Ankway Solar Security Camera Review

Ankway solar security camera is a good value and low-maintenance surveillance camera with convenient remote access. Ankway camera features remote Pan-Tilt-Zoom, a powerful 8-watt solar panel combined with the biggest in class capacity battery, PIR night vision and free cloud storage. Its biggest competitor is the Reolink Argus PT.

🔹 Solar panel power: 8 Watts – 9 hours to recharge the internal battery under direct sunlight.
🔹 Internal Battery: 70 Watt-hours (more than the competition)
🔹 Field of View: not specified (we assume it is 105° diagonal)
🔹 Connectivity: 2.4 GHz only
🔹 Night Vision: Yes, PIR sensor
🔹 Resolution: 1080p HD
🔹 Motion detection: Yes
🔹 Notifications: Yes, via app
🔹 Live view: Yes, via app
🔹 External Storage: Free could storage (recordings stored for 30 days)
🔹 Internal Storage: 128Gb SD Card (not included)
🔹 Water resistance: IP65

Anyway is a well-known brand that has developed quality Solar power products. The company has been committed to improving its products for 13 years. The company’s products are greatly adopted and appreciated in Europe and North American Markets. It continues to aim at bringing high-quality devices to its customers. 

The brand assures safety, ease and fun. It is reliable as it stands behind its products. You will get prompt technical support from the Ankway team if you need it. It utilizes customers’ feedback for product enhancements. 

Pros and Cons of Ankway

An Ankway security camera is also not 100% perfect, being an electronic device, after all. It has a big list of user benefits and a few things that need improvement. The Pros and cons of the Ankway security camera are:

PROS

✅ Simple DIY installation
✅ Great customer support by the company
✅ Remote Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) feature

CONS

❌ Solar panel directly attached to the camera limiting installation options to sun-rich locations
❌ SD card not included

What comes in the Box?

Talking of the Ankway wireless outdoor security cam, there are a few pieces to the camera system, and it’s pretty easy to install. Let’s quickly find out what the Box contains before we dive into other useful details: 

  • PTZ Camera: 1
  • Solar Panel: 1
  • 18650 Batteries: 6
  • USB Cable: 1
  • Position Paper: 1
  • Fittings bag: 1
  • Instructional Manual: 1

Things to Consider Before Buying Ankway Security Camera

Fast Motion Activation

The Camera should start recording as soon as its motion sensor detects motion. Some surveillance cameras have a 5-10 seconds lag between the motion sensor detecting movement and the camera starting recording. This results in important footage being not recorded fully which is a disappointment. Fortunately, this is not the case with Ankway.

Security Camera Apps

Security cameras are now coming with numerous interactive apps helping us monitor everyday tasks. These smart interfaces are very easy to learn. They enable us to keep an eye on the kids and pets on the go, acting like a lifeline. Any intruder entering your territory instantly gets noticed from about anywhere. 

Camera Video Resolution

Not to forget, the video quality aspect is extremely important to look for in security recordings. If the video quality is poor, then there’s no point in having a camera in the first place. Many security cameras claim 1080p resolution, which is mostly misleading. The reality is, only if your wi-fi signals are “that” good, your camera will reach that 1080p criterion. Regardless of the conditions, the quality must not be grainy anyway. Ankway supports only 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi Connection which is not as fast as 5.0 GHz Wi-Fi.

Clear Night Vision

The nighttime view from a good surveillance camera should be obvious to ensure security in the darkness. Infrared night vision is a good standard across all security cameras. Security cameras have infrared night vision – turning videos black and white. The infrared LED lights have a better illumination range than the colour night vision cameras. If you are not happy with the night vision. Consider installing additional InfraRed lights so there is more IR light for the PIR night sensor to capture.

The Crux

Pick the right features. Have a keen eye on motion-activated recording, smartphone notifications, good resolution, and clear night vision. These features are sufficient enough to keep your belongings secure. 

Several other significant features include the following:

  • Built-in sirens
  • Floodlight
  • Two-way audio
  • Field of view
  • Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ)
  • Video storage options
  • AI Facial recognition
  • Differentiation between people and animals
  • Integrations with smart platforms (Alexa and Google Assistant)
  • Monitoring specific activity zones to filter out false alerts

Note: Bear in mind if you need a camera that records continuously or the one that records when it detects motion. A continuous camera recorder covers everything, but it needs a lot of wi-fi bandwidth and a huge storage capacity to perform. 

Ankway Solar Security Camera Features and Benefits

Now, let us explore the Ankway security camera’s top-rated useful features and benefits. 

