Back on November 28th, I blogged about my intentions to add a Ring Doorbell to my home for increased security and convenience. If you missed that original post, you’ll find it here: Finally Doing It-I’m Adding a Security Camera to my Front Porch.
Today I’m sharing how the installation went along with one hiccup I encountered and how I solved it. If you have any questions after reading this post, leave it in a comment below the post and I’m happy to answer those if I can.
When you purchase a Ring Doorbell (I purchased mine here: Ring Doorbell) and are getting ready to install it, the first thing you’ll want to do is add the Ring app to your phone. You’ll need it in order to complete the installation and that’s how you’ll be able to see who’s at your door once the doorbell is up and running.
When I first opened the Ring Doorbell Pro package, I felt a bit overwhelmed because there were so many pieces inside the box. There were actually more pieces than what I’m showing here below, but these were just the ones I took downstairs in case I needed them. Basically, Ring tries to anticipate every possible situation a person may encounter during an install, and provide the parts/pieces you’ll need for any scenario.
My installation turned out to be very straightforward so I didn’t need about half the stuff that came with my doorbell. The only thing I used from the items below was the doorbell itself, 2 short screws and the rectangle-shaped white thingy you see beside the doorbell. I used my own screwdriver, so I didn’t need the orange handle you see below, or the screwdriver bit. I didn’t need the drill bit, either.
So, if you order a Ring Doorbell, don’t panic when you open the box and a million parts fall out. (Slight exaggeration!) You’ll probably find you won’t need most of them.
The white thingy mentioned above is the Ring Pro Power Kit. Ring describes it this way:
The Pro Power Kit included with your Video Doorbell Pro is a small device that makes sure that enough power is sent to your Ring Doorbell to function. It’s required in order for your Ring Doorbell to function properly.
I’ve installed a doorbell once before so I decided to attempt the installation myself knowing I could call an electrician if I ran into an issue. After adding the app to my phone and turning off the power to the doorbell, which also killed the power to my entry, living room and dining room, I was ready to get on with the installation. The Pro Power Kit was the first thing that needed to be installed.
It was dark in the entryway where the doorbell chimes are located since the power was off, so I used one of my little American Red Cross emergency lights that was shining away in a nearby outlet as a flashlight during the installation process. (These lights are available here: Emergency Blackout Light.)
I stuck the light in my pocket and this worked so well, I snapped a selfie with my phone in case you would find this helpful, too. If you don’t have anyone available to hold a flashlight for you while you install the Power Kit in your darkened house, put on a shirt with a button pocket, and wedge a little flashlight into the pocket. It worked great in my case and shone the light right where I needed it as I worked.
This is how the doorbell/door chimes look inside my home. My home was built around 1982 so this would have been the style for doorbells back around that time, I guess. I know a lot of folks would probably replace it, but I actually love it. I always like keeping some of the original features of a home, plus it sounds pretty awesome when it chimes. It’s a pretty impressive sound!
My installation of the Pro Power Kit went exactly as illustrated in the Ring instructions manual. I removed the “fancy” cover from over the inner workings of the doorbell chimes.
Here’s how things looked underneath. To install the little white Power Kit, I followed the directions and partially unscrewed the “Front” and “Trans” screws out a tiny bit, stuck the wires of the Power Kit behind the screws and tightened them back down.
Then I attached the Power Kit on a flat spot of the doorbell panel using the little sticky pad on the back of the Power Kit. After placing the cover back onto the door chimes, it was time to install the Ring Doorbell outside.
I removed my cute pineapple doorbell. I’ll miss that cute doorbell…loved its design.
Here’s how the wires looked afterward.
Next, I just attached the wires to the screws on the back of the Ring Doorbell. As I recall, it didn’t matter which wire was attached to which screw. All of this information was in the instruction pamphlet that came with the Ring Doorbell.
The Ring Doorbell Pro comes with 4 different color faceplates. I chose the silver one for my doorbell.
The Signal Strength is Very Important
Okay, this is the really important part to know: The Ring instructions state that you may not have a very good connection to your doorbell if it’s more than 25 feet away from your modem. My modem is in my office in the upstairs part of my home, so it was definitely more than 25 feet away from the doorbell. I walked it off and it appeared to be around 40 feet away.
