The 5 GHz spectrum of Wi-Fi, which has been available since roughly 1999, has grown in popularity in the years around 2009, when home networks first became widespread.
There are many people who believe that 5 GHz WiFi is the ideal way to connect your gadgets to the internet because of its short range and fast speed. Downloads, uploads and even games may all benefit from a quicker internet connection.
Dual-band Wi-Fi routers, which broadcast both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi signals, are now the norm, allowing users to choose which signal they want to use with their devices. A smart home camera, like the Ring cams, is one of these gadgets.
As a result, a large number of Ring users began investigating the potential effects of 5 GHz internet on their cameras. If you have Ring smart cameras, can you use the 5 GHz spectrum of Wi-Fi?
In what ways do ring cameras differ from traditional cameras?
In terms of smart home cameras, Ring is among the most popular. The Ring Indoor/Outdoor Stick-Up Cam, for example, costs $100, which is a little more than the competitors, but they still top the smart home security market.
Outdoors, the Ring Stick Up Cam was set up.
Indoor and outdoor Stick-Up Cams, available in both battery-operated and wired variants, are among the company’s camera offerings. Additionally, they provide a range of Ring Video Doorbells, including the Ring Doorbell Elite, which is a PoE (Power over Ethernet) version.
All Ring cameras and video doorbells, with the exception of the Ring Doorbell Elite, connect to the Ring app through an active Wi-Fi connection. Motion Zones (areas where your camera detects motion) and how and when you get Motion Alerts are all managed from here. Additionally, here is where you’ll find any recorded content.
The Ring App Settings
Connecting your Ring cameras over Wi-Fi also allows the use of the Amazon Echo and other smart home devices.
It’s also possible to use your mobile phone’s hotspot to connect your Ring cameras if you chance to be traveling with any of your Ring devices.
2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi for Smart Cameras: Pros and Cons
5 Ghz WiFi devices are shown on the BT Smart Hub 2
Smart cameras and 5 GHz internet are more common than ever. Why?
In terms of speed, it’s the most significant attribute. Video footage may be seen more quickly and clearly when it is shot at higher rates. As fewer people and gadgets support the 5 GHz frequency than the more typical 2.4 GHz, this implies less congestion.
5 GHz internet, on the other hand, does have certain drawbacks to consider. In order to connect to it, you’ll need to be within around 50 feet, or 15 meters, of the router. This is its most noteworthy fault.
2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, on the other hand, does not penetrate barriers as effectively. For this reason, it’s important that your devices be as near to your router as feasible, and that the path of the signal has as few impediments as possible.
2.4 GHz Wi-Fi has a larger number of devices and manufacturers supporting connectivity since it has been around for a longer period of time. Your devices don’t have to be as near to the router to connect as they do with the 5 GHz spectrum.
For those who live in homes with more than one storey, it’s better at piercing through impediments like walls and floors.
There are, of course, drawbacks to employing the 2.4 GHz frequency spectrum. On top of that the 5 GHz band is still faster. This results in reduced speeds for your devices since everyone else is doing the same.
Both Wi-Fi bands have their advantages and disadvantages. If your devices aren’t able to connect to Wi-Fi in the 5 GHz band, then you won’t be able to connect to the 5 GHz band at all.
Ring Products that are 5GHz Compliant
The blue ring indicates that my Ring Doorbell Pro is in the process of being set up for the first time. Well, that was quick.
The future of Wi-Fi may lie in 5 GHz (and 6 GHz), but Ring must catch up. In what way is this so?
Their smart home cameras are limited to the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum, and they make that clear in their Support forums. Attempting to set them up on the 5 GHz frequency will very certainly fail.
Before purchasing a Ring camera, check its product page on Ring.com to see whether it supports the 5 GHz band. Look under the part labeled, ‘Power and Connectivity’ in the device’s Tech Specifications section. In the ‘Connectivity’ section, you can see which Wi-Fi bands are supported by the device in question.
