When it comes to home security, there are plenty of options to choose from. From installing high-security locks to installing alarm systems, there are many considerations you should make. Although these are noble options for securing your home, you can never go wrong by installing a Ring doorbell in your home. With this device at home, you will be able to keep an eye on your home even when you are away at work.
Besides this, the device is both affordable and reliable. However, there are instances when this camera can stop working and thus hinder it from offering the much-needed security benefits. If your Ring Doorbell stopped working all of a sudden, chances are that you will have more questions than answers. In this article, we shall take a closer look at some of these diagnostic issues and their possible solutions.
My Ring Doorbell Stopped Working, How Do I Fix It
Like we have mentioned above, the Ring Doorbell is not immune to a number of diagnostic issues. As a result, you will not enjoy the much-needed convenience that comes with this device. Be it surveillance or sending alerts, there are many functions that can get affected. If your Ring Doorbell stopped working, here are a number of diagnostic issues that you should troubleshoot and fix on the go.
1) Power and battery issues
Just like any other electronic device, your Ring Doorbell wireless camera will require power for it to function optimally. Depending on your model, chances are that it either relies on a wired power source or battery source. Remember that these devices have particular power needs that will ensure that they function optimally.
To put it into perspective, Ring devices normally require at least 16 volts AC for it to function well. If it is connected to the plug-in adapter or transformer, it needs about 20-volt amps. Better still, if it is connected directly to your Doorbell, it needs about 30-volt amps.
To be on the safe side, you should always check your device’s voltage level every now and then. Here, you should launch the Ring App and then choose the Device Health option. In case the voltage is below 3700 mV, the device will not work optimally.
If power is the thorn in the flesh, you should purpose to check that your plug-in adapter, transformer or Ring Power Pro-Kit has been installed well. In case your model relies on a battery as its primary source of power, you should always ensure that it has sufficient charge all the time.
If your battery is low, you will get a notification that you need to charge it promptly. Once you have charged the battery optimally, be sure that it can last 6 to even 12 months before it gets depleted. Finally, if the battery is not charging well, it is always advisable to visit Ring’s website and then purchase a new battery.
2) Connection issues
Besides power issues, connection issues can make your Ring Doorbell not to work optimally. In most cases, connection issues are mainly caused by an old router. Therefore, if you have an old router, you need to upgrade it as soon as possible.
For optimal results, you should consider using 802.1 B, G or N routers that have a frequency band of 2.4GHz.If you miss these routers, you can seek guidance from a professional so that you can purchase the newest model in the market.
Sometimes, you may have a good router, but still, connection issues are imminent. If this happens, chances are that the Ring Doorbell is out of range. Other times, it can be too close to the edge of the range.
Such issues cause connection problems and make it function less effectively. To avert such issues, you should move the wireless router close to the Ring Doorbell so that it remains within the range. Better still, you can invest in an extender so that you can manage to extend your current Wi-Fi range.
Apart from the solutions mentioned above, you can consider investing in the Ring Chime Pro. Unlike other devices, this one comes with a built-in Wi-Fie range extender. Besides this, it gives you an external chime that everyone can hear in the house.
This is because it is able to connect your Ring Doorbells and cams so that you can get real-time notifications in your home. Since it comes with a sleek design and cozy glow, be sure that it will also improve your home’s interior décor.
3) Ring Doorbell does not ring your phone
If you are experiencing the above-mentioned problem, chances are that there are some phone settings that is preventing you from hearing your Ring chime. To avert these issues, you should ensure that you turn on the Ring notifications. Besides this, you should ensure that your mobile phone has enough charge.
This is because a low battery can turn off the notification sounds in a bid to conserve power. Ensure that your notifications sounds have been adjusted well so that you can hear them easily. In addition, your phone should not be on silent mode.
Better still, you can ensure that several devices are able to receive Ring notifications in real-time. Finally, you can add an external chime so that your Ring Doorbell rings from inside the house. By doing so, those with devices that are not linked to the Doorbell can hear it go off.
4) Ring Doorbell Not Ringing Your Chime
Individuals without an existing internal chime usually enjoy the experience of hearing the Doorbell chime inside their houses, thanks to the presence of the Ring Chime. Ideally, the Ring Chime should ring anytime the doorbell is pressed. If it doesn’t, you will be required to reboot the device.