The Ankway Night Vision

The camera’s high definition infrared night vision benefits you by capturing every detail within 100 ft. It has four white lights. Besides, its light sensor provides you with colourful night vision. 

The Ankway Solar-powered security camera installation lets you switch on the night vision for images and record live videos manually. It provides you crystal clear images and video recording at night time.

WaterProof Body

Anyway, the security camera’s body is made of metal and is backed by a rust-proof patent leather cover. You can use weatherproof cameras for up to 5 years in heavy rain and strong sunlight.

The UBox Application

The Ankway security camera comes with an app that you can download with the camera so you can see what the camera sees in real-time. The app also allows you to control the angles of the camera so you can have a larger view of things in a different field. It is called the Ubox app. 

The UBox is a new app for power saving. Its supports:

  • Panoramic camera 
  • Solar-powered Wi-Fi/4G wireless camera
  • Wi-Fi battery camera
  • Two-way audio
  • Live view H.264 720P/1080P up to 30FPS
  • User register
  • Binding the device to the user’s account
  • Power-saving mode
  • Remote Wakeup
  • Remote parameter setting
  • TF recording for efficient storage
  • Snapshot notifications
  • AI face recognition notifications
  • Remote query alert and playback
  • Wi-Fi doorbell support

Note: UBox app is already updated and fixed for minor bugs. Download the new version UBox V1.1.6 to get a better user experience.

The mobile app uses a PIR sensor for motion detection when human or animal moves within its detection area range. You can enable this motion detection from Device Settings.

Remember the following factors about PIR detection:

  • If your PIR is Disabled, It will not record or receive any motion-triggered events.
  • To capture much footage, I recommend setting the PIR detection sensitivity to “High.”
  • You should focus on capturing the start of the triggered event. Set the camera angle a bit closer to your target area to do this.
  • Keep the sensitivity Low to lessen false alerts and secure the battery power in turbulent environments.

The Live View

Ankway surveillance camera supports 360 Degree Live View. It is 100% wire-free. So, you can change its placement anytime. Once connected, you can always view live with the UBox application. Now, a wider field of view with its 360° pan, 90° tilt and a 120° wider lens is just a few taps away!

Cloud and Internal Storage Access

The icing on the cake is the cloud and internal storage of the Ankway solar security camera. We know that this era has widely accepted cloud storage being a reliable bulk storage option. 

The Wireless Security Camera System from Ankway sends alerts to your smartphone. These are saved as recordings on a micro SD card or cloud storage. By default, the length of the video is 10 to 30 seconds.  

The micro SD card is available for 128 GB, whereas the cloud storage service is free for one month

Video Download

You can always choose to playback the past videos from your active cloud storage. To download a specific video recording, tap to select the one you want to download as a piece of evidence. The default time for the target video remains 130 seconds. 

Push to Talk Feature

Besides giving you peace of mind when you sleep or travel, this device also gives you weather updates. The security camera comes with a built-in intercom. It is set to give you a push to talk service. This useful feature is also called two-way audio

The microphone and speaker let you talk with your family members, pets and service providers. You can even talk to the intruders and warn them when they attempt to invade your house. 

Share Access with Family, Colleagues or Employees

The multiple account sharing feature benefits you by levelling up your file share. It lets your wi-fi camera share videos with your family members and colleagues. You can now have them all view them at the same time. 

Push Notifications

With Ankway security cameras, users can get alerts through instant push messages. The system’s upgraded PIR sensor sends you important notifications when it detects motion. It uses the UBox app for the job. Not to worry. You can adjust motion sensitivity and time settings to lessen false alarms. 

Field of View

You will need to install fewer cameras if your field of view is wider. Ankway security appliance offers a wider field of view with its 360° pan, 90° tilt and a 120° wider lens. 

You can remotely control 3x digital zoom (no optical zoom). It will lead you to focus on any specific area without letting you miss a detail. 

Video Quality and Resolution

You can live to view the videos, but what about the video quality? To make sure you see smooth live streaming, check the speed of your camera. Remember that the higher the resolution, the higher the chances for you to view more detail of the picture. 

You can select the camera resolution to 1080p -HD /2 megapixels or 720p (SD). These days, cameras offering up to 4 megapixels have also been introduced. Their images are sharper and cleaner. Even a full HD is also fine, but to zoom in on someone’s face or a license plate, we recommend super/ultra HD. In such a case, the ideal digital zoom lens should be 8x or 12x.

Note: You should install a wi-fi extender in your camera if needed. 

