The cameras record 2000 hours came with a dvr and has night vision takes great quality photos and videos when it records! I highly recommend buying swann brand when interested in a surveillance system!

1 year ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star star star

Ben Hayward, CA

The 1st security cams I ever purchased and it was by far one of the best and longest lasting camera I've had lots of extras and easy to set up I would recommend Swann to everyone with thoughts of buying Swann 1st to save time and money

2 years ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star star star

Kymberlee Yack Orem, UT

we just moved into a new house and had looked for weeks for a good security camera company. swann had the best reviews and let me just say they did not disappoint. we were so pleased with the service and quality of the product

5 years ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star star star_border

Mary Huntsville, AL

Swann has awesome items to choose from. While I don’t order from them often, I enjoy their foods when I do.

3 months ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Kevin Rankin Mississauga, ON

So after just over a year DVR is Faulty based on their tech support determination, see attached photo. They tell me to complete RMA to have it replaced, after locating all the information they required they respond back that even though it is of poor quality from them that I cannot return it, but they will give me $50 towards another one of their pieces of crap, it will not allow mevto attach screenshots of emails

9 months ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

greg woehl Dayton, OH

There is no person to talk to for help. All there is is a bot. Not knowing the terminology makes it even harder to ask questions. I only need a little help with pairing and verifying credentials, but it does not tell you what to do to fix the problem. They want you to do all the work and read a whole bunch of stuff to find an answer rather than pay a support person. This is going back to the store, and I'll buy another brand.

10 months ago Edited May 15, 2023

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

T Moore Gibsonia, PA

Installation was simple. Video quality was very good. Biggest complaint is using Android app to access live feed. This is the second time the system has gone down on Swanns end. Yes, for you to access your systems live feed you must have Swann as the middleman to do it. When Swann goes down good luck checking your property. Swanns system went down a couple of years ago and it took them a few weeks to fix it. System is down again and we are now waiting for them to fix their end. You can't speak with a human. The best you can do is log onto their forum and read about others saying the same thing you are struggling with. We have two separate Swann systems and I would never recommend them to anyone.

1 year ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Don Corona Perth, WA

4 years ago since I've purchased sequrity system Swan it didn't work good at all. I have wireless. Cunstant video loss I've called them couple of times. They just was waisting my time. Didn't solved the problem. I left town. Now I am back. Called them again. Waiting time. I chanced the router. Swan stop showing videos at all. My wife was all day trying to solve the problem with customer service . I am not home. The tech support so unprofessional. They made it worse. Now someone on the top level off support must to contact us. My advice! Do not waste your time, money and nerves with this company. Buy a dissent brand. Good luck

1 year ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Dale Funk Prosser, WA

The good: The wireless camera system is easy to set up. The pictures are wide angle. The bad: The Android app is terrible nearly useless. In live view I am unable to go full screen. The video is choppy and random, though I have very high speed connections. I have had virtually no luck downloading event. It shows what appear to be events and camera, sometimes shows the length. Never plays the event. (Never). It has let me download, but then it just comes up dark, or mixes flash points between cameras rapidly (flickers). It actually allowed playing a video one time. Very frustrating because it should be quite simple but seems like the app is garbage.

1 year ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

cameraman Birmingham, BIR

The specification on the cameras sound brilliant when you order them. By day they are brilliant with clear high resolution images. In reality the QHD cameras at night are garbage, they blur with any motion and are ridiculously grainy. The new generation of Ring Stick Up cam (the basic model) are VASTLY superior picture quality in the dark and cost a fraction of the price. Add this to the useless SWANN Viewlink PC software, and even worse mobile app which 9 times out of 10 doesn't work, unless you are on the home network, and even then refuses to allow you to record any of the footage and you've got a real dog's dinner of CCTV system that costs over £500. First and last Swann product I will ever buy

1 year ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Moin Sadat Guildford, SRY

Swann is a Fraud company. I bought 4 wireless cameras from them last year. I using initial few months I have not used those cameras. When I tried to use them last month, they have changed their app and my cameras are not connecting with their new app. When I have called them, they said those cameras are not compatible with their new app and I have to buy new ones. I felt like, I have been completely ripped. They are not cheap cameras and I don't know how they are doing business in this country. When I have checked the Trustpilot review, found that thousands of similar stories. Please be aware of any product from them.

