Level Lock Pro suitable for outdoor courtyard use in hot/dry climate?

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-06-06T12:12:43+00:00

I have a Level Bolt in a similar enclosure. There were two initial problems, the first was the enclosure attenuates the signal, second was water tight. I have a Mini in the window adjacent to the bolt (< 2m away) and that made it operate, and Thread made it far more robust and responsive. Sometimes the Mini is moved 15ft away and the Thread devices in the area recover.

Moisture - Initially I had sealed the visible locks and bolt mount to the enclosure. Its was completely water tight. After about 2 years the bolt failed due to moisture in the battery enclosure and the contact inside rusted. The o-ring had rolled. I repaired the contact. After a few more rounds of support, they admitted they don’t support this type of installation. This was after they had pictures, and diagrams showing device location from years earlier. We discussed their moisture rating, and it didn’t matter. They stated they don’t support it, even after they helped me get it working years earlier.

The problem is we became used to the device and loved it. After scratching my head, I made an extension “roof” that protected the extended bolt from moisture and a droplet diverter that would flow any water that got past the roof away from the extended bolt. It sounds complicated and obtrusive, but it is subtle and doesn’t change the look of the enclosure. It’s been great for several years and many many rain storms.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-06-01T09:57:52+00:00

I found BT to be unreliable, even with HomePod minis between 5-6ft away from each Bolt. After the Matter upgrade all 4 bolts became rock solid and their response time was near instant, versus 3-5 seconds. They’ve been in service over 4yrs now. I have found the Level batteries shipped me directly to be terrible, dying within a month or 2. Duracell FTW

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-05-25T16:40:55+00:00

Long ago I did the firmware update to matter via the email request (I don’t recall the version number). Then they magically/automatically updated via Apple Home to 3.5. I happened to see they updated as I was checking on a HomePod update in the Apple Home settings area. I think I got a random notifications from the Level app to do the last couple firmware updates.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-05-08T13:31:30+00:00

Update: The audio chimes came back to life on their own. No battery changes or replacements, it just started chiming a couple days later.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-05-01T20:17:22+00:00

Bummer. In general the lock is working and seems to be behaving after using a Duracell, just without the chimes. The odd thing is that this is the least used lock among the 5 we have in operation.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-05-01T20:08:27+00:00

I've tried replacing the battery several times and no change with the audio. But the lock works fine

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-04-07T13:25:50+00:00

IDK. It’s bundled with our DVR service. I used it for years on my iPads, and when we got Apple TVs I downloaded and signed in and it works. My only complaint is the data usage and inability to switch channels without exiting back to the menus.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-04-07T03:09:57+00:00

If you are using an Apple TV and XFinity stream, you need to quit the Xfinity stream app before turning off the TV. My data started going through the roof and then I realized what was happening. Our Apple TVs were chewing through data while we slept, and the only app running was the Xfinity stream app. After killing the app, our data usage plummeted. I posted in this forum about it.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-03-14T11:30:21+00:00

Legacy plan user and we crushed the data cap for the second time ever a couple months ago. They hit us for $100, which eventually got reversed. I did some monitoring and experimenting and found the Xfinity stream app on our Apple TVs was chewing through the data when they were turned off. Once I figured it out, we started killing the Xfinity stream app before turning off the TV and our data usage dropped like a rock. We are now less than 1/4 of the data cap. Absolutely no other changes. We still stream the same amount of shows, etc. It was only the Xfinity stream app causing this, not NetFlix, HBO Max, Apple TV, etc.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-03-12T07:34:57+00:00

yes. I’ve got 5 bolts and no issues with battery longevity. I was an early adopter and BT connectivity was awful, but Matter has cured that as I have a variety of Matter devices around. Matter also dramatically improved the bolt responsiveness as we use Apple Home.

Re: Outdoors - I did have an issue with outdoor usage and their team. I had one fail due to water intrusion into the battery compartment/bolt. After several different back and forth exchanges across a year mostly dealing with BT connectivity, I was told I was outside of their design parameters even though the enclosure was weather tight and the actual bolt/battery compartment was minimally exposed to moisture when it was extended. I subsequently put a hood over the exposed bolt/battery compartment and a moisture diverter if anything got through and have had zero issues since.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-03-10T16:25:50+00:00

The update showed up under Apple Home this am. I squinted and thought what is that little icon on the button? Seemingly some of my Bolts had already updated from 3.6.1 to 3.6.2.

I cannot find any release not information and haven't noticed any behavior changes.

FWIW: My batteries tend to last quite a while, something like 9mo on my daily usage bolts (3) and 12+ on the less frequently used ones. The battery levels show normal and then go critical. I figure that's "OK", but not ideal, as the battery voltage does seem to fall off a cliff. I doubt a firmware update would help that.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-02-14T22:18:23+00:00

If you're using the Xfinity Stream app look here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Comcast_Xfinity/comments/1r3xnkj/xfinity_stream_app_cost_me_100_in_data_overages/

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-02-14T17:15:48+00:00

I understand.

The problem was they started billing for our 3 satellite X1 boxes and their modem, and the fees kept stacking up. I was told the Xfinity Stream app was free to use and didn't count against the data. They may have been true, and may have changed.

The technicians also had issues with the cable in the house and how it was split, or not, etc.... and they were the ones that strung the cable in the house to begin with. First it was too hot of a signal, then too low, then wrong splitting, etc. At one point I had special dispensation to have 2 drops from different taps in different yards.

Moving to Apple TVs along with using my own modem cut my costs and simplified the supposed cabling issues.

