I received the Ring yesterday, promptly from Amazon, as always. The way the device is packaged is very nice, with everything needed for installation included. Be certain to ensure your Ring is connected to your WiFi before you start drilling.
I tried to connect to my Wifi, unsuccessfully about three times. I tried to search for answers via the Internet, but Ring is not very helpful. I then realized that I was leaving off the last digit of my WEP password. After dope-slapping myself, I tried again, but was unsuccessful in four attempts.
I called Customer Service. No operators were available, but they don't make you wait on hold. They ask if you will accept a call back, which was a wonderful feature. I accepted, and Chris called me back within five minutes. We went through several steps, including rebooting the modem, all to no avail. Chris told me that he needed to elevate me to the second level. He put me on a brief hold while he went to search for a tech. He came back and told me that Matt would be available and call me in about five minutes.
Five minutes later, Matt called. We went through several steps, again all to no avail. We tried changing to WEP-2 only and taking the space out of my WEP key, which I found curious. He asked me to go to my computer. Well, we only have one, and Microsoft decided that would be a perfect time to update it. At that point, Matt told me I would have to make an appointment with him for the following day. He sent me an email where I could pick a time. I picked the first available slot that he had the next morning. Of course, every Wifi device in our home needed to be reconnected to Wifi, much to the consternation of my wife. As that is a frequent state of hers, no harm was done.
This morning, Matt called me promptly at the appointment time. I went to joinme.com and set up an online meeting with him. I granted him permission to control the mouse, and he reset my WEP to default. We went through several more steps that weren't working. I downloaded the Ring app on Windows 10 and attempted to connect the Ring that way, after rebooting the modem one more time. It worked!
The Ring was finally connected. The picture was great, even though I am limited to 1 Mbps upload speeds by the glorious gods of ATnT, who promise three and deliver one One. One amazing, colossal Mbps. If I had other options out here in the sticks, I would choose them.
Now it was time to install it on brick. I removed the old doorbell, put the supplied level in the bracket, and marked the holes. I put the supplied masonry bit in my Dewalt 20 and began drilling. After about two minutes, I hadn't even made a dimple. The bit is not very good.
I knew I had some hammer masonry bits in the garage, so I got out my impact driver and had the four holes drilled in about three minutes. My bit was a smaller diameter, so I enlarged the holes with the Ring-supplied bit to accept the anchors. It worked fine for that.
I installed the base plate and connected the bell wires. I bridged the wires to test them. The inside doorbell worked. I slid the Ring onto the mount. It wasn't flush. Since I was installing on uneven brick, I had to back out the bottom screws about an eighth of a turn. The Ring then slid on the bracket correctly. I tightened the set screws on the bottom and pressed the button.
It rang, inside and out, and the notification came up on my phone. I was off and Ringing. The motion detector works very well. I will continue with the cloud at $30 per year because I would like a record of what happens when I am not home.
In summary:
• Setup seems more ponderous than it should be. You must press a button on the back, then connect to the Ring via the Ring Wifi, then connect back to your Wifi. That was the point where I was failing.
• Customer service and technical support were fantastic. They were knowledgeable, courteous, never rushed, and never made me feel as though I was being a burden.
• The faster your upload speed, the better the picture. The video goes to the cloud and then your device. I get about a one second lag from live.
• If you are installing in brick, get a better bit than the one supplied. It's almost worthless. The size supplied is 15/64", just under 1/4".
• Motion detection works great here, as I am setback from the street and have a large, brick porch. The first pic is a screen shot of the cloud video. That is a few seconds into the video. The motion detector makes a wind chime noise on your device and the band around the button on the Ring glows blue. The second is the notifications on the iOS app.
I can't wait to answer the first doorbell ring while at work.
Answer the door from anywhere
Stay connected to home with motion-activated alerts, HD video and two-way talk from Ring Video Doorbell. Get alerts on your phone, tablet and PC when anyone comes to your door, so you can see, hear and speak to visitors from anywhere.
Watch over your home in wide-angle 720HD video, and protect your property around the clock with infrared night vision.
Get alerts on your phone, tablet and PC when anyone presses your Doorbell or triggers the built-in motion sensors.
Hear and speak to people at your door from your mobile device with Ring’s built-in microphone and speakers.
Check-in on your property with a press of a button, and use Live View to get on-demand video and audio any time.
Easy installation
Comes with all the tools you need to install and set up your Doorbell in just minutes.
Adjustable motion detection
Adjust the sensitivity of your motion sensors to find the ideal setting for your home.
One simple app
Link all your Ring devices to the Ring app and control your entire home security from one easy-to-use dashboard.