2 years ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Ari Henning Huntington Park, CA

I've had a SWANN NVR/POI system for about two years now, and hate it. Even with SWANN's latest PIR camera I get soooo many false alerts. I've spent hours and hours on the phone with customer service (all outsourced) and it's just a runaround. Ultimately the latest Level 2 tech I spoke to told me that my cameras and system are operating as normal. This, despite the fact that I receive upwards of 300 alerts a day (for an empty, quiet back yard). I'm so frustrated to have spent $500+ on this system. I'm at the point where I'll likely just get new/different cameras and NVR and reuse the CAT5 cable I ran all over my property.

2 years ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

The Hand Up Project Everett, WA

I purchased 4 of these systems may 2nd 2021 and after installing the first one we could not view it with the app on our phones or off site computers and we immediately contacted support with no luck and we were escalated to level 3 tech and they scheduled calls but only called once of the 3 set appointments did they call and i have a tech that has tried working with them but after 14hrs they still cannot get it to work and my tech charges $75 an hour. after all the issues and failures to fix the problem i have decided to return the other 3 systems to BestBuy but the cameras are already installed on the first one so we are keeping that one and just using an Annke DVR for the cameras.

2 years ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Bob Mesquite, TX

I bought the SWNVK-886804FB. Came 01/19. I have been calling the US office for days and just get a loop. When I try different departments and press the number requested I get hung up on. ABSOLUTLEY NO SUPPORT. I tried sales, accounting, HR, shipping and the used there contact support on the web site, Here is the response. Thank you for contacting Swann USA, Canada & Rest of World . Here is a copy of your message. "If you require further information please contact us at your closest Swann Office below". WHich I did and got the results above. No wonder they did not respond via email appropriately. No sense buying the product unless you have a company to back it up. $$$$$$$ down the drain. I have a recording of the loop and attempts to get in touch with anyone a Swann.

3 years ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Chickasaw Enid, OK

We paid 400 bucks on 4 cameras. One came out of the box not working. Customer service dropped the ball and didn't send us the authorization number which was needed for replacement. The tech went into the camera to verify it was not working. A month later 2 more quit. One was our fault. It was unplugged but the tech who I spoke with about sending the authorization number was so busy trying to show he was smarter than me, never took the time to troubleshoot these cameras even though I requested it. He said send all of them in which would have resulted in the loss of 2 cameras because they had no authorization number. The next day I called yet again. This tech spoke better English and walked me through different steps. That is when I discovered the camera at the barn had been accidentally unplugged while installing a cattle fence. If the tech had not had such a bad attitude this would have been discovered previously. The cameras work, seems like, when they feel like it. They are 4 months old and will record in fast forward giving less than one second of video. The video recording when recorded at the correct speed will show up zoomed all the way in. You have to zoom all the way back out and by then have missed the recording and have to do it all over again. You cannot view these cameras with Windows or Mac. This is a personal preference because the images are MUCH larger and not everyone uses their smart phone for internet use. The app...Ah yes. That NON piece of software Swann has that doesn't work. That should be Swann's TITANIC disgrace but they appear to not notice it is utter garbage. A picture on a cell phone with "buttons" to push that do nothing. Even tech support tells you to go outside, climb up your ladder and push the manual button on your camera, and not hit reset on your app because...well because it silently laughs at you. These devices worked beautifully for the first month except the one of course. The night vision is terrific. There are several settings so the camera does not pick up, let's say, ants walking in the grass but the cameras don't know any better and still record ants walking in the grass...at fast forward, in less than a second. That means you never see the ants. For those who don't get sarcasm, these cameras pick up every single car that goes by even if they are set on low and aren't aimed directly at them. It would be okay if the app worked and the low setting "button" worked but it doesn't matter low, medium, or high. The app is supposed to work with all 4 cameras but it seems recordings get skipped (such as 2 cars going by) if one or two cameras catch the first car the second car is not caught and recorded also. I have had people on bicycles on the sidewalk get missed by this. I also didn't catch who busted out my car window. I have used Swann in the past and up to now, but all it takes is one nightmare of an experience that never seems to end to make sure I never make the same mistake twice. My breaking point was the tech who was likely in or from India who spoke to me as if I were below him. That was just too much. Even if Swann refunded my money I will never choose them again. If they refunded my money and let me keep the cameras I wouldn't buy them again. However I would give them two stars instead of one.

