Streamline Outdoor Lighting and Security With Wyze’s New Lamp Socket v2
Keeping an outdoor camera reliably powered is often a hassle, involving solar panels, battery swaps, or awkward outdoor wiring—especially when you also want to add lighting for visibility and security. Wyze offers a refreshingly simple solution with the updated version of its Lamp Socket, a $20 accessory that not only powers its popular security cameras but also lets you smarten up your outdoor lights without the need for additional hardware.
The Wyze Lamp Socket v2 screws into any standard E26 light socket and features both a USB port to power compatible Wyze cameras and a receptacle for a conventional bulb. Once installed, you can connect a Wyze Cam v3, v3 Pro, v4, OG, or Pan v3 using the original USB cable. The bulb socket supports many “dumb” bulbs, but Wyze advises against using incandescent bulbs due to heat concerns. Once connected, you can remotely control the bulb using the Wyze app—turn it on or off, set it to follow a schedule, or even have it automatically light up when motion is detected by the camera.
What sets the new version apart from the original 2021 release is its support for more camera models and enhanced grouping capabilities. While the original Lamp Sockets could only be grouped in clusters of five, the v2 model lets you group an unlimited number of units together. This makes it ideal for larger yards, patios, or driveways with multiple light sockets. When grouped, all the attached lights can operate in sync, allowing for uniform behavior across your outdoor space.
However, there are a couple of caveats. The Lamp Socket v2 is not water- or weatherproof, so placement under an eave or in a sheltered light fixture is strongly recommended. And at least one Lamp Socket must be connected to a compatible Wyze cam to enable any smart functions—these aren’t standalone smart sockets.
If you’ve been struggling to find a low-effort, affordable way to combine outdoor lighting with smart surveillance, Wyze’s new Lamp Socket v2 is a clever and cost-effective way to achieve both, provided you already own—or plan to use—Wyze cameras.
