How much data does my SWIFI camera use?

In general, the SWIFI camera uses data every time it is streamed to the Swann Security app (mobile stream) and when it automatically uploads recordings to the Swann Security cloud (recording stream). The latter is the main reason why data usage will be higher.

Data usage can be estimated by the number of times the camera streams over the internet multiplied by the bitrate value. 

The following table is an estimate of how much bandwidth is used every second that 1 camera uploads recordings to the cloud or app live view. The values are not exact numbers due to factors such as distance, extenders, Wi-Fi traffic, obstructions, lighting/ambience on the camera, and number of triggers that can increase or decrease data usage. 

Resolution	Estimated bandwidth for upload stream	Estimated bandwidth for download stream
1080p camera	1 Mbps	0.0675 Mbps
2K camera	1 Mbps	0.125 Mbps
4K camera	2 Mbps	0.25 Mbps

The higher the resolution of the camera and the more cameras streamed/online, the more bandwidth is needed to stream the cameras and sync recordings. If the bandwidth of the router or the bandwidth of your mobile data are insufficient, uploading to the cloud or streaming to mobile device will be latent. See Viewing Swann cameras from the Internet: Comparing your speed.

 

How to check live streaming mobile data usage of Swann Security app in your phone

Some mobile devices can identify how much data has been used for a specific period when you live stream and playback recordings via the Swann Security app.

Android	iOS
Go to Settings. Go to Connections. Go to Data usage. Select either Mobile data usage or Wi-Fi data usage (which do you use to stream the cameras). Scroll down until you find Swann Security app. Data usage for the period shown in KB or MB is visible below the app name.	Go to Settings. Go to Cellular / Mobile Data. Scroll until you find Swann Security app. Data usage for the period shown in KB or MB is visible below the app name.

 

What causes data usage increase

There are a number of factors associated with WiFi camera use that can cause data usage to spike or increase. You can check each of the following common factors that contribute to high data consumption: 

1. Frequent access to the camera via Swann Security app

Viewing the cameras via Live will cause the camera to use the internet to send video signals to the streaming mobile device. If more than one user has access to the same Swann Security account, data usage is higher.

SWIFI cameras have a fixed resolution and bitrate when uploading recordings to the cloud, but bitrate (Video Quality) can be changed in the Swann Security app when live streaming to reduce data usage on your mobile device.

2. Each camera's video quality setting in Live View is set to High

If each camera's video quality setting in the app is set to High, it increases mobile data consumption as more internet bandwidth is used to live stream or playback clips on your mobile device. 

It is recommended to stream using Low or Medium Video Quality via mobile device if mobile data usage is a concern. See Does Swann Security app have Mainstream and Substream option for live view?

3. Frequent recordings

Cameras facing busy areas with PIR/motion triggers record more frequently to local storage (internal or SD card). These recordings are immediately uploaded to the cloud. Uploading uses bandwidth. The more recordings there are, the more data is used.

See this article on ways to reduce false triggers: How to get the camera to stop recording when there is no human motion?