3 years ago

star star star_border star_border star_border

linda gallmeyer Buffalo, NY

I have the indoor 2 pack camera. camera is ok after months of back and forth with swann. I was using two camera's and unpluged one for a few weeks, well, swann did a update and now the camera that was not plugged in will not work. called swann, cannot find the receipt but i have the packing slip with date. Swann will not accept it so I am out of luck. I will never purchase another swann product or recommend them.

3 years ago

star star star_border star_border star_border

Bob Jensen Folsom, CA

Dvr is great, cameras are good, app is HORRIBLE. Will not ever connect to 4 different dvrs at 4 different locations. The software when I log into the DVR from internet explorer does work. Just useless on my phone. Would not recommend if you need to use your phone to view but if you are ok with using your PC you will be fine for remote viewing as long as you have internet explorer. Will not work with any other browser.

3 years ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Shane Stanford Athelstone, SA

Purchased and installed, instant issues, audio never worked, video recording was delayed and jittery. Wouldn't motion pick up as much as older model did, even with there make believe fancy body heat and motion detections, we'd miss people parking a car in our driveway, and walking accross our drive, but pick them up in the last few seconds walking to our door. Changed every setting possible with no fix. Contacted swann tech support who advised me my cameras don't have audio, even though I purchased them from swann with "audio" being in advert. Tech support then needed a video of the faulty recording, in which I made and never got any replies after that. Opened a PayPal dispute which they ignored, opened an ebay dispute since I purchased through swann ebay, got advised they'll refund... Returned camera setup in a different box as I didn't keep the original box as I never intended returning, packaged and cushioned using 30+ new hygienic and very soft nappies as packaging as it was the softest thing I had. They then opened a dispute with ebay stating I returned a severely damaged unit, not in original packaging and not in a resellable condition, not knowing I took plenty of photos. How they can just resell a faulty item I don't know. So, finale, disgusting after sales service from swann, no customer support and final straw trying to get out of refund by stating damage. PayPal refunded. Do not go swann.

4 years ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Cloggie

Almost 4 months ago I bought a Swann NVR16-8580 with 2 NHD-885 cameras which are PoE. I'm on a tight budget and had intended to expand the coverage with more cameras at a later date. Almost immediately after installing the first two cameras I noticed the system was frequently shutting down and starting up again. That is, it's not rebooting, it's actually just like it loses power then recovers and starts up again. On some days this has occurred 19 times, 19 times on 1 day! I contacted Swann support and they told me to upgrade the firmware of the NVR. This didn't work so I called them again, now they tell me to upgrade the camera firmware. I have tried firmware upgrades of both the NVR and the cameras. Through diagnosis I have narrowed the fault down to one of the cameras, when this camera is disconnected the system will work fine. I have tried running a different PoE network cable to this camera but the fault still occurs. Now, Swann want me to pull the camera down and mount it in a different location. I've been trying to fix this issue for three months now to no avail. Every time I call Swann they just tell me to try things which I've already tried. I also have a stand alone wifi camera installed on my premises which has it's own dedicated power supply and Swann even tried telling me to disconnect it because it may be drawing too much current from the Swann system! Even after explaining that this wifi camera is not physically connected the Swann NVR, that it has it's own power supply, they still insisted it could be the fault! Three phone calls ago they promised if the fault occurs again they will initiate a warranty claim but now they're dodging that responsibility and blaming the fault on my household electricity wiring. Had I known that Swann would be such a poor company to deal with when it comes to warranty I would never have bought their product. My next step now, sell this system and buy a different brand.