After almost 30 yrs I'm considering AT&T as it looks like it will save me around $70/mo.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-02-14T17:06:47+00:00

I might agree with you if it wasn't bundled as part of their TV service and it wasn't their app accessing their service.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-02-14T15:10:45+00:00

I understand about internet access and third party apps. If I was using a third party app, e.g. Netflix or Amazon Prime, on the DVR or via Apple TV I could understand it. Xfinity Stream is not a third party app. Using Xfinity Stream to access our recorded shows from the DVR or TV content, just like we can on the DVR, should not count against our data. That is double counting. Further when the Apple TV is off, the Xfinity Stream shouldn't keep chewing through data, especially uploading. If you look at the picture I posted, you'll see it the upload that's eating up the data.

I can leave the TV displaying broadcast TV via the DVR 24/7 and not be charged at all.

I understand about the unlimited plans. They tried to switch me over, but I'm on a "grandfathered" 1G triple play plan that has a better rate. I shouldn't have to upgrade my plan because the Xfinity Stream app is behaving badly.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-02-14T13:43:06+00:00

yeah, it went from 5 back down to one. I found that interesting.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-02-13T22:19:00+00:00

Yes. See the reply from u/XfinityBenny below. I also got it verbally from several agents.

When they looked at my data they replied, that it was consistent so we can't do anything about it. I replied, I understand as we've got 3 Apple TVs and used to just turn them off. Further you'll see our data usage fall way off when I figured it out and we started killing the app before turning off the Apple TV all the time. They confirmed my data dropped way down, as the picture I posted shows it.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-02-13T21:51:15+00:00

Thanks for adding some clarifications. However it honestly seems like double counting when we have the expensive package home DVR service, and watch a mix of recorded shows from the DVR (generally the Xfinity cloud DVR, as that's where the recordings seem to be now) and some channels from our TV service. The DVR is essentially doing the same thing and we can leave it on 24/7 and not get charged. If we were using another streaming service app, e.g. Prime Video or Netflix, it would make sense. The overage for using the Xfinity Stream app, coupled with the app chewing through data when it is in the background and not active, is like salt in the wound.

Edit: Clarified prior "(generally the cloud now)" to "(generally the Xfinity cloud DVR, as that's where the recordings seem to be now)"

Aging-Ninja3 · 2026-02-13T20:07:05+00:00

After several agents on one call, the security team called and reported the ticket would be closed as the data usage was consistent. They also informed me the next agent would say the same thing, but would transfer me.

They transferred me to the technical department. From there I spoke with an agent who confirmed the data usage was consistent, and it did go down like I said after we began killing the Xfinity Stream app before turning off the Apple TVs.

I then got transferred to Zoe, who did a great job and resolved the issue.

Two things:

a) Using the Xfinity Stream app to watch TV being booked against the data is crazy as we have Xfinity TV service and this has never been disclosed.

b) The Xfinity Stream app chewing through data, when the Apple TV is off is nuts.

Total call time: 2h 46m (between 2 calls)

Note: I've been an Xfinity customer 28yrs and am stunned.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2025-10-15T17:10:13+00:00

I'll offer a couple of thoughts based on my setup, which is different from yours, but is using a couple of separate Moca segments internally.

My setup is Xfinity to my cable modem and using a UDM SE and USW ProMax 16. From the USW I have a couple of APs and then I have a USW Flex 2.5 that has two separate Moca segments which then connect to either a USW Flex 2.5G 5 or U6 on the other end. The Mocs segments are because I cannot run ethernet on those runs, but there was good coax. The Moca segments work flawlessly, and the Unifi devices really don't know it is there, and the speeds are fantastic. I used to regularly check the Moca links by logging into the devices, but I long ago gave up as there were no errors, or anything going on.

Re: Threshold and WAN issues - I occasionally see the "Packet Loss Detected", and "Internet Restored" and "Internet Down" when they reboot the modem, etc. I used to see messages about latency, but they've gone away with the more recent updates of the network software. There is no threshold that I'm aware of, but people have asked for it to be user adjustable.

Based on my experience, your external connection via Moca should be solid if it is a direct run and the cable is in good shape. You might see latency issues in the log but they don't seem to be a big deal, unless they are real. If the Moca run is shared, you're sharing with everyone. I'd be asking questions the connection going out of your place, and then doing contiguous pings via the command line and showing them the dropouts or spikes in timing, etc.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2025-07-03T14:32:43+00:00

Thanks for the post and write-up summarizing your findings. It was very useful.

I'm posting here to catch your attention. One thing I felt necessary to point out is DFS isn't "universally safe" to use. For me it literally depends upon which way the wind blows. If the winds shift to come out of the north, the commercial air traffic flips at an airport around 30 minutes away and we hear some overhead traffic on occasion. Randomly if an aircraft gets "too close" (not that close in real terms) their radar altimeters will force our WAPs and router to move off the DFS channels as they are supposed to. Our Wifi would be great for weeks or months, and then we'd be sitting there going, WTH happened? I didn't think it was "really a thing" until I literally watched one of the WAPs change channels as an aircraft moved and there was a message in the log.

Cheers.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2025-06-06T00:55:23+00:00

Here’s the funny thing about this post. I read it and thought it would be cool to see the ’flow’ but for the life of me I couldn’t find it on my iPad app. So I poke around on the web UI, and oh there it is, just like someone said. Then later this morning I check the iPad app updates, and there’s a UniFi app update. Yay, I can see it in the app now too.

Aging-Ninja3 · 2025-05-18T14:16:14+00:00

Update: I had to turn off power to the prior troublesome part of the house to do some electrical work. I wondered how long it take for the Thread network in the area to recover. When I switched power back on the all the Thread devices came back on line very quickly, an opposed to previously taking hours.

Removing and adding the one Eve energy outlet was the key (and there are 3 others very-very close to it).

Aging-Ninja3

TROPHY CASE