Lorex This Device Is Already Linked To? (FIX EASILY)

Getting “this device is already linked to” message? Can’t add a Lorex camera? Here is the perfect tutorial for beginners to resolve the error.

Lorex is a useful system that lets you connect many security devices, such as cameras. However, there’s a little hiccup sometimes. It may tell you that a device is already linked, even when it shouldn’t be. We want to sort out that issue so that everything works smoothly.

Quick Solution: If the Lorex device is already linked, start by checking with the person who had it before you. Ask them to disconnect their account from the device or system.

How to Fix Lorex This Device Is Already Linked To

Contact the Previous Owner

Sometimes when you try to connect a Lorex device to your account, you may see the message “This device is already linked.” This happens because the previous owner did not unlink the device from their account properly. They forgot to complete an important step to unlink the device before selling it or giving it away. 

So even though it seems like your new device, the system still thinks it belongs to someone else. To fix this, you will likely need to do a factory reset or contact Lorex support to fully unlink it from the old account. Then you should be able to successfully link the device to your own Lorex account.

If you get the “already linked” message, contact the previous owner and ask them to:

1. Open the Lorex Home app
2. Go to “Devices”
3. Tap the settings icon
4. Scroll down and select “Remove device” 
5. To remove, tap the “Remove” option.

This will unlink the device from their account. Then you should be able to link it properly to your new account without getting the error message. Having them fully reset and unlink it on their end first is a key step before you try to add the device yourself.

Delete the Account

If the previous owner of your home set up a Lorex security system but is no longer using it, have them fully delete their Lorex account. This is the easiest way to unlink all the devices so you can set up the system for yourself.

You can ask them to:

1. Log into the Lorex Home app
2. Go to Settings
3. Tap on Account Settings
4. Choose Security
5. Then select “Delete Account”

Deleting their account completely will free up the entire Lorex system for you to link to your new account. This ensures you won’t get any “already linked” errors when trying to access the cameras and devices they had installed. So, after deleting the account, you can try adding the Lorex devices again.

Change the Wireless Settings

Sometimes you get the “Lorex this device is already linked to” message if the Lorex camera is connected to the wrong Wi-Fi network. Here is how to reset the Wi-Fi connection:

1. Press the reset button on the camera
2. Open the Lorex Home app
3. Go to “Devices“
4. Tap the settings icon
5. Scroll down and tap “Wireless Network“
6. Tap “Next” and then press “Join“
7. Wait for the camera’s temporary Wi-Fi hotspot to appear then enter the Device password
8. Press “Next”
9. Select the correct Wi-Fi network
10. Enter the password and tap “Connect“
11. Wait for the camera LED to turn solid green

This will reconnect it to the right home Wi-Fi network. Then try adding it to your Lorex account again.

Check the DVR System

You may also get the “already linked” message when connecting cameras to a Lorex DVR system.

First check:

1. Are all wired cameras fully plugged into the DVR?
2. Open the app and check if Wi-Fi cameras are connected and working properly.
3. If those are all okay, then the DVR system itself likely needs to be restored.

You can restore your DVR system to its original state by following these steps:

1. Right-click on the DVR display screen
2. Select “Main Menu“
3. Enter your password
4. Tap the toolbar icon (looks like a hammer and screwdriver)
5. Choose “Settings“
6. Select “Default“
7. Check the box for “Factory Default“
8. Tap “Apply” then “OK“
9. Wait for it to restart.

Doing a full factory reset makes the DVR go back to its original settings. This should fix any issues like getting the “this device is already linked to” error for no reason. After resetting, those problems should go away if they were caused by something wrong with the DVR system itself.

Disconnect Device From LSHSC

1. Go to the Home Screen
2. Tap “Device Management“
3. Locate the offline or disconnected device
4. Tap “More“
5. Select “Disconnect“
6. Now, press and hold the device’s reset button for 10 seconds until you hear a confirmation sound

This will reset and unlink that specific device from any accounts. Then you can try adding it again directly through the Security Center without getting the error. 

Reset the LSHSC

If you are getting the “already linked” error for multiple devices or cameras, you may need to fully reset the Security Center:

1. Go to the Home Screen
2. Tap “Device Settings“
3. Select “Restore to Factory Settings“
4. Then tap “Yes“
5. This will reset the entire Security Center system back to its original factory settings. Wait for it to reboot.
6. After the reset, you can run through the setup steps to add your Lorex devices again. Since the system has been refreshed, the cameras should now link without getting that error message.

Hard Reset

If a Lorex device is having problems and you can’t access the settings to reset it, you’ll need to do a hard reset:

1. Find the tiny reset button on the back right side of the device next to the USB port
2. Press and hold the reset button for 5 seconds
3. A prompt will appear asking to confirm restoring factory settings
4. Tap “Restore to factory settings” on the screen
5. Physically pressing this small reset button for a few seconds should force the device to return to default, even if you can’t get into the menus to do a reset.

This will unlink the device so you can hopefully re-add it without getting that “this device is already linked” error. 

Troubleshoot LHV/LNR Series DVR/NVR

If you have a Lorex LHV or LNR series DVR or NVR device, the “already linked” error can also happen due to connectivity problems.

If you use one of those Lorex DVR or NVR models, a faulty network connection could be stopping cameras from properly connecting.

In that case, you will need to troubleshoot the DVR/NVR hardware itself and make sure it has solid network/internet access.

If your Lorex equipment is different models, then this solution likely does not apply to your setup.

Configure the Internet Settings

Optimizing network configurations this way often resolves issues that cause linking errors and glitches. It’s an easy fix worth trying. Here is how to do it:

1. Open the Live View screen
2. Right-click and select “Quick Menu“
3. Choose “Main Menu“
4. Go to “Settings” then select “Network“
5. Tap “TCP/IP“
6. If it says “Static“, change it to “Dynamic Host“
7. Tap “Apply” and then “OK” to save changes

Check the Ethernet Cable

Lorex systems work best when wired directly to the router with an Ethernet cable.

If you’re getting errors, try checking:

1. Make sure your router is connecting properly to other devices
2. Connect the Lorex Ethernet cable to a different LAN port on the router
3. Check if dust/dirt in the device’s port is causing issues
4. Try swapping for a different Ethernet cable. (If replacing any Ethernet cable connected to the Lorex, it must be CAT5e or CAT6 type).

Reset Lorex Wi-Fi Camera

The easiest way to fix the “This device is already linked” message is often to completely reset the Lorex camera or device that’s giving the error.

We’ve covered how to reset the Lorex system before. But if one particular camera or device keeps showing the wrong linkage message, resetting that specific device’s settings from scratch is the way to go. Here’s how you can reset some common Lorex wireless security cameras.

The reset button placement varies across the W261AQ, W261AS, W281AA, and W282CA series cameras. In the W261AQ series, the reset button is situated below the lens. Meanwhile, for the W261AS series, the reset button can be found on the camera’s back. In contrast, both the W281AA and W282CA series cameras feature a reset button located on the camera’s top. 

To initiate a reset on the camera, locate the designated reset button based on the series model. Once found, press and hold the reset button for a duration of 10 seconds. During this period, anticipate a chime sound, signaling the initiation of the reset process. Simultaneously, observe for the confirmation through a flashing green LED light, affirming the successful reset.

Getting the “this device is already linked to” message when trying to add Lorex devices can be frustrating. But in most cases, it just takes a few simple troubleshooting steps to reset the equipment and get rid of the error. Following the step-by-step method above should get your Lorex device again.