Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsA few extras required for installation, but overall great cameras and functionality
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 3 July 2022
I now have two of these devices covering my entire property, and the system is very simple to use and relatively easy to install.
The ring app, which is used to monitor all my ring cameras is very easy to use and they keep bringing new functionality all the time. You can have an overview of all cameras in a single display and also change the settings of each camera individually. We have an Amazon Alexa Fire Cube and I love the ability to ask Alexa to display the cameras on the TV, which is great for seeing who is at the front door or keeping an eye on the dogs in the back garden.
Starting off with the installation, everything you need is supplied in the box, but I found a couple of extra tools come in very handy. Firstly, you get a very lengthy Power of Ethernet (PoE) cable, which is used to both power the camera and also connect to the internet, either via WiFi, or Ethernet. Once the cable was installed, I wanted to trim it right down to length, but in order to do that, I needed a spare ethernet cable connector (the ones on the supplied cable cannot be removed as they’re sealed) and a network cable crimping tool.
Once the cable was cut (recommend cutting the end which will be indoors so as not to affect the ingress protection of the outside end), I fitted a new connector and it’s now much neater.
I also recommend getting a Powerline Adapter – TP Link do a very good set for a reasonable price and these mean that your existing electrical cabling become a conduit for internet, rather than having to hardwire the house with ethernet cabling. The powerline adapter plugs in the same socket as my router downstairs, and the other next to the camera networking and power unit. This is also great if, like me, you have a detached garage and want to place a camera on there without having to run cabling. Provided the garage has a power socket, you can use the powerline adapter and internet signal will be sent over the existing circuit.
Lastly, I needed an extra long drill bit (about 2-3 feet in length) to drill from inside to outside for the cabling. Luckily a neighbour had one, otherwise i would either had to hire or buy one. One of the problems which I came across was then trying to fit the ethernet connector through the hole (which is sizable compared to the width of the cable) which kept getting stuck and you’d need a very wide hole to get it through. This is another reason to cut the inside connector and fit a new one, as it makes it so much easier to thread it. Once everything was in place, I sealed the hole with expanding foam and fitted a cable weather shield on the outside hole to prevent water ingress.
I make this sound so complicated, but I’m completely useless when it comes to DIY and I managed to achieve it!
The actual camera is fairly clear and it has a very wide field of view, like a fish-eye view. You can also zoom into the live video and images, although this is a digital zoom, not optical so you just closer to the pixels. It provides notifications to my phone when motion is detected and I have it setup to show a little screen grab notification so I can get a quick view of what has triggered the alert, without having to open the app (perfect when at work!). You can also communicate via two way audio over the camera, so can give instructions to delivery drivers or trigger an alarm to scare away next doors cat!
I find the night mode not to be great, but I think it’s my camera positioning too close to walls which reflect the Infra-Red lights, making the rest much darker. Something I’ll have to think about soon.
One concern I had about the camera was the large opening to the rear, where the POE cabling goes into the camera. That being said, I’ve had both my cameras outside now for about 2 years and the only ingress I’ve found, are some spiders making it their home! Likewise, I’ve never had any other problems with any of the ring cameras and would thoroughly recommend them.