Ring Protect Plan
Get even more out of all your Ring doorbells and cameras with Ring Protect, a comprehensive service that lets you review what you missed. See, save, and share videos and photos when you activate video recording and photo capture for $3/month per device or $10/month per household.
Security and privacy controls in a convenient dashboard
With Control Center, you can add and remove authorized client devices, shared users, and select linked accounts–all from one place on your phone, tablet, or PC. Learn more about security and privacy.
Works with Alexa
Link your Ring account to Alexa for hands-free home monitoring so you'll always know when someone's there. Hear announcements on your Echo devices when your doorbell is pressed, and automatically see a live view of your camera on Echo devices with a screen. Talk to visitors through compatible Echo devices, like Echo Dot or Echo Show, by simply saying “Alexa, talk to the front door.”
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Ring vs Skybell comparison = Ring wins
Update 6/6/2017 Someone pried the button off my doorbell and I had to interact with Ring customer service for the first time. I'm upgrading them back to 5 stars because I was so impressed with my interaction (unlike Skybell). I went on chat to see about buying a replacement button. Zach told me they didn't offer replacement buttons, but would be happy to replace the whole unit for me. A few minutes later, I had an order confirmation and a new unit on the way. I'm impressed by how easy it was to contact them, and how responsive they were. On top of that, I'm pretty sure a break-in to my neighbour's house was averted when a suspicious person came to look through her windows last night and she confront him through her Ring. Update 6/1/2016 Finally got live view on my own Ring now. Other members of my household got it a few weeks earlier than I did so they don't seem to roll it out by household but rather by individual account. Update 3/31/206 Although my Ring has the latest firmware update (1.6.76), I still don't seem to have live view on my app. According to the Ring support site this feature is being steadily rolled out and users will receive an email when their device has been enabled. My neighbour's Ring has already been activated so I added a screenshot of what your Ring should look like with live view as an option. Note : According to the support page on Live View, you will only have this feature on the regular Ring if you are connected to doorbell wiring for power. Update 3/23/2016 You might want to wait to get the new Ring Pro depending on your needs. They just announced that they are accepting preorders for availability within the next couple of months (not available to preorder on Amazon yet.) The new Pro version requires wired doorbell power while this current version allows battery. The Pro version is 1080P instead of 720P and supposedly has better options around motion detection and night vision. I'm curious to see if the Pro version will resolve some of the issues I've seen (and some of the criticisms other reviewers have) of the delay between a motion alert or doorbell ring and getting the alert on your phone. In my previous update 3/19/2016 I erroneously stated that only Ring Pro will have live view. As Joe pointed out in the comments, Live View should be available as a firmware update for existing Ring devices. My device did not yet update so I cannot test this feature, but once mine does I will check it out and update this review again! ------- I bought the Skybell first because I hadn’t heard of Ring. Due to a manufacturing issue where I started seeing the video feed of SOMEONE ELSE’S front door instead of mine, I got a Ring instead. I'm actually glad it happened because I prefer the Ring so much more to Skybell, despite some of the limitations. Having had a chance to install both on my door, here are my impressions: ***Installation*** Skybell comes with the bell, a mounting plate, and some instructions. Screws were standard and installation was relatively straightforward. Getting the doorbell to connect to our network was a PAIN. It wasn’t able to connect via a 5G network plus it didn’t have strong enough signal strength so we had to get a second router for and set up a whole separate network for Skybell. Ring’s package impressed the heck out of me. You get a little tool pouch with all the tools you need to set up the Ring, including a screw driver, drill bit, self level and more. If you are screwing into stucco (as I was), I don’t recommend you use the included drill bit. The hole it drilled was a little large and I had to silicone caulk the hole afterwards to give the screws enough grip. Ring connected to our network pretty seamlessly and didn’t need to have a separate network nor require the 2nd router. ***Size*** Ring is MUCH larger than Skybell. I wish it was thinner but I understand there’s a lot to cram in. The Ring does stick out quite a bit visually on my wall, but worth it for what I get. See attached photo to see the size difference. Skybell: 2.15cm / 0.8in thick, 7.1cm / 2.8in diameter Ring : 0.87in thick, 4.98 tall by x 2.43 inches wide ***Battery / Power to the device*** Skybell is fairly low powered, so there is no battery attached to it. It runs off the power from your doorbell so it cannot be mounted anywhere you do not have direct power. Ring is battery powered. I charged it to about 60% via a USB cord first before I plugged it into the wall. You can get some trickle power from the doorbell, but depending on the weather and use, you may find you drain the battery faster than it charges. An hour after the bell has been plugged and with one test video call in I was at 57% battery. Three days later it charged to 77%. This might get annoying, but it does mean Ring can be mounted anywhere, not just where you have direct power. ***Mobile App*** Skybell only lets you have one user at a time. If you want more than one person to have access to the video stream