The Ring brand is the go-to for many people in the smart home industry. It produces durable and reliable smart home products improving the security state of our neighborhoods. Ring cameras allow you to monitor your home remotely, integrate with various virtual assistants, and improve security. However, Ring cameras must be connected to your home Wi-Fi network; their functionality quickly disappears when they fall offline.
In this post, I’ll help you discover what’s causing the offline issue and how to troubleshoot and get your cameras back online.
Why Is My Ring Camera Offline?
Primarily, Ring cameras fall offline when disconnected from your Wi-Fi network or the power supply is interrupted. Ring cameras must remain powered and connected to your network to sync to the cloud servers. Once the camera is out of sync with the cloud servers, the app displays it as offline.
Usually, once the problem resolves, the Ring camera sync with the cloud servers and reverts to an online state.
If the Ring app is displaying your camera as offline, it could be attributed to factors like;
- Loss of power connection (power outage)
- Poor Wi-Fi network signal or network disconnection
- Changes in your Wi-Fi network settings – you should update the same on your device
- An overcrowded network, thus, lowering your router bandwidth
- Prolonged use of a device without a reboot
- When the Ring servers are down – Ring outage
In the case of a power outage disconnection, a restart should get you going once the camera connects to your Wi-Fi network.
Therefore, before trying a detailed troubleshooting guide, power cycle your camera and check if it connects. The app restart feature won’t work for a disconnected device.
To power cycle, unplug the camera from the power outlet, let the power drain fully for about a minute or two, and reconnect it to power.
Once the camera powers up, refresh the Ring app and check the status.
Ring Camera Offline – Troubleshooting
The device health feature on the Ring app comes in handy when identifying the cause of your offline problem. To verify a Wi-Fi disconnection, open the Ring app > choose the affected device > select device health. The Wi-Fi status should be displayed as “offline” when your device is disconnected.
Follow these troubleshooting tips to get your camera back online;
Check If the Devices Is Powered
A loosely attached power coed or a tripped outlet can render your camera offline and have you chasing no existing problems. Therefore, before getting your hands dirty, confirm that your Ring camera is powered and receiving the right voltage.
Check the power status of your Ring camera on the app under Device Health. If all is good, proceed to troubleshoot your network connection.
Some or all of your devices can run offline after a power outage. A quick reboot should get your device back online.
To reboot, unplug the device from the outlet, wait a minute for it to discharge, and reconnect it to a working outlet.
After restarting your devices, give them about two minutes to initialize and connect to your home network. Refresh the Ring app and check whether your camera is back online.
Check Your Wi-Fi Network
A drop or lost network connection is a prevalent cause of the offline issue. Some devices require a reboot to reconnect to the Wi-Fi network after a prolonged disconnection.
So, does your router broadcast an active Wi-Fi network, or are you disconnected?
Test your network by connecting a phone or tablet and trying to surf the internet. If you are disconnected or the network signal is poor, contact your ISP to fix it first.
Smart cameras require a strong and stable internet connection to sync to the servers effectively. A robust home internet is the first requirement for running a successful smart home.
Use the Ring app to check the signal strength under “Device Health.” Ring app indicates a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) value on connected devices to identify weak signals quickly.
If the RSSI value is greater than -50 dBm (indicated in green), the signal is Strong; for -50 dBm to -70 dBm, the signal is average and acceptable; less than -70 dBm denotes a poor signal.
Again, if you make changes to your network settings, such as Wi-Fi password, security type, etc., you must update the same on your connected devices.
Remember that Ring cameras are only compatible with a 2.4 GHz network.
If your router broadcasts 2.4 and 5 GHz bands on a single SSID, you must separate them into two different networks. This helps you avoid conflicts and only connect the devices to the compatible frequency.
Generally, power cycling the router and the device works magic when dealing with drop-in network offline issues.
To power cycle, unplug the router from the outlets, give it 20 – 30 seconds, and reconnect it. Once it’s up and running, apply the same procedure to restart the smart device.
Reset the camera and reconnect
Press the setup button on your Ring camera to enter pairing mode. This reset process won’t factory reset your ring camera. Thus, your configurations aren’t lost.
Use the Ring app to reconnect your camera to Wi-Fi. Open the Ring app > Menu > Devices > Select the affected camera > tap Device Health > Scroll down to the Network section and check the Status > If “Offline,” tap Reconnect to Wi-Fi > Follow the in-app prompts to reconnect.
Move The Device Closer to the Router
The 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi signal weakens the further you move from the router and as the number of obstacles increases. With that in mind, the chances of a poor signal are high if the camera is located at the furthest end.
If you get an RSSI value of less than -70 dBm (indicated in red), move the camera closer to your router for a stronger signal.
Alternatively, upgrade your network to a mesh network topology setup or replace your old router with a newer model. Also, the Ring chime doubles up as a network extender; installing one for your doorbells boosts your network coverage.
Ring Server Outage
Albeit a rarity, the Ring AWS servers experience downtime from time to time. This could affect a section of the Ring products rendering them offline or causing noticeable delays.
You can easily check Ring outages with their dedicated webpage: Ring Status.
Final Thoughts
The Ring smart camera falls offline once the server communication is lost. This can be attributed to a network disconnection or power failure. Either way, getting your camera back online is the top priority, as is identifying the cause to avoid repeated occurrences.
Once you have identified the cause, do your due diligence, like ensuring the camera is powered and has sufficient Wi-Fi network coverage.
If nothing gives, contact Ring customer support with your details for help troubleshooting your Ring device.