Frame Rate Per Second

High definition (HD) and Standard-definition (SD) camera systems run on coaxial cable. Their cameras are measured by the frame rate. A-frame rate is basically the capability of the camera. While most IP or network cameras depend on bandwidth, this type of camera still can have a certain frame rate. 

The IP cameras offer a frame rate of up to 30 frames per second (FPS). Now, many brands are also coming up with 60 FPS and more. So, the Ankway Solar-powered cameras operate with almost 30 FPS.

Camera Installation

Before you install the Ankway camera, you have to put this on a spot that is expected to get a lot of sun all throughout the day. And a good view of your front porch. And being able to keep the batteries charged all time because the installation is as easy as drilling in four holes and getting it nailed down. 

It takes just about 30 minutes normally. Drilling some holes connecting the wires downloading the app and then connecting the camera to your wifi. And you are good to go with your optimal security measures. 

Installing the Solar Panel

Ankway Camera has a pretty large solar panel. And it has a battery pack on its back. The installations are very basic and straightforward. First, connect the power cable to the camera, and then you just toggle the switch on the battery pack.

Download your UBox app, then follow the instructions to let your setup complete. You can then monitor your home security at 2.4GHz. network connectivity.

IP65 Weatherproof

The Ankway IP65 waterproof wi-fi camera checks around your outdoor areas. Its solid metal house and two improved 4dBi antennas for revamped connectivity. It can face low temperatures such as -30°C/-22°F and high temperatures like 60°C/140°F. 

Warranty and Reliability

The camera comes with a 2-month worry-free warranty and support. You will also get lifetime replacement support if you receive any faulty parts. The company support team also stays at your service all time. 

The Battery Charging Sign

The camera shows a charging sign while it is charging in the sunlight. The battery remains green in this condition. When fully charged or during night time, the battery stays white. 

What do Real Users say About the Ankway Solar Security Camera?

Different Ankway security camera users reported their experiences after using it. A few comments from the Ankway users are: 

  1. “In my experience, the device has some very neat settings. You get to have control of the device’s tilt, what you can view, and more. You should press the button in the video so it can take a clear picture for you. Set it to record whenever you want.” 
  2. “The Ankway Security Device can also take a live photo when recording the video during its normal operations. Another really nice feature is if somebody is at your door, you can actually talk to them and hear them back. A two-way communication. Isn’t that cool?”
  3. “It feels good that it’s motion-detected, so if anyone walks in front of my porch, the camera turns on and starts recording, and I get a msg in my app all great. I had to drop the sensitivity down to “Medium.” This is because on “High”, it was picking up birds flying by, and I was receiving notifications continuously for motion detection. There’s no downside to that. I love it and will feel a lot more secure than ever before!”
  4. “I am a bit hyper-observant about my security devices. I pay extra attention to video quality and storage features normally. About Ankway, I would say that it’s a great camera with a slow app. It shuts off sometimes. The instructions also need to be clearer for easy usability and handling of the hardware. 
  5. I thought I would need to use my smartphone’s QR for the initial set-up, but you need to point the camera at the phone and scan the QR on the screen. It was pretty easy, but I realized it a bit later. I also wish I could save the videos and pictures to my pc.”

According to the stats from bestviewsreviews, Ankway Solar Power camera receives positive comments mostly. Have a look!

The product is rated high on the basis of the following factors: 

To order and find out more about the Ankway solar security camera, here’s the buy link: Ankway Security Camera

The Final Verdict

Ankway Solar Security Camera is a simple low-maintenance WiFi camera with a decent solar panel that efficiently top-up the battery if installed in a sun-rich location. Motion detection and night vision are good for the price.

The battery has a bigger capacity compared to the competition and would provide over a month of operation if there was no solar panel to recharge it. Four led lights that light up if there is movement detected during the night is a valuable security feature designed to scare off unwanted guests.

The remotely controlled Pan-Tilt-Zoom feature is what makes Ankway stand out in front of the competition. Reolink Argus PT is the only competitor that also comes equipped with this feature. The ability to remotely turn the camera and zoom on different parts of my garden to see more details directly from the phone is what I love the most.

The only downside that I can think off is that the Solar panel is directly attached to the camera. I can see how this may be a problem if I want the camera to be installed on a shady side of my house with no sunlight. A solar panel with a separate mount would allow for a separate installation in a sunny place.


Nathan Robinson

Porch pirates stole my package and now I’m on a mission to stop them from doing the same thing to you. I’m always researching, inspecting and informing myself on the newest porch lockers and other technology that can help stop package theft. My library of free content is growing bigger by the day – dive in and together we can defeat porch pirates.