Better still, you can take a close check at the Ring Chime and see whether it is flashing blue lights or not. If it is flashing these lights, it shows that the device is disconnected. Here, you can check whether the wires that connect the Ring Doorbell and the existing internal chime are well joined or not. If they are separate, join them together so that it the Ring chime can work.
Besides the issue mentioned above, you may fail to hear the Ring Doorbell chime if at all you have not enabled the microphone feature that comes with the device. By enabling the microphone feature on your Ring Doorbell feature on your device, you will be able to hear the sound of the doorbell chime. If you enable the microphone feature but still fail to hear the much-needed sound, chances are that the microphone is faulty and might require to be replaced as soon as possible.
Other times, the Ring Doorbell button may be jammed and thus not function whenever you press or trigger it. Therefore, you should keep an eye on it to ensure that it is not stuck or jammed whatsoever. In case it is not functioning optimally, you can hire a technician to fix it for you. Better still, find its fixing solution from the official Ring website.
You can even go to the Ring app on your mobile device and then choose your Ring Chime device. After that, choose the Device Health option. If there is a need for you to replace the Ring Chime device, you can visit the official Ring website and then buy it from there.
Faulty speakers can also make your Ring Doorbell not to ring or alert you as expected. However, before you establish that the speakers are faulty, you should first ensure that you have enabled the audio feature from both the Ring Doorbell and the application. If this feature is enabled and still, no sound can be heard, chances are that the speakers are faulty and might need to be replaced.
5) Night vision malfunction
Sometimes, the Ring Doorbell wireless camera can record low-quality videos at night. Other times, it may fail to record anything at all during this period. If you notice that the device is always unresponsive at night, chances are that the internet speed is slow. This is because slow internet can affect the live view at night. To ascertain that this is the problem, you should consider testing your internet speeds.
Ideally, your internet speed should have minimum internet speeds of 2Mbps for uploads and downloads. In case your internet speed is slower than that, you can reset your Wi-Fi router and see if the problem will be fixed or not. To reset your Wi-Fi router, you should press the reset button on the router and then hold it for about 10 seconds.
Besides low internet, poor wiring can affect the night vision feature of your Ring Doorbell wireless camera. Therefore, you should ensure that your wiring is okay and that the Pro Power Kit is well installed.
6) No alerts at all
If your Ring Doorbell’s motion sensors have issues, chances are that it will not work as expected. Here, you will not be receiving any motion alerts on your smartphone. Failure to get alerts at all can be attributed to the network problem or dead motion sensors.
If network is the issue, you can restart the router and see if it will connect. Ideally, the bugs that were causing connection issues get eliminated whenever you reboot the router. Better still, ensure that you are using the correct Wi-Fi. Remember that the router can emit two kinds of networks, which are 5 GHz and 2.4GHz. If your Ring Doorbell uses the latter option, go for it and then see if the connection issue will persist.
In the event that the motion sensors are dead, you can contact your technical support team for more guidance. Finally, if you are getting delayed alerts, you should consider setting all the device’s settings back to default or manufacturer’s settings.
If you have a smartphone, you can check how the motion sensitivity works. Here, you should pen the Ring Doorbell app and then go to the motion sensitivity. An inaccurate motion sensitivity configuration can cause your motion sensors to be inactive.
Therefore, make the necessary adjustments so that the device can detect the motions of people more effectively. If the solutions mentioned above fail to help you, contact the Ring official support team as soon as possible.
If this problem emanated during the warranty period, be sure that it will repaired for you, free of charge. However, if you encounter this after the warranty period is over, be sure that you will need to pay the inspection and repair fees.
Final Words
Having a faulty Ring Doorbell is the last thing you would ever wish to experience at home. This is because you will not enjoy the enhanced functionality that this device offers. The good news is that we have established a number of troubleshooting issues that can make your Ring Doorbell not to work optimally. By considering the solutions we have discussed above, you will be able to solve these issues on the go. If any of these problems persist, contact Ring’s technical support team for more guidance and help.