When I initially looked at the Signal Strength under the “Device Health” part of the Ring app, it was in the upper 70’s, which isn’t good. Per the nice Ring Customer Service person I talked with at their support number, the number needed to be much lower (at least down into the 60s) or I’d probably see some issues with the performance of the Ring if I didn’t add an extender.
This was the extender I purchased because it’s the one several folks recommended in the reviews online. I purchased it here: Extender. I followed the instructions and connected it to the doorbell and my home WiFi. What the extender does is it acts as a go between…between the Ring doorbell and my modem, boosting the signal/connection so the picture and info the doorbell sends to the app on my phone can get through.
After I added the extender, the Signal Strength number dropped into to the 40’s which is excellent. Currently, it’s reading 43. Wish I had taken a screenshot to share when the Signal Strength was in the upper 70’s. Everything was so glitchy then. When someone was at the door, the video wouldn’t properly display on my phone about half the time. Plus, the Ring kept dropping its connection with my WiFi, which meant it wasn’t working about half the time! Arggg.
So unless your doorbell is within 25 feet of where you have your modem, you’ll probably need an extender. Fortunately, extenders aren’t that expensive and totally worth it to get that boosted signal. I didn’t purchase the extender that Ring offers because it will only work with a Ring device. The extender I purchased should boost my WiFi overall, so when I’m out on the screened porch with my computer, I should have an even better connection than I normally would.
A few more tips:
Ring recommends the extender be plugged in half-way between the modem and the doorbell. Since that would have been in the middle of my staircase where I don’t have an outlet…
…I have mine plugged in under the table here in my entry. I read somewhere, (may have been on the Ring website) if you don’t have an outlet halfway between the modem and the doorbell, it’s best to place the extender closer to the doorbell than the modem.
Another tip:
When I first started using my Ring Doorbell, it was alerting me every time a large panel truck passed on the street in front of my house. Fortunately, there’s a place to adjust that in the Ring app under, “Motion Settings.”
In the “Motion Zones” section under the Motion Settings, it’s easy to adjust the exact area of your porch/walkway/yard where you want the Ring to focus. It’s pretty awesome how that works. I’d share a screenshot but it’s too dark out right now to really show how I have it set. I basically just lowered the zone coverage to where it’s not showing all the way out to the street now, and that works great!
I’ve really enjoyed having the Ring Doorbell and I’m glad I added it to my front porch area. When you have a Ring Doorbell, you learn some interesting things about how people deliver packages, as well the other comings and goings on your front porch.
One funny story: A few days ago the Ring app on my phone alerted me there was motion at my front door. I looked at the video it displayed and there was a delivery guy placing a huge octagonal-shaped box on my front porch. It was about the height of a water heater and because of it’s rounded shaped, it looked as if that’s what you would find inside the box if you opened it. I couldn’t think of anything I had ordered that was that size or shape.
I immediately went downstairs, opened the front door and nothing was there! Huh? Was I imagining things? I looked at my phone again and a second video had popped up. It showed the delivery guy running at a fast pace down my walkway…do you see him there at the end of the walkway?
Apparently, he realized his mistake before driving off. Don’t you wonder what was inside that big box? Guess we’ll never know! lol
Did you know some Amazon delivery guys use their cell phone to take a picture of the package they are leaving at your door before they walk away? I saw a delivery guy do that. He placed the package in front of my door, then snapped a photo before leaving. That seems like a good idea to prove that you delivered it, right? Except for one problem: An unscrupulous person could just state it never arrived implying the delivery guy took a photo of it on the porch in front of the door, then picked the package back up and took it with him.
I remember a few years back seeing a video on YouTube (probably taken with a Ring Doorbell) that showed a delivery person bringing a large envelope to a person’s front door, scanning it with some kind of device, I guess to show it had been delivered, then absentmindedly (or was it?) sticking the envelope back into his mailbag. Oops! The person who lived there had proof right there of what had happened to the package. That video may still be on YouTube…not sure.
By the way, this isn’t a sponsored post and Ring didn’t provide or give a discount on my doorbell. I decided on my own to add it and purchased it here: Ring Doorbell.
