The Defender Database is a database of location coordinates (red light cameras, speed cameras, air patrol zones, etc.) that our detectors use to notify you of these kinds of threats. As you approach the known threats, your radar detector should give you voice alerts (if voice is enabled on your detector) and map alerts (if you are using the Drive Smarter app on your smart phone or with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.)

• Speed Camera alerts you to known stationary cameras that measure your speed.
• Red Light Camera alerts you to known cameras placed at red lights to measure if you have run a red light.
• Air Patrol informs you of areas where air patrols are known to be performed but cannot tell you if any enforcement equipment is airborne at the moment.
• Red Light Speed Camera alerts you to the locations of combination red light and speed cameras.
• Average Speed Camera alerts you to the locations of sets of cameras that take a picture when your vehicle passes them and uses the average of the time that passes between when the pictures were taken and use some simple math to get your average speed over the distance and issue a ticket for speeding.
• HOV Lane Camera alerts you to areas with High Occupancy Vehicle Lane cameras that check if you are riding with too few occupants in the special lane meant for vehicle with a set number of occupants (often 2 or more, however some states do have HOV lanes that require more than 2 people in the vehicle.)
• Speed Trap alerts you to known speed traps.

Subscriptions

Defender data is offered to our customers via 2 different kinds of subscriptions, a paid license to download the database to your detector, and a complimentary app subscription that allows you to receive the data live but does not store it on your detector.

Paid Defender Database Subscription

Paid subscriptions give you the right to download these location coordinates to your detector.

Wi-Fi connected ("c") models such as the Redline 360c, MAXcam 360c, or Max 360c MKII, can download database updates via Wi-Fi. After purchase and activation, use Drive Smarter to give your detector the credentials for a nearby Wi-Fi network. Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz) is currently only available on Redline 360c V2 or Strata Camo, MAXcam 360c, and Max 360c MKII. Earlier Redline 360c V1, Max 360c, and iXc are 2.4GHz-only models. The only difference is a slight increase in speed and compatibility. Updates are released on Mondays but may be released the previous Friday or following Tuesday if Monday is a holiday.

Alternatively, all models that include a USB port (Mini, Micro, or USB-C depending on the model) can download via our free Detector Tools app for Windows or macOS with a valid subscription, EXCEPT the MAXcam 360c which can only download Defender Database updates via Wi-Fi. These subscriptions are available in 1-year and 3-year plans and must be purchased per each detector from our website.

Purchase a Defender Database Subscription

See below for instructions on how to activate your Defender Subscription.

Drive Smarter Subscription

The Drive Smarter complimentary premium subscription allows you to Bluetooth tether your detector to your phone, or Wi-Fi your tether your detector to your mobile hotspot and receive these alerts over the air as you drive.

The Drive Smarter app subscription refers to our phone app, and this subscription is initially activated when you register or connect a Bluetooth enabled detector to the app. This subscription will continue for free as long as your device connects to the Drive Smarter network regularly via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

Radar Detector Tethering

Bluetooth tethering uses your phone's data plan. It is recommended that you have Unlimited data if you drive with your detector often.

Mobile tethering uses your Wi-Fi hotspot data plan, which may be rate-limited or throttled in speed after a certain data consumption limit has been reached. It is recommended that you have an unlimited Mobile hotspot plan that does not slow to speeds lower than 4G LTE.

Bluetooth tethering allows you to fully customize which alerts you want to receive, while Mobile tethering sends all alerts received through to the detector and cannot be customized.

Please note that tethering requires 4G LTE or better speeds, a valid data plan for your phone if you're using Bluetooth (or a valid hotspot plan for Wi-Fi data hotspot), and you are subject to your data plan's charge rates.

We recommend using Bluetooth if you have a rate-limited Wi-Fi hotspot plan, as the connection is continuous while the detector is powered and connected via Wi-Fi.

Troubleshooting

• If you receive an offer to purchase the Premium subscription in the Drive Smarter app, make sure you are logged into your Premium account, and that under the Devices menu you have connected at least one Escort Radar detector or Cobra Bluetooth Radar Detector, or Cobra SC-Series Dashboard camera.
  • If you are logged in but the issue persists, log out of the app then log back in. If that doesn’t work, please contact us for help. Do not purchase a new subscription unless/until you have gotten in touch with us. We may be able to reactivate your existing subscription.
• If you do not see speed limit data for the posted roads in your area on map, make sure you are logged into your Premium account. Posted speed limit data is only included in the Premium subscription and will not appear until you are logged in appropriately.
• If you see posted speed limit data on the phone app, but not on your detector/device, verify your device is connected to the app via Bluetooth or connected to the Cloud via Wi-Fi (with internet access).
• There is currently no way to see when your Defender Database Subscription will expire.
  • If you connect to Detector Tools for Windows, the “merge your data” icon will illuminate in green if you have a current subscription. If the subscription is expired, it will be grayed out.
  • For Mac, when you attempt to update, the program will inform you that your subscription has expired.
  • If you update via Wi-Fi, you will not receive weekly Defender update requests on your device once your subscription expires.
• You can purchase a Defender Database subscription via the website here: Purchase a Defender Database Subscription
• If you attempt to log into the Escort Radar website to view order history and receive a message that your account is invalid, this means you do not have a current shopping cart account (if you had an older one, it is no longer accessible).
  • We switched to a password-less login system, as long as you have access to your email to follow the link for login, you should be able to simply register a new account with your preferred email.
  • You may place a new order to create a new shopping cart account. If you have questions about previous orders, please contact us for assistance.

Activate the Defender Database Subscription

Check your email for the Order Confirmation from Escort Radar. You will see a button telling you to view your order. Do not click this button for this process, as clicking will take you to a static view of the order on our website and will not provide the links that you need. Instead, scroll down to the Order Summary in the email and follow the steps below.

	1. Click the top link in the email to be taken to the download page for the license key for the Defender Subscription. Follow Step 2 below before returning to the email to follow the next step.
	2. Copy your 16-digit license key (include the dashes) from this page, then return to your email from Step 1 to follow the next step.
	3. Once you've copied the serial as outlined in Step 2, look for the activation page link in the original email and proceed to Step 4 below.
	4. Enter your serial number from your radar detector. 5. Paste your license key from above and click on "Submit".
Troubleshooting Defender Database Activation Errors If you receive an error about an invalid subscription code or invalid serial key, first try waiting about 30 minutes after purchase and try again, as it can sometimes take a little bit for newly issued licenses to activate in our system. If you still receive an error, check that your detector's Serial Number is valid and was correctly added. Checking your Serial Number Our radar detector serial numbers follow one of the following 12-digit formats. ######## #### #X###### #### XX#X##X##### # represents numbers 0 through 9, and X represents a letter. Formats 1 and 2 are 8-digit serial numbers, followed by a space and then 4 more digits. Do not include those 4 digits as they are a manufacture date code and are not needed. For modern detectors using the 3rd serial format, please include the entire 12-digit sequence. If your serial number is damaged, obscured, or missing entirely, OLED model detectors can usually retrieve their serial number from a button press boot sequence. Please consult your manual for the exact procedure for your detector.