you have to share accounts. I do like that you can see your doorbell on demand. I like being able to check in on my door. I understand that Ring is working on this but it’s not yet available. Ring lets you have multiple users. The first installed user just has to send email invites to the other users. Ring shows you recent activity, but you need to pay a $3 a month subscription to see your videos on cloud. I wish that wasn’t the case but $3 isn’t that bad. I imagine I will upgrade for the cloud storage long term. In terms of use of app, the Ring interface was relatively straightforward to use and understand. I like being able to set the active zones for tracking motion so that you don't get too many false alarms. ***Video on demand** Skybell : yes, but I saw another person's front door too. Ring : not yet, coming soon ***Motion detection:*** Skybell : Yes Ring: Yes ***Video quality*** I couldn’t find the specs on the Skybell. Ring seemed to have slightly higher video quality in the day and slightly higher audio quality but this may be subjective. Please note : If you are expecting the quality that you get on your web cam or Facetime on an iPhone the quality will NOT be comparable. This is still early technology so the voice quality and video quality will be a bit crude. I suspect the design team had to make some trade-offs between video quality and ability to power the unit via battery / trickle charge from the doorbell electrical wire. That said, I am able to identify the voices and recognize people in the camera so that for me is sufficient though of course I hope that future generations will continue to improve in this respect. Ring's cloud recording page gives you a pretty accurate idea of what your videos would look like. ***Lag / Delay between door bell ring and phone notification*** Seems to be about the same on both. There is a bit of a delay, but for me that’s acceptable compared to the alternative of just missing the door altogether. ***Customer Service*** Haven't had to interact with Ring's customer service, but Skybell's was so horrid I'm still upset about the interaction. Skybell wanted me to ship my defective Skybell to them at my expense when it was broadcasting someone else's video stream instead of mine right from the start. I get that it's expensive for them, but it's NOT a way to win a customer. UPDATE : I actually did have to interact with Ring customer service and they impressed me greatly. My doorbell button was probably tampered with and they issued an exchange, no questions asked within minutes of contact. Overall, between Skybell and Ring, Ring wins for me hands down.
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2015
I received the Ring yesterday, promptly from Amazon, as always. The way the device is packaged is very nice, with everything needed for installation included. Be certain to ensure your Ring is connected to your WiFi before you start drilling.
I tried to connect to my Wifi, unsuccessfully about three times. I tried to search for answers via the Internet, but Ring is not very helpful. I then realized that I was leaving off the last digit of my WEP password. After dope-slapping myself, I tried again, but was unsuccessful in four attempts.
I called Customer Service. No operators were available, but they don't make you wait on hold. They ask if you will accept a call back, which was a wonderful feature. I accepted, and Chris called me back within five minutes. We went through several steps, including rebooting the modem, all to no avail. Chris told me that he needed to elevate me to the second level. He put me on a brief hold while he went to search for a tech. He came back and told me that Matt would be available and call me in about five minutes.
Five minutes later, Matt called. We went through several steps, again all to no avail. We tried changing to WEP-2 only and taking the space out of my WEP key, which I found curious. He asked me to go to my computer. Well, we only have one, and Microsoft decided that would be a perfect time to update it. At that point, Matt told me I would have to make an appointment with him for the following day. He sent me an email where I could pick a time. I picked the first available slot that he had the next morning. Of course, every Wifi device in our home needed to be reconnected to Wifi, much to the consternation of my wife. As that is a frequent state of hers, no harm was done.
This morning, Matt called me promptly at the appointment time. I went to joinme.com and set up an online meeting with him. I granted him permission to control the mouse, and he reset my WEP to default. We went through several more steps that weren't working. I downloaded the Ring app on Windows 10 and attempted to connect the Ring that way, after rebooting the modem one more time. It worked!
The Ring was finally connected. The picture was great, even though I am limited to 1 Mbps upload speeds by the glorious gods of ATnT, who promise three and deliver one One. One amazing, colossal Mbps. If I had other options out here in the sticks, I would choose them.
Now it was time to install it on brick. I removed the old doorbell, put the supplied level in the bracket, and marked the holes. I put the supplied masonry bit in my Dewalt 20 and began drilling. After about two minutes, I hadn't even made a dimple. The bit is not very good.
I knew I had some hammer masonry bits in the garage, so I got out my impact driver and had the four holes drilled in about three minutes. My bit was a smaller diameter, so I enlarged the holes with the Ring-supplied bit to accept the anchors. It worked fine for that.
I installed the base plate and connected the bell wires. I bridged the wires to test them. The inside doorbell worked. I slid the Ring onto the mount. It wasn't flush. Since I was installing on uneven brick, I had to back out the bottom screws about an eighth of a turn. The Ring then slid on the bracket correctly. I tightened the set screws on the bottom and pressed the button.