I hope this post is helpful for anyone adding a Ring Doorbell to their home. I’m really happy I added one to my front porch, just wish I had done it sooner. Again, if you have any questions, I will try to answer them. I’m not an expert, but if I can install a Ring Doorbell by myself, anyone can!
Just don’t forget the extender tip, I spent way too many hours the day I installed my Ring Doorbell trying to get it to stay connected to my WiFi, even though the Ring app kept telling me each time the connection failed that my modem was probably too far away from the doorbell. It was right! If I had listened and bought the extender right away, it would have saved me a lot of frustration.
Thanks for this tutortial as I’m giving my husband a Ring for Christmas and this will be an excellent guide for him to follow along with the Ring instructions. I was shocked to see we have the same chimes. I have hand painted mine to bring it up to date but I agree that I too love the sound they have. Our home was built in 1980 and we have made MANY upgrades since purchasing but the chimes have remained and I have a hands off policy towards it. Thanks for sharing and may you be blessed with a Merry Christmas!
Alice, that’s so awesome that you’ve kept your chimes, too. I like that…”hands-off policy!” 🙂
Aren’t you the clever one! Good job!
Thanks, Ginger!
XXX
The wire on the right looks like it got hot…as in too much electricity. (Per
my hubby.) If you didn’t take the wire back to clean wire, you might want to do that or have someone check it out.
I have an electrician who can check it out but the reading is great now at 4056mV, so I think it’s okay.
I see what you’re talking about with it being black…wonder if that’s when it was reading higher. I can turn it off and cut it back to clean wire. Thanks for that tip!
We purchased a Ring doorbell in the spring. I love it & let me tell you, the grandkids love it! Two of them live a path through the woods away & Ring is always capturing their antics when they come down to visit! Not to mention our daughter & spouse! I’m so glad for the info on the extender. I’m pretty sure I need one as well. Sometimes my Ring picture is grainy or takes a while to load. Great advice once again Susan! You are my “Go To Gal”. Around here I say, “hmm, I wonder what Susan would do. Or buy?” Lol! Merry Christmas to You & Yours!
Aww, that sounds so cute, Gina! Yeah, you would probably see a big improvement. Look at your Device Health and see what the Signal Strength is. Ring says you want it to stay under 60. Mine was running around 40-45 until I added an Echo Show to my WiFi. I returned it the same day I purchased it because there were several features I really didn’t like. Ever since I removed the Echo Show from my modem, my Signal Strength has been showing higher in the 50s. I probably need to reboot my modem to get it back down around 40-44.
Are you able to speak to someone on your porch through the app on your phone?
Yes, you can. I haven’t needed to do that yet, but there’s a button you press on the app that looks like a microphone, so that’s how you communicate. You can do it from anywhere, even if you’re not home.
Congratulations on the installation. I see Mr. Squirrel had his picture taken as well., ha! Thanks for the good info.
lol Yes, he was one of my first “visitors” to set it off.
We love the Ring Doorbell too!! We bought ours about the same time you did. Have really loved seeing our packages arriving too.
We too had to change our motion sensitivity, it went off when any car or person went by our home. Which got old really fast.
We could easily do a commercial for it
Edith, did you need an extender or was your modem close enough? I love it, too!
No, I am married to a retired AT& T IT Guru who knew underneath our foyer table would be perfect, so no extender. Luckily when we downsized, our foyer is near my sweet hubs office and guest room. That is where the “compute”, our grands nickname for the computers that are in thereAlthough we have used an extender for our upstairs family room, for our grands computer and Wii
That’s awful about that delivery person who snatched someone else’s package (“accidentally”?)… therefore my question: don’t you have to sign for your deliveries? In my corner of the world they never leave stuff at your door when you’re not home as signature is always required.
Susan, I so wish I had your tech skills! Love that Ring Doorbell! I have a friend who installed that, too, because she needed proof the dog walker assuredly walked her dog for one hour as arranged… she didn’t! (My friend receives a notification whenever her door opens or closes.)
Usually, you don’t need to sign for them unless they are very expensive items. Regular items like most clothing, stuff you order from Amazon, etc… just get left at the door. So it’s pretty rare that I need to sign for something, it’s really up to the store/seller if they want that type of confirmation. Most stores know that people are away from home at work during the day so it would be really hard for them to arrange to be home to sign for something or to pick it up later at UPS or FedEx…etc…
Do you guys order from Amazon? I order a lot of everyday type items from Amazon to avoid going out in the Atlanta traffic, so I’d have a hard time if they made us sign for everything. That’s great that your friend knew! Never thought about how handy it would be for something like that.
