Failing Retrofit Alarm Kit Communication Test

The Retrofit Alarm Kit has a Communication Test option that allows you to test whether it can communicate with your Ring Alarm or Alarm Pro Base Station. Most wired alarm panels are located in basements, utility closets, garages, or other places on your property where it may be more difficult for the Z-Wave signal to reach the Base Station. The Communication Test is designed to verify that your Retrofit Alarm Kit can communicate effectively with the Base Station and properly arm and disarm your wired zones.

If your Retrofit Alarm Kit passes the communications test, you can move on to installing the device and setting up your zones.

If your Retrofit Alarm Kit doesn’t pass the communications test, you’ll need to try to help it communicate. Here are a few things you can do:

Check the battery level.

If the two batteries in Retrofit Alarm Kit aren’t good, the device may not have enough power to communicate.

Check if the Ring app can detect that the device is “tampered”.

Slide the cover off the device and see if it shows as tampered in the Ring app. If the cover is already off, tap the black switch on the the front of the Retrofit Alarm Kit. If the Ring app shows that your Retrofit Alarm Kit is tampered, the base station can communicate with your device. 

Note: Tampered simply means that the cover is open or off. This is nothing to worry about. 

Get closer to the Base Station.

Move the Base Station closer to the device, or the device closer to the Base Station. Move the Base Station to another room in the house that’s closer to the Retrofit Alarm Kit, then try the test again. You can also try to move the Retrofit Alarm Kit, but you need to keep it close enough to your wired alarm panel in order to connect the wires.

Add a Range Extender.

Move the Range Extender in between your Ring Alarm or Alarm Pro Base Station and the device. You can try to add a Range Extender in between the Base Station and the Retrofit Alarm Kit to help bridge the signal between the two devices. Choose a Range Extender that other devices aren’t relying on.

If all else fails, call support.

If you’ve tried all of these steps and the Retrofit Alarm Kit still isn’t communicating with the Base station, call the Ring Alarm support team. They’ll be able to help you diagnose and resolve the issue.