How to Change the WiFi Network on Your Ring Doorbell

Ring Doorbell is a Wi-Fi doorbell that is actually more than a doorbell. Yes, it fills the shoes of your typical doorbell but adds an impressive video intercom system that allows you to talk to your visitors, from your smartphone or tablet. You can do all of this from home, or from wherever, just as long as you’re connected to the internet.

Ring Doorbell Video devices are packed with useful features, the app is extremely user-friendly, and everything is easy-to-connect to Wi-Fi. Here’s how to change the Wi-Fi network on your Ring Doorbell.

The First Wi-Fi Connection

Your Ring Doorbell device’s first Wi-Fi experience actually won’t be connecting to your home network. When you start setting it up, it first enters the Setup Mode, prompting you to download the app onto your smart device to move forward.

Once you’ve downloaded the app and set up your account (this shouldn’t take too long, it requires only the most basic information), the app will connect to the nearby Ring Doorbell device.

Wait, how can it connect via Wi-Fi without the device being connected to a network? Well, while in Setup Mode, Ring Doorbell will project its own temporary Wi-Fi network. This is used to connect the Ring app to the device, and once setup is complete it will connect to a Wi-Fi network.

Now, following the instructions on your smartphone or tablet, you’ll connect to your home’s Wi-Fi and configure the settings. Once this is done, the projected Wi-Fi network will cease its broadcast and the device will connect to your Wi-Fi of choice.

Forcing the Setup Mode

Without entering the Setup Mode, your Ring Doorbell won’t be able to connect to your home Wi-Fi network, which will essentially render it useless. In some instances, you may have to force the Setup Mode to run.

To do so, remove the faceplate from the device, firmly press the black button and release it.

Note: it’s important that you don’t hold it down for too long. Now, take the battery out and fully charge it. This may take several hours, so be patient.

Now, start the device and see whether it enters the Setup Mode. If it fails to do so, you should perform a hard reset. To do this, press the black button and hold it down for about 15 seconds (or longer, if necessary). This should reboot your Ring Doorbell and the device should enter the Setup Mode on its own.

Changing the Wi-Fi

Your Ring Doorbell may be working perfectly, but if your Wi-Fi network goes down and you have a spare one, you may want to connect to it, instead. Alternatively, you may have changed your router or moved to a new home.

In any case, you should be able to change the Wi-Fi network on your Ring Doorbell device. Unfortunately, they haven’t made this very easy. Given the fact that there are no controls that allow you to do it from the device itself, you may have to use the Ring app.

This is a simple way, but it may not work on every device. Just open the Ring app, navigate to the cam, go to Device Health, and tap Change Wi-Fi Network. From the list of networks, choose the one that you want to connect to.

Some devices may offer a different option, called Reconnect to Wi-Fi. After selecting this option, the process will require you to “Press the orange button”, which means unmounting the Ring Doorbell from your wall.

If you aren’t too keen on having to unscrew everything to get to the orange button, there is a simpler, if not more primal, solution. Change the name of your SSID to match the exact name of your old router or malfunctioning network. It may not be the most sophisticated solution, but at least it gets the job done.

Troubleshooting

There’s a number of things that you can check to get to the bottom of the issue. First of all, try restarting your router. Shut it down, unplug all the cables, wait for a few minutes until it has cooled off, and plug it back in. Your router may be working, but overheating, which can slow it down.

Next, Ring only works with networks that are on 2.4Ghz. The vast majority of Wi-Fi networks are on 2.4Ghz, but you should check it out anyway. If your Wi-Fi network is an exception, you’re going to have to get another router and change your provider.

If your network does operate at 2.4Ghz, check your Wi-Fi channel. For some reason, the Ring products don’t work on channels 11-12, so your Wi-Fi network should be set to channels 1-11.

You can check the connection speed on your Ring doorbell for further troubleshooting. If your video quality is poor or you just aren’t able to connect, this may be one of the first things you should do. Simply visit the speed test website and, with your phone in range, click ‘Start.’

If none of these troubleshooting solutions were helpful, feel free to contact Ring’s technical support. Most likely, the issue is with the product itself, so you’ll either get a refund or a brand-new Ring Doorbell device.

Changing the Wi-Fi Network

Although changing the Wi-Fi network on Ring devices is unnecessarily complicated, their products really work like a charm, beyond the potential connectivity issues. More likely than not, you won’t experience any Wi-Fi problems whatsoever, and the device will seamlessly connect to your home network in a moment.

Have you ever experienced any issues with a Ring device regarding network connectivity? Has this tutorial helped you solve your problem? Did you have to contact Ring’s support? Share your thoughts and feel free to tell the community how you solved your issue. Just hit the comments section below.