One of the most established names in video doorbells is Ring. While there\u2019s now tons of competition in the video-doorbell space, Ring has expanded their functionality and product line and continues to be the go-to name for front door security. Before you get one, however, there are a few things to consider, like what type of model you’ll need and how you’ll mount it. <\/p>\n
First, you need to know whether you\u2019ll be able to support a wired camera, or if you need a wireless version. A wired doorbell camera <\/u><\/a>will connect to the wiring that your existing doorbell uses and means you\u2019ll never need to recharge your camera. Just be aware that even though it\u2019s using the same wiring, a ring camera doesn\u2019t sound your existing door chime\u2014it alerts you via phone, and you can purchase a chime accessory to hear an alert in your home. If this wiring doesn\u2019t exist, Ring has plenty of doorbells that are rechargeable<\/u><\/a>. You\u2019ll take them down overnight once in a while, connect them to a USB cable, and once they\u2019re recharged, put them back up. This sounds labor-intensive, but it\u2019s really not. Whether wired or wireless, Ring offers a few models to choose from.\u00a0<\/p>\n The most important requirement, regardless of which model you choose, is the ability for your internet signal to be relatively strong near the doorbell. This is how the doorbell will communicate with your phone, and send video back and forth. The faster the connection, the quicker you\u2019ll receive notifications and be able to communicate with people at your front door via video.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Now you need to consider how and where you\u2019ll mount your doorbell, and if it will require any accessories. For instance, if you live in an apartment building, you may not be \u201cmounting\u201d the doorbell on the wall, but may use a clamp<\/u><\/a> just for this purpose, so the doorbell remains outside the door, but secure. If you are mounting the doorbell on siding, at a slant, you’ll need a \u201cwedge\u201d mount<\/u><\/a> that compensates for the slant. If you need to aim your doorbell at an angle, rather than straight out from the house, you\u2019ll want a swiveling mount<\/u><\/a>. Some mounts<\/u><\/a> allow for a vertical and a horizontal angle. If you\u2019re able to mount the doorbell to a flat wall, aiming straight out, everything you need is in the box, and you won\u2019t have to buy an additional mount.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you\u2019re connecting a wired doorbell, you\u2019ll need a screwdriver, a pair of wire strippers and your phone, as well as a voltage tester<\/a>. For either wireless or wired, you\u2019ll want a drill with your drill bit set, and a screwdriver or Phillips bit for your drill. You\u2019ll also want a level, and some silicone caulk.\u00a0<\/p>\n First, you\u2019re going to want to make sure the electricity is off to your doorbell. If you have your voltage tester<\/a>, an inexpensive tool to check if a wire is safe or hot, you can try to shut off just the circuit that controls your doorbell. Shut off the circuit you believe to a match, and then once you\u2019ve removed the existing doorbell, carefully use the detector to double-check the electricity by touching the plastic tip of the tester to each wire to see if the tester sounds an alarm. If you don\u2019t have a detector or you aren\u2019t sure which circuit goes to the doorbell, turn off the main power instead. This should kill electric to your whole house.\u00a0 Once you know the electricity is off to those wires, you can proceed. <\/p>\n Using the mount you chose, trace where the mount should go by holding it against the wall, using a level to ensure it\u2019s straight, and note where the screws will go. Now match a drill bit to the size of the screws included with the doorbell, and drill \u00bd inch deep where you noted the screw holes on the wall. Switch to the Phillips bit, and install the mount. In some cases, you\u2019ll need to install the flat wall mount that came in the box to a wedge, angle or clamp mount you\u2019ve bought. If so, do so now.\u00a0<\/p>\n The wires that are coming out of the wall connect to the mount, not the doorbell. Follow the directions to ensure the right wires go to the right receptacle on the mount. Use the wire strippers as needed to create a nice clean wire connection by cutting off frayed or burned-out wire and stripping the end. Once the connections are made, you can proceed to installing the doorbell itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t yet, now is the time to install the Ring app for iPhone or Android. This is needed to proceed to the next step. Set up an account, and then add a new device. Select the doorbell you\u2019ve purchased, and follow the directions. Make sure you have the box the doorbell came in, and the doorbell itself. There may be a QR code you\u2019ll need for setup on the back of the doorbell or the box. Follow the prompts on the app\u2014it may ask you turn on location services, and doing so will allow your doorbell to work properly.\u00a0 The app will guide you through connecting the doorbell to your wifi, and how to test the doorbell.\u00a0<\/p>\n Finally, it\u2019s time to put the doorbell on the mount. The mount that came in the box has two hooks that secure the doorbell when you slide the doorbell down onto the mount. Then you simply secure it with the included screws, using the included screwdriver. If you are using another mount, directions may differ; follow the directions on the mount. An incredibly important tip: Do not lose the included screwdriver<\/em>. You will need it to recharge your doorbell or to ever remove it. It is a unique screw head you cannot purchase except from Ring.\u00a0<\/p>\n With the doorbell mounted, powered and connected, it\u2019s time to personalize it to your home and preferences. The Ring app guides you through what the camera can see, and how much of it the doorbell should focus on, in a setting called \u201cmotion zones.\u201d If you have people walking up and down a sidewalk in front of your home all the time, you may want to adjust the motion zone so that the camera only focuses on foot traffic closer to the house. This setting is highly adjustable.\u00a0<\/p>\n You can also use schedules to decide how the doorbell should act and what it should act on. For instance, overnight you might want it to behave differently\u2014perhaps you want it on \u201cdo not disturb\u201d or it should focus on a different motion zone.\u00a0 You\u2019ll likely adjust it a number of times over the first few weeks to find what is comfortable for you. Once you find what works for you, you won\u2019t need to readjust it.\u00a0<\/p>\n Now, you just need to get used to having a video doorbell! This means getting used to the different notifications (someone is at the door, someone rang the doorbell, someone left a package) and how you want to react. When someone rings the doorbell, do you want to respond by interacting with them?\u00a0<\/p>\n You can change the sound the phone makes when someone rings the bell, you can even set some auto responses for the doorbell. Going through the app will show you all the latest features you can play with.\u00a0<\/p>\n A video doorbell can be a powerful tool to feel safe in your home, to ensure you catch packages while away from the house, or can aid the police with video if a break in does happen. Setting them up is just a few steps, and once you\u2019ve done it, it\u2019s very easy to do it again if needed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
One of the most established names in video doorbells is Ring. While there\u2019s now tons of competition in the video-doorbell space, Ring has expanded their functionality and product line and continues to be the go-to name for front door security. … Continue reading Consider your mount<\/h2>\n
Assemble your tools<\/h2>\n
Turn off the electricity to the doorbell to existing wiring (for a wired doorbell)<\/h2>\n
Install the mounting plate<\/h2>\n
Connect the wires (for a wired doorbell)<\/h2>\n
Install the Ring app on your phone<\/h2>\n
Mount the doorbell<\/h2>\n
Choose settings to personalize your Ring doorbell<\/h2>\n
Get acquainted with the app<\/h2>\n
Enjoy your doorbell<\/h2>\n
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\nSource: LifeHacker – How to Choose (and Install) the Right Ring Doorbell for You<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"