Installing a Ring video doorbell is one of the easiest smart home upgrades to tackle (with the possible exception of screwing in a smart lightbulb). Made up of a motion-activated camera with a microphone and speaker, a Ring video doorbell will send alerts to your smartphone and smart speakers to tell you when there’s someone at your door so you can see and talk to them. This is handy for making sure you don’t miss a visitor as well as for keeping an eye on packages if you’re not home. Show
Getting a Ring video doorbell set up on your front or backdoor should take between 10 and 45 minutes, depending on which of the seven models you decide to go with and whether you choose battery-powered or wired. If you have existing doorbell wires, I highly recommend opting for a wired doorbell. In my testing, they tend to be more reliable because they don’t have to “wake up” their battery to record video. As long as you can find your breaker, the whole thing shouldn’t take more than 45 minutes However, the battery-powered versions — Ring Video Doorbell 4, Ring Video Doorbell 3, and Ring Video Doorbell 2020 — are the easiest to install. The hardwired ones — Ring Video Doorbell Wired, Ring Video Doorbell Pro, and Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 — are a little more involved, but the process is pretty simple and generally involves low-voltage wiring. If you are uncomfortable with messing with wiring, an electrician can certainly do this job for you, but as long as you can find your breaker and the indoor chime box, the whole thing shouldn’t take more than 30 to 45 minutes. The only time you might consider an electrician is if you want a wired doorbell and you don’t have an existing doorbell transformer. In that instance, I recommend professional help. A cheaper solution is to buy a Ring plug-in adapter to permanently power your doorbell, but that may require drilling holes through your wall. Ring provides everything you need to install the doorbell except a drill. The screws and wires are marked with letters to help you select the right ones. Most Ring doorbells come with everything you need to install them right in the box, including a screwdriver, screws, wall anchors, wire extenders, and wire nuts. In fact, Ring provides everything but the drill (which you only need if you’re dealing with concrete or stucco), although it does include a specialized drill bit. The Ring Pro models as well as the Ring 3 and 4 also come with optional wedge kits to change the angle of the video doorbell. The Ring Wired and Ring 2020 don’t come with these, but you can buy them separately. How to install a wired Ring video doorbellThe Ring Pro 2 (pictured), Ring Pro, and Ring Wired are all wired doorbells, but they are easy to install. Ring has four “true wired” video doorbells: the Ring Wired, Ring Pro and Pro 2, and the Ring Elite. The Elite requires professional installation, so we will skip that. But, for the other three, the installation steps are very similar. The Pro models require a 16- to 24-volt doorbell transformer, which Ring also sells. And the Ring Wired requires a transformer between 10 and 24 volts. Here’s how to install these doorbells:
You will need to attach wires to your existing doorbell chime.
Check if your existing doorbell wires are long enough. If not, use the included wire nuts and wire extenders.
Attach the wires to the terminal screws on the back of the doorbell and then screw the doorbell to the wall, doorframe, or, in this case, to the provided wedge mount.
You can now use Ring’s smartphone app to connect the doorbell to your Wi-Fi network and set up features such as motion detection and alerts. Related
How to install a wireless Ring video doorbellBattery-powered Ring doorbells work with a built-in or removable battery. They can also be wired to your doorbell wiring to trickle charge the battery. The main advantage of a battery doorbell is that it will continue to record if the power is out and, since you don’t have to connect it via wires, you can put it anywhere you like. The disadvantage is you have to remember to charge it. Ring has three battery doorbells: the Ring 4, Ring 3, and Ring 2020. While the steps to install these are similar, they are not identical, so I will go over the Ring 2020 separately. How to install a Ring Video Doorbell 4 or Ring 3The Ring 4 and 3 have a removable faceplate.
Fully charge the included battery.Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
Attach the doorbell directly to the wall using the provided screws and insert the battery.
Complete the setup in Ring’s smartphone app by connecting the doorbell to your Wi-Fi network to enable features such as motion detection and alerts. Related
How to install a Ring Video Doorbell 2020The Ring Video Doorbell 2020 attaches to a mounting bracket.
Attach the mounting bracket to the wall or doorframe with the included screws.
If you have doorbell wires or want to use a power extender kit, you can attach them to the Ring 2020 to trickle charge the battery.
Open the Ring smartphone app to complete the setup, which includes connecting the doorbell to your Wi-Fi network and activating features such as motion detection and alerts. Related
A Ring Chime lets you hear your doorbell inside your home if you don’t have a wired chime.Image: Ring How to install the Ring Chime with your Ring video doorbellRing sells a Ring Chime ($34.99) and Ring Chime Pro ($59.99). The Chime allows you to hear the alert from your Ring doorbell inside your home, the same way a traditional doorbell chime box does. A Chime Pro does the same thing but also acts as a Wi-Fi extender, which can be useful if your Ring Doorbell has a weak connection to your Wi-Fi. You can use a Chime with a wired or battery-powered Ring doorbell.
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Verge Deals/ Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox daily. Email (required)Sign up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. How does non wired Ring doorbell work?Battery power
The rechargeable battery that comes included with your Ring Video Doorbell is designed to power your device without being connected to an external power source. It will need to be recharged on a regular basis.
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