Set up right.
Run smooth.
What every DWNwire app needs, what helps it run its best, and the things at a field or gym that no app can control. Read it once before your first game.
Devices that are game-ready.
iPhone or iPad
- iOS 16 or later. Newer devices film and export faster.
- Install updates during the week, not on game day.
- Turn on Do Not Disturb so calls and alerts don’t interrupt.
Power
- Start charged. Plug the camera or operator device into a power bank or outlet.
- Keep Low Power Mode off while recording.
- Keep devices out of direct sun: iPhones and iPads pause or stop the camera when they get too hot.
Storage and backups
- Keep several GB free on any device that films. Video stops when storage runs out.
- Your data lives on your devices. Export a backup regularly; deleting the app deletes its data.
- Save the clips you want to keep to Photos or Files.
What the router needs.
Football runs every replay, stat, voice and chat message through one Wi‑Fi router the program controls. We don’t recommend brands; any router with the features below will work. Performance depends on the router you choose and where you put it.
It must have
- Dual-band Wi‑Fi 5 (802.11ac) or newer, with the 5 GHz band turned on.
- Works with no internet connection. Some mesh systems and internet-provider routers stop working, or can’t be set up, without one.
- A regular password-protected network (WPA2 or WPA3). Not a guest network.
- Devices can see each other: client or “AP” isolation turned off, and local device discovery (Bonjour/multicast) not blocked.
- Room for every device at once: the operator, every coach and statistician, plus a few spare.
- Steady power from an outlet or a battery made for it.
For smooth game nights
- Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) or newer. It handles many devices at once much better.
- Strong antennas or an outdoor-rated access point, in the press box with a clear line of sight to the sideline.
- A 5 GHz channel you can set yourself (40 or 80 MHz wide), away from the stadium’s other networks.
- For big stadiums or a far sideline: a second access point near the bench, connected with a network cable, not a wireless extender.
- A small battery backup (UPS) so a bumped plug doesn’t end the session.
- Current firmware, and a test run under the lights at practice before the first game.
Avoid
Phone hotspots · pocket or travel routers · the school’s or stadium’s guest Wi‑Fi · wireless range extenders (repeaters) · routers that need an internet account or cloud app to run.
Not sure about a router you already own? Send us its model and we’ll tell you if it has these features.
The direct connection: what to expect.
In Baseball, Basketball, Volleyball and Soccer, the camera iPhone or iPad talks straight to the scorer’s device using Apple’s built‑in peer‑to‑peer Wi‑Fi, with Bluetooth to find each other. No router and no internet. It works well in most places, but it is a short-range radio link, so the venue matters.
Works best
- Within about 50–75 feet, with a clear line of sight.
- Camera raised above the crowd, nothing metal between the two devices.
- Both devices with Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth on, out of cases that block signal, and not joined to the venue’s Wi‑Fi.
Can weaken or drop it
- Packed gyms with hundreds of phones and the venue’s own Wi‑Fi.
- Metal bleachers, concrete walls and long distances across a field.
- Wireless microphones and other equipment on the same airwaves.
If it drops
- Scoring keeps working on the scorer’s device.
- The camera keeps recording; clips copy over when you’re back in range.
- The desk tells you when the camera connection is weak.
When a router helps
If the camera is far from the bench, the field is big, or the connection keeps dropping in a crowded gym, connect both devices to a dedicated Wi‑Fi router instead. For two devices, a basic dual-band router with the minimum features in the Football list above is enough.
Fitting the whole court or field.
We recommend the 0.5× ultra-wide lens so one camera sees both baskets, both goals or the whole volleyball court. Whether everything fits depends on how much room you have behind the camera and whether the camera has that lens. Open the iPhone’s Camera app: if you see 0.5, it does. Most iPhones since the iPhone 11 have it; SE and “e” models and many iPads don’t.
About how far back the camera needs to be
| Court or field | 0.5× lens | 1× lens |
|---|---|---|
| Basketball (84 ft court) | about 30 ft | about 60 ft |
| Volleyball (59 ft court) | about 20 ft | about 45 ft |
| Soccer (110 yd field) | about 40 yd | about 80 yd |
Measured straight back from the middle of the near sideline. Video stabilization trims the edges a little, so give yourself a few extra feet, and use the camera test in the app before game day.
No 0.5× lens, or not enough room?
What’s outside our control.
DWNwire is software that runs on equipment you choose, in venues we don’t control. We work hard to keep it reliable, and these are the things no app can promise. They summarize our Terms, which govern.
Questions about your setup? Ask us or email hello@dwnwire.com.