Wondering if you can control your GoPro remotely by wifi underwater? An explanation of what's possible and what isn't to remotely control GoPros underwater.
HERO5 Black / Underwater shot of a small iceberg near Svalbard, Norway
GoPro is running a deal on the HERO9 Black, their newest and best camera. You can get the camera and a 1-year subscription to GoPro for $349.98. It comes with a 32GB SD card and a case. You can get the deal here.
No, you can’t control a GoPro by wifi underwater. That’s true even if it’s only the camera underwater and you (and the wifi remote or device) are above water.
Wifi waves don’t work at all well underwater. It might be possible one day to set up wifi networks underwater, but for now it’s not an option.
The problem is that the signal drops off very quickly in even a small amount of water. By the time you get a few inches, let alone a few feet, underwater, the signal is so weak as to be unusable.
So for all practical purposes, you can’t control your GoPro underwater with a wifi signal. That means you can’t use the Capture smartphone app, nor can you use the GoPro Smart Remote, the GoPro Remo Voice-Activate Remote (even though the Remo is waterproof), or the devices that turn an LCD Backpac into a wireless view and controller.
WiFi itself won’t work underwater, but what you can do is transmit the signal for the underwater portion through a cable. That allows you to livestream from your GoPro underwater.
If you like DIY projects, it is possible to build your own. Or Cam-Do now offers off-the-shelf extension cables for the HERO4, HERO3+, and HERO3 with lengths ranging from 20 feet to 300 feet.
If you want to try building one yourself, here’s a how-to guide.
Newer GoPro models have a waterproof body. Older models required an external waterproof housing. Here are the depth ratings for the cameras themselves.
| GoPro Model | Waterproof Depth Rating (without external housing) |
|---|---|
| HERO8 Black | 33 feet / 10 meters |
| MAX | 16 feet / 5 meters |
| HERO7 Black | 33 feet / 10 meters |
| HERO7 Silver | 33 feet / 10 meters |
| HERO7 White | 33 feet / 10 meters |
| Fusion | 16 feet / 5 meters |
| HERO6 Black | 33 feet / 10 meters |
| HERO (2018) | 33 feet / 10 meters |
| HERO5 Black | 33 feet / 10 meters |
| HERO5 Session | 33 feet / 10 meters |
| HERO4 Session / HERO Session | 33 feet / 10 meters |
| HERO+ LCD | 131 feet / 40 meters |
| HERO+ | 131 feet / 40 meters |
| HERO (2014) | 131 feet / 40 meters |
| HERO4 Black | Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing. |
| HERO4 Silver | Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing. |
| HERO3+ Black | Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing. |
| HERO3 Black | Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing. |
| HERO3 Silver | Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing. |
| HERO3 White | Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing. |
| HD HERO 2 | Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing. |
| HD HERO Original | Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing. |
| SD HERO | Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing. |
To go deeper, you can put the camera inside a protective dive housing. These are the compatible protective housings for recent cameras.
| GoPro Camera | Compatible Protective Housing | Depth Rating of Protective Housing |
|---|---|---|
| HERO8 Black | Protective Housing* | 196 feet / 60 meters |
| HERO7 Black | Super Suit | 196 feet / 60 meters |
| HERO7 Silver | Protective Housing | 131 feet / 40 meters |
| HERO7 White | Protective Housing | 131 feet / 40 meters |
| HERO6 Black | Super Suit | 196 feet / 60 meters |
| HERO (2018) | Super Suit | 196 feet / 60 meters |
| HERO5 Black | Super Suit | 196 feet / 60 meters |
| HERO5 Session | Aftermarket Dive Housing | |
| HERO Session | Aftermarket Dive Housing | |
| HERO4 Session | Aftermarket Dive Housing | |
| HERO4 Black | Aftermarket Dive Housing | |
| HERO4 Silver | Aftermarket Dive Housing |
This post was last modified on January 18, 2021 12:00 am
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while in movie mode my go pro freezes when put underwater...worked fine until my last outing
Which model? If one of the ones with a touchscreen, did you have the back screen locked? Water can do some strange things to the touchscreen if the screen is unlocked.