What free WiFi monitoring means
Free WiFi monitoring means the nursery device and parent device are connected through your home network. This is the most common setup for naps, bedtime, and checking from another room. It is also the simplest path because both devices are already inside the same trusted home environment.
Dozi is designed so local monitoring at home does not require a subscription. The product focus is live monitoring between your own devices: one device captures the nursery video and audio, and the other displays it for the parent.
Devices you need
You need two Apple devices that can run Dozi, connect to WiFi, and use the camera and microphone. Many families use an older iPhone or iPad as the nursery camera and a current iPhone as the parent monitor. The nursery device should stay plugged in during long sessions.
The devices do not have to be identical. An iPad can be the nursery camera and an iPhone can be the parent monitor, or the other way around. The important part is that both devices can install the app and stay connected to the same home WiFi network.
How to set up a free local session
- Install Dozi on both Apple devices.
- Choose the Nursery Camera role on the device that will stay in the room.
- Choose the Parent Monitor role on the device you keep with you.
- Scan the QR code to pair the devices.
- Keep both devices on the same home WiFi network for free local monitoring.
If iOS asks for local network, camera, microphone, or notification permissions, allow the permissions needed for monitoring. Local network permission is especially important because the parent device needs to find and connect to the nursery device on your WiFi network.
Where free WiFi works best
Free local monitoring works best inside your home or anywhere both devices share the same reliable WiFi network. It is a good fit for checking from the kitchen, living room, bedroom, home office, or nearby areas covered by the same router or mesh network.
Weak WiFi can make any live video monitor less reliable. If the nursery is far from the router, try moving the router, using a mesh node, or placing the nursery device where it has a stronger signal while still keeping it secure and out of reach.
Common local WiFi problems
If a local session does not start, first check that both devices are on the same WiFi network. Some homes have separate guest networks, extender networks, or router bands that can make two devices look connected while still preventing local discovery.
iOS local network permission also matters. If permission was denied during setup, open iOS Settings and allow Dozi to access the local network. Without that permission, the parent monitor may not be able to find the nursery camera on your WiFi.
Before the first nap
- Test the nursery view before leaving the room.
- Confirm both devices are charging or have enough battery.
- Check that the nursery device is stable and out of reach.
- Make sure the charging cable cannot be pulled into the crib.
- Walk to the places where you expect to monitor and confirm WiFi signal is strong.
This short test helps catch the normal setup issues before you need the monitor for a full nap or bedtime session.
What free WiFi does not cover
Free WiFi monitoring is meant for local use. If the parent device leaves the home network and switches to 5G, LTE, or another WiFi network, it is no longer in the same local environment as the nursery device. That is when Dozi Premium remote monitoring is useful.
Remote monitoring may require connection infrastructure so the two devices can find each other over the internet. That infrastructure supports the live connection; Dozi is still designed around live monitoring rather than storing nursery recordings in the cloud.
Privacy for local monitoring
Dozi does not require an account for everyday monitoring, does not use third-party app analytics or advertising trackers, and does not store nursery video, audio, or images on Dozi servers. Live video and audio are protected with end-to-end encryption between your paired devices.
For a deeper privacy breakdown, read the private baby monitor app guide. For setup details, start with the iPhone baby monitor setup guide.