There is no denying the fact that Ring Doorbells are an affordable and easy way to add a layer of security to your house. As opposed to CCTV, ring doorbells have two-way communication and instant motion-detected notifications. Ring doorbells take very little installation and can be monitored with just a smartphone. It is fair to say, they cater to all households. However, a ring doorbell may not be able to offer as much protection as you think.
The downsides:
- Wi-Fi. Ring Doorbells require a strong Wi-Fi connection at all times in order to record and use two-way communication. If your Wi-Fi connection was to drop in and out often, your Ring Doorbell may not be picking up much footage.
- Cost. You will be looking at spending between £100 and £200 a the device itself.
- Battery and Charging. Depending on which kind of Ring Doorbell you buy, it will either need a constant connection or have a rechargeable battery. The rechargeable batteries no do not seem to last for long, with lots of people keeping them on charge constantly, adding to their electricity bill.
- Wi-fi Jammers. The use of a Wi-Fi Jammer will instantly turn your Ring Doorbell into a useless piece of metal. Wi-Fi jammers are small devices, usually acquired by burglars, that can be purchased cheaply on the internet and will instantly block your Wi-Fi connection. Therefore resulting in your Ring Doorbell becomes unusable at this time and does not capture any footage.
- Subscription. You must pay an added subscription fee in order to access all of the features. You will be looking at an extra £8 per month on top of the price of the doorbell itself.
- The app. You must have a smartphone that is compatible with the Ring app in order to be able to use this device.
There are still a lot of benefits to using Ring Doorbells, but it is important to remember that they cannot be your only security device. Due to the fact that they rely solely on a Wi-Fi connection.
The upsides of ring doorbells:
- Installation. Ring doorbells are very easy to set up and doesn’t require a lot of time.
- The app. The app is simple to navigate.
- Two-way communication. You can communicate with someone if they are in front of your doorbell. This could be helpful with things like deliveries or unexpected guests.
- Deterrent. They can work as a great deterrent to an intruder, as without a Wi-Fi jammer they will be caught on camera.
- Price. Compared to a full CCTV system, which cost between £400 and £2,000, the doorbells are a cheap alternative to add a layer of protection.
Overall, I would consider all of these positives and negatives before investing in a Ring doorbell. Paired with security systems that do not rely solely on Wi-Fi your property would be very secure.
