Fixing device setup errors by adjusting your router

Warning: The solutions offered in this article require using the advanced features of your wifi router. Be sure you are comfortable using these features before trying any of these solutions.

If you’re having trouble getting your Ring device(s) to set up in the Ring app successfully, please ensure you followed all of the instructions in the Ring application before following the guide below. If your Ring device failed to connect to your wifi network, the problem may lie within your router’s settings. This article will provide several possible solutions that involve adjusting various router settings.

Note: If your router is more than 4 or 5 years old, it may have exceeded its expected lifetime service. In that case, you may need to replace the router as troubleshooting won't always fix problems.  

Things to try first

Before you begin adjusting your router, verify that the following items are not causing the setup to fail:

• Make sure you are connected to the internet.

  Be sure the network you are attempting to connect your Ring device to has a working internet connection. To verify your connection, do the following:
• If you are using a mobile phone to connect your Ring device, go into your phone settings and disable the cellular data connection.
• Disconnect the power cord to your modem and router for approximately 10 seconds, then plug your modem back in. Once it is back online, plug in your router and wait until it is re-connected to the internet.
• Connect your mobile phone to the wifi network you're going to use to connect your Ring device. For 2.4 GHz only devices, make sure you are testing the 2.4 GHz band.
• Change the name of your wireless networks (SSID) so that you can easily tell the difference between a 2.4 GHz network and 5 GHz network. 
• Use a Web browser to visit Ring.com and verify your internet connection.
• Check your wifi password.

  One of the easiest problems to resolve when setting up Ring devices is to make sure you're using the correct wifi password. To make sure you are using the correct password, do the following:
  • This will cause your mobile device to forget your wifi network so that a new connection can be established. Reconnecting will require your WiFi password. If you are uncertain about your wifi password, you can reach out to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or router manufacturer for assistance.
  • You will be asked to re-enter your password in order to reconnect to the network. Make special note of your exact password including upper and lower-case letters and any special characters.
  • Take special care to enter your password

    exactly

    the way you did when connecting to the network.
• Make sure you have your wifi password available.
• Go to your mobile device's wifi settings.
• For Android users, tap on the wifi network you're currently connected to. For IOS users, click on the lowercase “i” to the right of the network.
• Tap on “Forget” or "Forget this Network" to disconnect from the wifi network.
• Return to the wifi Settings page and re-connect to the same network.
• If your wifi password did not work, check your router’s documentation for instructions on locating it. Alternatively, you can check with a friend/family member familiar with routers, contact the router manufacturer or your internet service provider for further assistance with locating your wifi password.
• Once you've reconnected to the network, go through the device setup process one more time.

If you've entered your wifi password correctly, but the Ring device/application is indicating a problem with your wifi password, or indicating that it is having trouble seeing your wifi network after you had selected it, try the suggestions below.

Possible router setting adjustments to resolve setup failures

Once you have verified that all steps in the Ring application have been completed and neither your internet connection nor your wifi password are the cause of your setup issue, try the following suggestions one at a time. We recommend going through a new setup after completing each suggestion to ensure you are only changing what is necessary.

• Verify that your router settings are optimal
• Change the encryption type to WPA2.

  While Ring devices are compatible with WPA, WEP, and WPA2 security protocols, we strongly recommend using WPA2 for the most secure connection and broadest compatibility. WEP encryption is the oldest and least secure of these options and, for your safety, we do not recommend using it with Ring devices.
• Check your SSID.

  Unusual characters or spaces in the SSID can cause problems during setup. Check the SSID (name) of your network. If it has special characters or blank spaces before or after the name, rename the network to something simpler. Once the device is online, it should update its firmware. Once updated successfully, you should be able to set your network back to its previous settings, then set the device back up to see if your device will connect.
• Enable and connect to a guest network:
  A guest network is a separate access point for your network that is isolated from your other devices. By creating one, you can make a firewall-free network for your Ring device. Create a guest network with a simple, alphanumeric SSID name and password and connect your Ring device(s) to it.

Router channel adjustments

Wireless networks utilise different channels for communication. The 2.4 GHz band uses channels 1-11 within the United States and 1-13 in some other countries. The 5 GHz band utilises select channels between 36 and 165. Multiple wireless devices using the same channels concurrently can cause wireless interference or congestion. In some cases, setting up your Ring device(s) can fail due to wireless interference or congestion.

If you are receiving a message that the network cannot be found or is too far away when connecting devices to the 2.4 GHz frequency, it could be due to this congestion. We recommend switching your router’s channel to 1, 6, or 11 as they do not overlap other channels.

If your Ring device does not find any wifi networks, try starting the setup from the beginning or from another mobile device. If the Ring device finds networks, but not your own network you might need to make the Ring device scan for new networks.

• For Ring’s battery-powered devices, such as Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) or Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus, in order to scan for an updated network list, you will need to exit and re-enter setup mode using the setup button on the device.
• For Ring’s powered devices like Ring Video Doorbell Pro, Ring Video Doorbell Elite, Floodlight Cam Wired Pro/Plus, Spotlight Cam Wired Pro/Plus and Stick Up Cam Wired you will need to hold the setup button for 10 seconds to reboot the device. This will cause it to generate a fresh scan of the available networks for your next setup attempt.

A wifi analyser application can be used on Android devices, or sometimes within your router, to evaluate which channels have the most congestion. We recommend doing this when you are experiencing setup problems, poor audio and/or video quality, or delays with notifications.

Open up your Ring device’s ability to communicate

• Create a DHCP reservation.

  A DHCP reservation is a permanent IP address assignment that is reserved for the use of one device. Using the Mac ID listed on the back of your Ring device or on the box, create a DHCP reservation to ensure that every time your Ring device connects to your router, it will be given the same address.

Note: there are many different terms for this option; please check your router’s manual to be sure.

• Set a static IP.

  You can also set a static IP during the setup process in the Ring application.

Note: Ensure the address you provide is outside the range of your DHCP server in order to prevent an IP conflict.

Once a DHCP reservation or static IP is in place, try the following

• Move your ring device to the DMZ (demilitarised zone).

  Using the IP address you reserved, place your Ring device in the demilitarised zone (sometimes referred to as IP passthrough) of your router. This will allow the Ring device’s traffic to pass through any security settings that may be preventing connection.

Note: This can only be done for one connected device at a time.

Try lowering the firewall level

Firewalls set to high and sometimes even medium can limit the communication of Ring devices through your router. We recommend lowering the firewall one level at a time until you find the setting that works best for your device.

Note: We do not recommend disabling your firewall. If disabling the firewall is the only way the device functions properly, we recommend reaching out to your internet service provider or router's manufacturer for further assistance.