I have quite a few smart home devices, including a house full of Hue bulbs, smart switches, garage door controller, smart lock, Google Home and Alexa devices. I use SmartThings as my h.a. hub, and also use Stringify for some of my automations. The Ring Doorbell 2 is a nice addition to my set up. First impressions: The Ring Doorbell 2 was nicely packaged and included all the tools and hardware necessary to install, including the little extras like additional wire for hardwired installations where the existing wiring is a bit short. The two included faceplate options are attractive, and it is nice to be able to change these out as desired. The unit feels well made and looks good. Set up and install: The set up and install couldn’t have been easier. Connecting to the network was very straightforward. I have not experienced any connection problems. The Ring easily integrated with the SmartThings hub. Tip: for the best SmartThings integration, change your Device Handler Type to “Ring Doorbell Pro.” This will allow viewing of video within the SmartThings app. We installed the Ring to our existing doorbell wiring. This was extremely easy. Ring provides all the tools you’ll need to do this, including a wedge kit if you need to angle the device. We used the wedge for two reasons. Firstly, it was being installed on a wall adjacent to the door, and the door is inset in a shallow alcove. Secondly, our home’s finish is a rough stucco pattern. This would not have allowed for an flat, even installation surface. The wedge came in handy to rectify potential issues that may have arisen from either of these factors. I was concerned the wedge might not look nice, but it blended well. Motion Detection Functionality: Notifications have been adequately fast and consistent to my iPhone, iPad and Samsung Galaxy S8, with very little lag. I have an automation set up to turn on my Hue porch light at night when motion is detected. There is very little lag here, as well. We took into consideration the physical installation tips to optimize motion detection. As well, we’ve used the app to reel in the distance of the detection. I am not picking up too much undesired activity. The first day, I was picking up a lot of people walking on the sidewalk, but I reeled it in a little more, and that has been greatly improved. And, the device is doing a good job of detecting motion when it should. Camera Functionality: The camera shows a nice, clear picture. I have a lot of bright afternoon sun on door side of the house, and the camera needs a moment to adjust, but once it does, the quality is nicer than I expected. I like that I can have Alexa show me the doorbell camera, as well. I’m using Live View mode, so I can invoke a view from Alexa at any time, whether there is motion/ button press or not. There is lag when opening the video view in the Ring app or with Alexa. While it is faster than the 30 seconds before it becomes a past event, sometimes the activity is gone before video opens, and I have to wait for the saved video in order to see the first few seconds. I don’t know the cause of the lag. Is it the app? The WiFi hardware? Physical interference between the router and the Ring device? A combo of factors? While I don’t know the answer, I hope Ring will address, as it seems to be the weak point of the device. App and cloud storage: The app is adequate. I think it would be nice to be able to easily create stills and edit within the app. It would also be nice if more of the account options could be handled directly in the app rather than having to go to the website. The cloud storage of 60 days for only 3.00 per month seems very fair. Honestly, I am shocked at the number of people complaining about a rather nominal fee for a service that requires Ring to maintain the required infrastructure that allows them to provide that service. There is no “scam” or “bait and switch” going on here. Ring is up front about the terms and the fact that not using the service is limiting. However, I do think a complaint is valid for people who are experiencing enough lag issue that it keeps them from being able to view the video before it becomes a past event. While I can always catch most of my video before that happens, I often miss the first few seconds. Apparently, the lag is bad enough for some people that they miss the whole video. Conclusion: All in all, the Ring Doorbell 2 is an easy to set up and install device that seems to respond well to motion, provide timely notifications, and take good video. While there is room for improvement, I am overall happy with my purchase, and enjoying the device.

Good picture quality! Was simple to install even for non electrical people like myself. Only down fall was had to order an adapter piece to fit siding though.

I caught a man at 4:12 am by my car just two days after installing ring. It works fantastic

The ring door bell is amazing, I installed it at an angle at about 42" (below recommended height) and I get an awesome range of view. I also have it set up in motion and live view (which it says drains the battery faster) and almost 3 months in still haven't had to recharge the battery. This is a great product.

This is a perfect doorbell and security camera and the most features that we really love is,,you can talk to any person who enter to your property..and the camera is really clear even at night..i will add some more ring camera around the house for sure..

Doorbell was easy to install and configure. A variety of parts were included to help in mounting the doorbell depending upon where you were mounting. Screws for mounting on either wood or brick were included. The doorbell was wider then the door frame I wanted to mount it so I built a little platform to mount it to. I was concerned having a battery operated unit would require the battery to be constantly charged after a week or two. However, this is not the case as the battery life seems to be excellent at this point. Video from the camera is extremely clear far exceeding my expectations. The only drawback I could find is the screw at the bottom of the unit to secure the battery cover on is a little difficult to screw in. Just a minor issue but is something that could be improved upon in the future.

This door bell/camera is exactly what we needed .The install was easy and so far the battery life is excellent. Have done a few tests with how long it takes to notify me on my iPhone. It’s a matter of seconds. I love the fact that I can control false alarms by adjusting the distance of the “radar” ;-) , so no false alarms with passing cars in the middle of the street or no notifications when my neighbors walk their dog across the street. A great feature available is that you can have Alexa notify you by saying “someone is at the front door” .This is handy if you are in the back of house or don’t have your phone on you. This 2.0 version allows you to hardwire it to your existing door bell wiring but for my application it was not necessary. Have not taken the opportunity yet to subscribe to the service offered for video storage but will make a decision after my trial period ends. Really appreciate the Ring community which shows other users alerts and warnings. I would definitely recommend to family and friends for peace of mind and security.

For one, we didn't think we needed a camera for our doorbell. But we tried it out and became obsessed with the information we received. From knowing which friend was coming by, to seeing packages delivered real time, this device exceeds expectations. Plus its user friendly and easy to setup. Installation is tricky and could result in the need for creativity but in the end this product is a winner. Loved directions and setup.