7 Ways To Update The Device Health In The Ring App

Highlighting the current signal strength for one of my devices

One of the most important features in the Ring application is also one of the most buggy and inconsistent. How are you supposed to make the most of your smart devices when you can’t get them connected to the internet in the first place? The easiest way to force an update to the Device Health … Read more

Zigbee vs Z-Wave vs WiFi vs Bluetooth: What’s Best?!

A diagram showing how Google's Wi-Fi router and points work, and how they extend your house's WiFi coverage (even to outdoor WiFi products).

I remember when I first started getting into smart homes. I was happily running a few (WiFi based) Echo speakers, but I started to hear terms like ‘Zigbee’ and ‘Z-Wave’ thrown around too. I was also (obviously) aware of Bluetooth, but I’d mainly seen it used in headphones and mobile phones: so it seemed odd … Read more

Does Eufy Support Cellular Backup (No Wi-Fi = No Recordings)?

A Eufy Indoor Camera sitting on a living room table

Most smart home cameras are reliant on Wi-Fi in order to work properly. This enables them to connect to their respective apps, as well as upload recorded videos to the Cloud. In fact, many smart cameras won’t work without it. But what about those that offer local storage, such as Eufy? Some Eufy cams offer … Read more

PSA: Ring Devices Can Have Issues With TP-Link Deco’s Mesh Routers

Ring doorbell wifi error on app

Smart home technology has been out for a while now and this means that we’re starting to experience compatibility issues between older devices and newer standards. Mesh networks are the latest in Wi-Fi connectivity, but that means they sometimes have problems connecting to some older devices like Ring cameras. The first thing you should do … Read more

Will Ring Doorbells And Cameras Work Without WiFi or The Internet?

Ring screenshot showing a device being disconnected from the internet

More than ever, our world is heavily dependent on the internet. It’s to the point that most smart home devices manufactured today rely on Wi-Fi and the internet in order to operate properly.  Ring devices are one such example of smart devices that rely heavily on Wi-Fi and the internet. While there are a couple … Read more

Internet/Wi-Fi Speeds Are SLOW Since Using Ring Alarm Pro

Marketing image of the Ring Alarm Pro base station

Since its introduction, many have upgraded their Ring Alarm system for the new Alarm Pro. After all, you get enhanced home security plus an eero 6 router that also offers extra internet security. A win-win right? In theory, absolutely! But what about in real, everyday use? Some Ring Alarm Pro users who previously had NO … Read more

Having A Dedicated Wi-Fi Network For Your Smart Home Tech

BT Smart Hub 2 showing connected 5 Ghz WiFi devices

Smart home devices are all about making our lives easier, but they could actually be making things more challenging by creating some problems with your home’s WiFi network. Your smart devices could be hoovering up bandwidth and creating cybersecurity problems without you even knowing it. This is why it’s so important to create a dedicated … Read more

Can’t Change Ring Alarm Wi-Fi (It Won’t Enter Pairing Mode?!)

The WiFi and power LEDs on the Ring Alarm Base Station gen 1

I’ve spoken before about how I prefer Ethernet (network cable) to Wi-Fi. This is for a number of reasons: to prevent Wi-Fi jamming, to avoid having to re-enter Wi-Fi passwords all the time, and for better reliability. So when I recently ran out of free Ethernet ports on my home’s router, I grimaced… but I … Read more

Does Amazon Echo/Alexa Support WPA3?

Echo Dot 3rd generation model, with a blue 'listening' ring after a voice command was issued.

There’s a big security update that’s coming to Wi-Fi routers across the country and it’s coming soon. The WPA2 standard is set to be replaced by WPA3 over the next few years. This leaves us with some pretty big questions about our smart home ecosystems that are all tuned to run on WPA2. WPA3 is … Read more