4 years ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

the infamous x Plattsburgh, NY

I gave this company one star.... and that was being generous. I purchased this system in January, 2019, and it was installed in late May/early June of the same year. At first it worked fine. The picture was clear, color was good. I loved being able to freeze frames, review events, and access when I was away from home. Then, in late October, one of the cameras stopped working. The connection power from the outlet to the camera was checked. The system was reset and rebooted. The camera was unplugged from one power source and plugged into another. Nothing. No infrared lights showing on the offending camera. Finally, it was time to contact Swann's. I don't do well with instruction over the phone, as I'm a bit technologically challenged, and better understand things in writing. I don't have an hour or so a day to spend on the phone, as I babysit. Also, although I don't consider myself elderly, I do have osteoporosis, and can't be climbing ladders to reach the camera or at least one of the connections. Therefore, I was requesting instruction over email. My first email went unanswered. So, I contacted the seller of the system. He was also in contact with someone at Swann in coordination with myself. After a second email, they finally answered, asking me all the questions that I answered in the first, to which I responded. After a 3rd email, once again asking me questions that had already gotten answered, I started getting upset. It was obvious I was getting a runaround. Their conclusion was that I would have to spend time on the phone with their techs. I just don't have time for that. While I'm doing that, I would have a couple of children taking over the house. Unfortunately, the seller of this product got the same answer from them. All I wanted was a camera to replace the broken one (which was/is obviously still under warranty. If this company is willing to lose one or more customers over a camera which probably costs them $10 to $15, so be it. I'm sick of being a puppet for them. Take my advice, either buy a system that's maintained by a company that cares. Otherwise, you'll be stuck with a bunch of "dummy" cameras hanging on your house.

4 years ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Jon Studio City, CA

The Swann cameras and DVR/NVR systems are great. But if you have any warranty issues -- you're dead out of luck. I purchased a 16 camera NVR system. All worked except one camera. Support called me back three times with different techs to try and figure out the issue. I told them the camera was just defective. They wouldn't accept that. After six hours and three technicians they finally accepted the camera was defective. A week later I get an email to send back the defective camera and pay the shipping -- so they can attempt to fix it! Not replace it, but try and fix a two week old camera? And by the way you will not get a technician from North America. There is no one to talk to or in charge in the U.S. or Canada. The company is too big and they apparently don't like dealing with customers after they purchase their products. I am on hold again with the service department for almost two hours now.

4 years ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Necro Norfolk, VA

Mine worked ok for about a month, then it went "offline" by itself when I was gone on a two week out of town for work. Came home and reset it, repaired it, got it all back up and running, and a few weeks later it goes "offline" again. I reset it, tried to repair it, and it will not recognise my Wi-fi anymore... I've reset my wifi router about 10 times, and I even went out and bought a new phone because my old Galaxy S5 was kind of old, and I thought that might have been the problem. But now I have a new Galaxy Note 10+ and the camera still won't finish paring. It will go to the step where it see's that there are wi-fi networks available, but it won't list them or connect to any of them. I see negative reviews of this system all over the internet. Swann should issue a recall or replace everyones camera with one that actually works. I can't believe they would release such an unbaked product out into the market. I will never waste my money on anything made by Swann again.

4 years ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Paul

Unfortunately Swann systems suffer from a huge security flaw as they write your UID, username and password in a plain text file on your hard drive. Depending on which version of the software you use this information is either in your install directory or on your d:\ drive, if you have one. We have two different systems, installed at 2 different premises, using different versions of software. Fresh installs to test the flaw did the same each time. Swann have been aware of the situation for a long time but are doing nothing to fix it or raise awareness so that existing users can take steps to rectify the situation and secure their system.

4 years ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Nardia

Waste of time and money 1st week was amazing, worked really well and was perfect as match my security system. BUT then the issues started. It stopped sending pictures then stopped ringing all together!!! So I took it down to recharge, now it wont even connect!!! After multiple emails and phone calls I am left with an expensive lump of plastic!! Customer service is appalling after email correspondence they palmed me off to their call centre only to have them go through the exact same ‘trouble shooting’ process. I was then told I would have to have an Australian customer service person call me (I am STILL waiting) I did express how important it was as we were going over seas and that was one of the main reasons we brought that particular door bell. When I received no call after 2 weeks I again called them, only to be told ‘someone’ would call me back. Alas no phone call. Once I returned from over seas I again followed up with a phone call and emails and STILL 3 weeks later only the standard ‘someone will be in contact’ Swann are now refusing to upload my review as it apparently doesn’t meet their ‘website guidelines’. Very convenient!!

4 years ago