Ring Indoor Wired Camera Specifications
Wi-Fi 5 GHz is not supported by several of the most popular Ring products, including Doorbell 1 and 2, and Indoor Cams.
However, some of Ring’s most recent gadgets do offer dual-band connectivity. Useful gadgets to try include:
Two more Ring Video Doorbells (the battery models)
two versions of the Ring Doorbell Pro
If you’d rather use Wi-Fi instead of PoE, you may use the Ring Doorbell Elite.
Wi-Fi at 5 GHz is also supported by the Floodlight Cam Wired Pro.
In the Ring Video Doorbell 3’s tech specs, 5 GHz is listed as an option.
For the time being, it seems probable that Ring will continue to include 5 GHz capability in any future devices they develop that aren’t budget-friendly. There is no information yet on whether Ring will be able to retrofit older devices with the ability to support 5 GHz bands through a software update or other, but it is doubtful.
Unfortunately, if you need 5 GHz support, you’ll have to buy a new Ring camera or doorbell.
Are there ways to “force” your Ring Device to work only with certain bands?
As long as your Ring device supports the 5 GHz spectrum of Wi-Fi, you shouldn’t have any problems. When you first turn on your device, you’ll be given the option of connecting to one of many available Wi-Fi networks.
Most routers transmit both 2.4 and 5GHz Wi-Fi signals, so selecting it from the list of accessible networks should be simple.
Wifi network with dual band
You may then proceed to configure your cameras as you normally would.
Your Ring camera will not automatically transition to 2.4 GHz due to the fact that they are two separate transmissions.
This might cause confusion since the SSID (network name) for both bands is published by the Wi-Fi router. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do in this situation to compel your Ring gadget to connect to the other. The only choices you have are:
To modify the Wi-Fi band that a device is linked to, some routers enable you to enter into the administrator panel. Because it’s the exception rather than the norm, this feature is rare.
You might restart your router after deactivating 5 GHz Wi-Fi on your router (again, through the admin panel). The 2.4 GHz band will be required for all of your devices to connect to. You’ll have to activate 5 GHz Wi-Fi again in order to get it back, and your Ring devices may reconnect to the 5 GHz band if you don’t.
Ring devices that don’t support the 5 GHz spectrum are being ‘forced’ to accept 5 GHz connections by certain users. Even Ring admits that it won’t work.
Ring devices should function with mobile hotspots even if they aren’t exactly the same as those on the 4G or 5G networks. It’s possible, though, that if you’re not at home with your gadgets, this may not be as practical as utilizing Wi-Fi.
Changing your Wi-Fi channel may be more useful than you think
If your cameras only function with the 2.4 GHz band, you may get better results by changing the channel on your Wi-Fi rather than attempting to force them to run on the 5 GHz frequency.
Wi-Fi channels 1, 6, and 11 are the most often used on the 2.4 GHz spectrum. Why? These are the only channels that don’t overlap and hence have the least level of interference among the roughly 14 available. Speeds will improve since there will be less interference from other channels.
Your Wi-Fi router’s channel may already be reserved by your internet service provider. There may be a few steps you need to perform in order to change the channel depending on your service provider.
To access your Wi-Fi connection settings if you’re using an ISP-provided router, you’ll need to go to your provider’s website and log in. You’ll be able to check the channel your Wi-Fi bands are currently utilizing and what choices you have for altering it.
Wi-Fi Channels are shown in the FiOS Settings.
In the event that you’ve bought your own router, you’ll be able to log into your router and change the Wi-Fi channel from there.
Your Wi-Fi speed may be improved by switching to a channel that is less busy – and it will cost less than upgrading your internet.
Everyone can’t yet benefit from 5 GHz technology — at least not now.
Although 5 GHz Wi-Fi is becoming more popular, it has not yet achieved complete universal adoption. In spite of its minuscule drawbacks, manufacturers have yet to use it across all of their products.
It’s possible, though, that this will alter as technology continues to progress and improve.