Good job, Susan! We have a wifi extender already in place since we both operate individual PCs in opposite corners of the house, so that part would be already taken care of for us. I certainly think I could do that installation. Thanks for sharing.
That’s awesome! I should probably have gotten one for my home before now…so smart, Rita!
This was a very interesting read for me as I knew nothing about Ring except the ads. You’re doorchimes are beautiful, and I’m glad you kept them!! In this huge “updating”mentality that is going on (thank you HGTV), everybody is erasing the beauty in their homes for boring white shiplap. Can you tell I’m an traditional kind of gal?!?
Thanks, Roxanne! I love how they sound and really do love how they look. They add a bit of romance and nostalgia to the entry. They represent a different period of time and I love that.
Merry Christmas to you! XXX
Thanks for the details. After seeing your instructions, I think I can do this! On my list now. You didn’t mention a speaker. Can you talk to someone on the porch through your phone? Thanks again.
You can. I haven’t needed to do that just yet, but when the Ring app opens on the phone to show you who is there, there’s a microphone visible that you can press to unmute so you can talk to them. You can even do that while you’re away from home.
What happens when someone reaches in from the side and stealthily covers the camera with tape? Happened in my neighborhood to several homes. We have a camera mounted low and out of reach–they don’t see it until it’s too late…
That would be pretty hard to do since my porch is up off the ground and there are benches on either side. They would have to have really long arms and they would have to approach from the far right.
The viewing area of the Ring is huge since it has a very wide angle lens. I could see the street in front of me and down the walkway, etc… Most bad guys are not going to realize you have Ring camera until they are on your porch. I think it would be pretty rare for a bad guy to try and cover it, they would probably just leave once they saw it and go on to another house to rob. There are videos from Ring customers at the Ring website and online on YouTube that show shady characters at the door, then they notice the Ring and they turn around and hightail it out. In one video, two guys ring a doorbell, then suddenly realize there’s a camera and even comment on it, then they leave immediately. So most bad guys aren’t expecting it. If you get a chance, watch some of the videos online on YouTube or at the Ring website.
Thanks for this post Susan. I have been thinking about a ring doorbell. Problem is my house was built in the 50’s and has no doorbell. Is that a problem or would I have to install a doorbell first? Also my mail carrier won’t even bring my packages up to the door, instead putting them in the driveway, flower bed, etc…I only know my package has been delivered by a notification or by watching for it by using the tracking. Drives me nuts that she just throws my packages out in the driveway! I have complained about it but it still keeps happening. So not sure if the Ring would be of help to me or not on that end of things. Then the next thing would be should I put one on the front or back door? So many things to decide! lol Glad your Ring doorbell is working out well for you!
No, you don’t have to because they make several different models and some are battery powered for folks who don’t have existing wiring or just don’t want to deal with hardwiring it. When I was reading about those, it said that the battery lasts quite a few months before it has to be charged and it will send you a message on your phone when it’s time to charge it.
Oh, and that’s ridiculous about your mail carrier…that would make me so mad! With a Ring, at least you would have a video capturing her doing that to show to your Postmaster.
I’ve had a few bad mail carriers over the years. Once I came home from work to find a package perched on the tip-top of my arched brick mailbox. It was just sitting there begging someone to steal it…they barely would have even had to get out of the car to take it. It was rocking back and forth in the breeze. It’s a wonder it hadn’t fallen off into the road and been run over.
Susan, I know this must be a busy time for you as you get ready to travel, so it was really good of you to post this. So very helpful. I do have a couple of follow up questions for you, when you have time.
Is what is being seen through the Ring on video? Just wondering if you can go back at a later time to review something. And if so, where is the video housed? In the cloud or on your own hard-drive? Also, do you know if Ring has any add-ons such as other cameras that can be connected to it and would cover other areas of your yard, backyard and so forth?
Thanks again. You really are a treasure trove of info. :o) And I want to wish you safe travels and a wonderful Christmas with your son and his family. I know your grandkids are in for a fun Christmas! I hope they love their sledding discs. Safe travels and Merry Christmas!