It rang, inside and out, and the notification came up on my phone. I was off and Ringing. The motion detector works very well. I will continue with the cloud at $30 per year because I would like a record of what happens when I am not home.
In summary:
• Setup seems more ponderous than it should be. You must press a button on the back, then connect to the Ring via the Ring Wifi, then connect back to your Wifi. That was the point where I was failing.
• Customer service and technical support were fantastic. They were knowledgeable, courteous, never rushed, and never made me feel as though I was being a burden.
• The faster your upload speed, the better the picture. The video goes to the cloud and then your device. I get about a one second lag from live.
• If you are installing in brick, get a better bit than the one supplied. It's almost worthless. The size supplied is 15/64", just under 1/4".
• Motion detection works great here, as I am setback from the street and have a large, brick porch. The first pic is a screen shot of the cloud video. That is a few seconds into the video. The motion detector makes a wind chime noise on your device and the band around the button on the Ring glows blue. The second is the notifications on the iOS app.
I can't wait to answer the first doorbell ring while at work.
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2016
UPDATE 5/30/2017 - Have now had our Ring doorbell for almost a year. Even on battery power it works EXACTLY as promised! We get prompt video notifications when someone is at the door, no matter where we are. In fact, the other day, we had an accidental FALSE alarm (on our ADT system) and the local police showed-up--as we had the Ring, and were away from the house, we could answer the door ring and tell them all was well. A very handy gizmo, works exactly as promised! I usually charge it once every 6 - 8 weeks. We've had a great experience with it.
Brand new, but so far VERY pleased!!!
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2016
UPDATE 9/21/2016 - I have now used Ring Doorbell for over a week and I remain very enthusiastic about this product. I am using it with battery power (as our front door wasn't wired with a DC current doorbell) and it has been performing pretty much flawlessly! Even using a WiFi extender I get doorbell rings to my phone within seconds and a very clear picture -- and audio -- of who is at the door. Sound & picture quality is excellent. The motion alert seems to work very well, as well. One minor quibble: I do get 3-4 'false' motion alerts per day. I have the Ring set to low motion sensitivity (maybe a 10-12' foot range, but not the lowest sensitivity), maybe I'll lower it a bit more, but I'd prefer a few false alerts than to miss something when I need it. You needn't respond to every alert. They are all stored in Ring's Cloud for 30+ days (for a modest $30 annual fee + 1 free trial month), so you can review & delete them whenever you want. Overall, I'd say the Ring Doorbell exceeds my expectations -- thought it would be far more glitchy, but it's not. Main thing to stress: be sure you have a solid/robust wifi connection before purchasing, Ring very much relies on that! Works FINE with an extender, I have an older Netgear WN3000RP.
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I just purchased the Ring Doorbell Cam (not from Amazon as I normally do, but from my security company, ADT). I've only had it a few hours, and I know the reviews here are mixed, but so far my experience has been great. Unfortunately my main router is in the back of our house, but I have an older Netgear WiFi extender (purchased on Amazon!) in the middle of the house that works quite well. I was worried how well the Ring Doorbell would play with the WiFi extender. Well, right out of the box the Ring immediately connected -- just carefully follow the prompts (and there's a helpful accompanying set-up video) -- and it immediately found my network, connected, setup my account, etc. Flawless. The ADT guys mounted the RING on my masonry front door (using the supplied masonry bit), it's just two screws, but drilling into masonry/concrete is always a pain, so I let them do it. (ADT just sells the ring, doesn't really service it.) Anyway, the RING is maybe 25 - 30' from the wifi extender -- and outside the house, of course -- but immediately it appears to be working exactly as advertised! I am notified on my phone when someone rings the bell, no matter where I am. I have it set to limited-range motion detection (abt 10 feet). We happen to live on a very busy street, but so far I am not receiving ANY false alarms from passing cars or pedestrians. I am attaching a screen capture of our real-time daytime view. Considering it's wireless & battery-powered, it's quite good.
As one popular review said, the RING is probably only as good as your WiFi signal and, I guess, your upload speed. We have a pretty fast network and, as I said, an older Netgear extender. Nothing very fancy -- but so far, RING is working a lot better than I expected, as my expectations, based on some of the mixed reviews, were quite low. When it works, it appears to work very well!
One point to note: as other reviewers have pointed out, unless you are hard-wired to DC current, which our RING is not, you do not get a live-stream picture. On battery power, it's only activated via a doorbell ring or motion detection. If you happen to have a wired doorbell then it's quite easy to hardwire the RING to it, but you'll still need a good/robust wireless connection. I will update once we've used it for a while...
Images in this review
