If you spend part of the year in Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, or Estero and the rest up north, your doorbell and cameras are how you keep an eye on things from far away. They're only useful if they're charged, online, and sending the right alerts. Use this checklist in the weeks before you leave, and again when you come back.

A few weeks before you leave

  • Update everything. Update the app on your phone and check for device software updates. (CISA explains why software updates matter.) It's easier to fix a hiccup while you're still in town.
  • Check your subscription. If your brand keeps recorded clips behind a plan, make sure it's active and on the right payment card, so you can review clips while you're away.
  • Look at every camera's view. Plants grow fast here. Trim anything that has crept into the frame or will by summer.
  • Test Wi-Fi at each device. If any device drops offline often, fix it now. A mesh point or extender is much easier to add while you're home. Here's why Wi-Fi struggles in block-construction homes.
  • Replace tired batteries. If a battery doesn't last as long as it used to, replace it before you go.

Tune alerts for an empty house

The alerts that make sense when you're home are often wrong when nobody's there. Most apps have modes, often called Home, Away, and Disarmed or something similar, that change which devices record and send notifications.

  • Set up an Away mode where every outdoor camera and the doorbell record and alert you.
  • Turn on indoor cameras only in Away mode, if you have them, so they're off when you or guests are home.
  • Tighten motion zones so you're not flooded with alerts for landscapers, pool service, or traffic. Too many notifications and you'll start ignoring them.
  • Consider a schedule. Some apps let you quiet alerts during the regular landscaping or pool service window.
  • Turn on offline and low-battery alerts. These are the most important notifications for a seasonal home. They tell you when something needs attention.

Share access with someone local

When an alert comes in from 1,200 miles away, it helps to have someone nearby who can see the same video and take a look. Most doorbell and camera apps let you add a shared user, such as a trusted neighbor, family member, or property manager, with their own login.

  • Use the app's shared-user feature instead of giving out your own password. You can remove their access any time.
  • Protect your own login with a strong, unique password and multi-factor authentication, since you'll be relying on it from far away.
  • Check what they can see and change. Some apps let you limit shared users to viewing only.
  • Agree ahead of time on what they should do if they see something, and how to reach you.
  • Let them know who is expected at the house, such as pool, lawn, or pest service, and on which days.
  • If someone will recharge or swap batteries for you, show them how before you leave.

Power, Wi-Fi, and batteries

  • Leave your modem and router on. It sounds obvious, but unplugging electronics before a trip is a common habit. Cameras can't reach you without them.
  • Consider a battery backup (UPS) for your modem and router so a short power blip doesn't take everything offline.
  • Check that outlets stay on. If a plug-in camera uses an outlet on a switch, make sure no one will turn it off.
  • Charge every battery and any spares the day before you leave.
  • Keep your internet service active. If you pause or downgrade service for the summer, make sure Wi-Fi will still work for your devices.

Summer is also hurricane season. Our guide to keeping Wi-Fi cameras working through heat, humidity, and hurricane season covers storm prep and what to check afterward. For your household's own storm plan, the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s Plan & Prepare page is a good place to start.

The day you leave

  • Switch the app to Away mode.
  • Walk past each camera and the doorbell, and confirm alerts reach your phone and your shared user's phone.
  • Open live view on each device once, so you know everything is online.
  • Close charging-port covers and make sure any storm shutters you're leaving down don't block a camera you rely on.

While you're up north

  • Open the app once a week and check that every device shows as online with healthy battery levels.
  • After a big storm or a power outage in the area, check right away. Some devices don't reconnect on their own.
  • Keep your phone's notification settings on for the app. Phone updates sometimes reset them.

When you come back

  • Switch back to Home mode and turn indoor cameras off if you prefer.
  • Clean lenses and check mounts for rust, loose screws, or summer storm damage.
  • Review who has shared access and remove anyone who no longer needs it.
  • Recharge batteries and note any that didn't last the summer.

Would you rather have someone else handle the list? Our seasonal and away-from-home check-ins make sure your devices are online, charged, and sending alerts before you leave and while you're up north. We serve homes in Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, Estero, and nearby communities.

Still choosing devices? Start with our guide to choosing a video doorbell for a Naples-area home.

Frequently asked questions

Which alerts matter most for a seasonal home?

Offline and low-battery alerts. They tell you when a device needs attention, so a camera does not quietly stop working while you are away.

How can a neighbor see my cameras without my password?

Use the app’s shared-user feature. Most doorbell and camera apps let you add a trusted neighbor, family member, or property manager with their own login, and you can remove their access any time.

Should I unplug my modem and router before I leave?

No. Leave your modem and router on. Cameras cannot reach you without them. A battery backup for the modem and router can help ride out short power blips.

How often should I check my devices while I am away?

Open the app about once a week to confirm every device is online with healthy battery levels, and check right away after a big storm or power outage in the area.

More from the blog

Learn more about what we set up, how a visit works, our service area in Naples and Collier County, or read the common questions.