Yes, when you first get a Ring, you get storage of the videos for the first 30 days. At the end of thirty days, you can sign up for their storage plan where they will store all videos, going back 60 days. That plan is $30 a year…I just signed up for it last night.
If a person installs a Ring and then doesn’t sign up to have their videos stored, the Ring will still notify you when someone is there and you can still view them on your phone right then and there…and talk to them if you wish, but it just doesn’t record it and save it.
Here’s how it’s worded at their site: “If you answer the alert, the Ring app will open, and you can access live footage of the activity. If you have an optional Ring Video Recording Plan, all motion-triggered events and Doorbell presses are automatically recorded and saved to your Ring account for up to 60 days.”
The video is all saved in the cloud, not on your phone. But you can view it easily at any time via the app. I can view any visit that’s happened so far in a matter of seconds on my phone. You can “Star” a visit so you can find it easier later on.
Yup, you can add additional cameras at any time…like on a back door, over a garage or wherever. I have a feeling I will do that in the future. I wish I’d had it back in the day when raccoons were raiding my bird feeders every single night. lol
Thanks, Pam! I can’t wait to squeeze them and hear their sweet voices! 🙂 It would be great if we got some snow and they could try them out. Can’t believe I’m hoping for snow!!! I can’t stand snow!!! lol
Lol, I know! Just goes to show how much you love your little grand bambinos. I hope you get to see them using their discs. Maybe you will even go for a ride!
Thanks for the additional info.
What a neat thing to have, for many reasons. Also, can you see when the delivery folks stop and grab a snack? Do they choose right away or do they seem to have trouble choosing? Do most take something or only a few?
Mia, I have to share the cutest story. I’m sure all the delivery folks recognize the Ring device, they probably see them all the time, but I was so surprised when one delivery guy walked onto the porch, sat down the package then placed his face about a foot away from the camera and said, “Thank you so much!” Then before he left he bowed a couple of times to the camera and said it again. It was sooo cute and was so heartfelt. I was so surprised when he did that…made my day. 🙂 I was thinking about buying a big box of donuts to put out one day along with the other goodies. I’d have to put them inside something to keep ants out!
You are so clever and I admire your “fix it ideas”. I sure needed a Ring door bell last week to see what was goin on with the mall carrier and a package he was trying to deliver. His first excuse for non delivery was the snow was too bad and he couldn’t get to street, mailbox or house. The second day he said he delivered it. The USPS has GPS on all vehicles so they can see your house
and address where mail carrier stops. Video showed him leaving a package at my house. Funny thing, checking on tracking, my package that was supposed to be delivered, was now in hands of Fed Ex with a new tracking number. Yes, it came early Saturday morning from Fed Ex. When my local Post office called to see if package had arrived, she could not explain or even understand how all this had transpired! She was most floored they had him on video delivering a package at my house. I was just happy to finally get my lost package! Thought this was good knowledge to share with you all.
Merry Christmas to each of you. Enjoy time and memories with family and friends. XOXO
That is wild, Mary Ellen! What a mystery! Yup, the Ring definitely would have helped with that, for sure.
We have had Ring for 2 years now. We spend summers in a cooler climate and love having the ability to see the front door. Our 3 year old neighbor boy will ring us to say Hi Miss Dot.
Oh, that is soo cute! I love that about your neighbor! 🙂
Love your doorchimes, and as someone above mentioned, that you weren’t hit by the “update” bug to replace them with something modern. They have an interesting history, and when I saw them it reminded me of this post:https://retrorenovation.com/2014/05/29/electrachime-doorbells/
Wow! I knew I loved how they sound and look, but had no idea they had such a history. Thanks for that article, Linda…that was so interesting! It makes me want to take this doorbell mechanism and chimes with me if I ever move. They do sound beautiful and I love how the sound lingers gradually fading out after the bell is pressed. You can definitely hear them from outside, too. Mine function just like he mentioned in the article…the front door rings two chimes while the back door just rings one.
When I first installed the Ring doorbell, I knew my own doorbell would continue to work. The Ring also had an electronic chime of its own which I didn’t need. I asked the guys at Ring if I could turn that off and they told me what to do. You just go into the app and cut the volume all the way down on the Ring doorbell chime so you and your visitor don’t hear it all. They just hear your own doorbell when they press the button
Thanks again for that article…makes me appreciate my “vintage” doorbell even more!
