Modern home security systems are a long way removed from those of just a few years ago. Many homes now have security cameras fitted, and lights that are linked to motion detectors.
Among the very best and most effective of these systems are those that are made by Ring, and these camera and light installations are becoming very popular.
What is special about Ring doorbells and the latest Ring motion sensor lights?
Among the many features is the fact they connect to a smartphone app. This means you can see, in real time and from the safety of your home, who is at your door.
The system will also notify you – with pictures – if someone is attempting to get into your property, and examples of this happening have been posted on social media sites, thus publicising the effectiveness of Ring doorbells and lights even more.
As with all electrical devices there have been some problems reported with Ring doorbells and lights.
This is why we thought we’d put together a troubleshooting Ring doorbells guide, as it is a fact that most problems are quite easy to fix, and are often not a fault with the Ring system itself.
Let’s begin our Ring troubleshooting guide with one of the often-reported problems – that of insufficient power.
Insufficient Power to Operate Your Ring Doorbell and Lights
Basically, the Ring Doorbell and Light needs a power supply of a minimum of 16volts. Using the Ring app on your phone, you can check the voltage supply by selecting ‘Device Health’.
Voltage should read ‘Good’.
However, you also need to consider the state of your wiring system. If your Ring is a long way from your power supply, or the wiring in your home is old, you may be losing power along the way, which will also result in the symptoms of insufficient power, which include:
- Dropping the Wi-Fi connection
- Regular shut-down procedure when not requested
- Internal doorbell does not ring
- Night vision out of action
- Freezing of picture.
What can you do to deal with insufficient power?
You can start by checking the cables to and from your Ring and your doorbell installation, but if symptoms persist, we strongly recommend you get a qualified electrician to check your wiring and installation.
Poor Wi-Fi Signal Strength
It should be said that, in fact, most issues with the Ring Doorbell and Light system will be to do with your Wi-Fi connection.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, you may be suffering from a poor signal strength:
- Ring app does not get any alerts
- Front of the Ring box glows white
- Ring emits a sound when you press a button
- No events are captured by the app.
All of the above point towards a weak or non-existent Wi-Fi connection, but there are other reasons why your Ring box may go offline without warning.
If you have a power-cut, for example, it will shut down. If you change your Wi-Fi password and don’t tell Ring, it can’t access the Wi-Fi.
There may, and this is perhaps the most likely option, be a problem with your router.
Usually, after an interruption, the Ring box will automatically restart. If it does not, you can start by checking the ‘Device Health’ as explained above, and then rebooting your router.
If there is a permanent problem with your router, you will need it replaced by your Wi-Fi provider.
Poor Wi-Fi connection is the most commonly seen problem with Ring boxes, which are in fact generally very reliable.
Another common problem is that they system has not been installed properly.
The installation process is very simple where Ring doorbell and light systems, but it is of course easy to make mistakes.
If you suspect you have installed the system wrongly, then it is important to check all connections from the box to the other parts – including your doorbell and any transformers – in order that you cover every possible eventuality.
Usually, the problem will be a simple loose wire that is easy to rectify, but if you cannot find the problem, get an electrician to have a look for you.
Other Common Issues
Most Ring doorbell issues, as we have seen, stem from either poor Wi-Fi connection or insufficient power supply.
It could also be that you find your Ring app not working, and this is usually due to your smartphone being switched off or out of power.
Most Ring doorbell connection issues can be repaired or reset very quickly, so make sure you run through all the regular checks on your router, installation and wiring before you call out an electrician.
If you can’t find the problem, leave it to the professionals, as they will be able to find your problem quickly and fix it for you.