Not sure how I would feel about living across the street from you and having all my comings and goings on your camera—no privacy. Any thoughts on this issue?
If it could detect movement that far away (which it doesn’t) and someone broke into your home, you’d probably be pretty happy about it. 🙂 However, it doesn’t work that way because the camera will only “notice” and record movement that’s no further than 30 feet away from the camera, meaning it will never notice or record anything going on in my neighbor’s yard. Also, as mentioned in this post, I’ve further reduced the coverage zone to just cover my walkway, porch and the area immediately in front of my walkway/porch because that’s the only time I want it alerting me. I don’t need to know every time a large panel truck drives down the road.
Thanks for the extra information. It’s good to know that privacy is also a consideration.
I wasn’t worried about privacy, that never even crossed my mind because the camera wasn’t designed to spy on neighbors or neighbor’s homes. I don’t think anyone would ever purchase a Ring doorbell if it was triggered by things happening across the street in a neighbor’s yard because they would get interrupted with notices on their phone throughout the day for nothing, and that would be super annoying. It’s designed to record anyone on your immediate property so that you’re aware that they are there.
I’m sure you know this, but in the world we live in, you’re being recorded all day long everywhere you go. When you go to a store or the bank, you’re being recorded as you’re driving there because there are cameras on many traffic lights these days.
You’re being recorded when you arrive in the parking lot by cameras on the exterior of the stores/buildings. Then you’re recorded as you shop. Just look up at the ceiling in any grocery store, you’ll see cameras strategically placed all around the store. It’s the way they catch a lot of bad guys these days.
I will probably add more cameras to my home. I’d like to have one that focuses on my backyard and one that focuses on my garage area.
Live and Learn!! GOOD JOB!! franki
Thanks, Franki! XXX
Very interesting post as I just put my Ring doorbell in the box after a very bad (several-days-long torture session with customer service India) and am getting my money back. It’s way too long to go into it. Suffice it to say their customer service should be called customer no service. UGH! I’m glad your experience was good. My husband did all of the handy-man stuff, so hats off to you for doing it all yourself.
WOW! We have had our Ring Pro about a year and a half. We installed it after we were burglarized. We love it. We have also installed Ring Cameras/Motion Detectors with lights all around the exterior of our home. Probably the most comforting choices we have made regarding protecting our home. I know you can’t keep the bad guys out if they really want to get in, but we will have great pictures of them, head to toe, after they leave with our valuables. I love that I can look at my iPhone any time, anywhere and see what is going on in my backyard, on my patio, on my driveway, etc. My husband researched security systems after the robbery for several months before we decided on Ring. We have never looked back. So happy to hear you are loving yours! We can’t say enough good stuff about this company.
I’m not sure what you have heard about all these devices, but it’s not good. I would not and do not own any of them. They are invading your privacy all the time. They record everything, who comes, who goes, what they say, what you say, from whom and what you order, and their camera is able to record inside your houses. They see everything you own. You may not think you have anything to hide, but, that is hardly the point. Any information can be manipulated and made to look different, nefarious even. Your privacy is being invaded and recorded and stored 24 hours a day – everyday. If you have Alexa or Echo, or anything of the like, even more so, nothing about you is private and it could be public. They always market this technology as if it will enhance your life and make it better, more efficient or safe. The exact opposite is true. They want to know everything about you and what you do and say. And why don’t they tell you all of this? Are they going to be responsible with all your info? The million dollar question really is, why? I’m not sure you want to know…..and they wouldn’t tell you the truth anyway.
I no longer have any of the Amazon Echo devices. They didn’t work well the Ring doorbell and I didn’t use the smaller Echo Dot I had enough to keep it on my desk. I do enjoy having the RING doorbell, though. I understand what you’re saying about having devices inside your home and I don’t feel comfortable having a device that’s “always listening” in my home. The good thing about the Echo dot is you can turn it off and only turn it on when you need to ask something, but it’s easy to forget to turn it back off. So I don’t have anything inside my home, nothing at all. Your points are well-taken and appreciate your comment.