Learn how to set up and install smart home devices. Find step-by-step guides for lighting, thermostats, security systems, and more.
Pop the T15 Torx screw out of the bottom, tilt the faceplate forward, lift it off. That’s it. The Ring Doorbell 2 faceplate removal takes about 30 seconds once you know what you’re doing – the only reason people get stuck is not knowing which screw to look for. Quick note before we start: Ring … Read more
The Ring Doorbell 2 connects to SmartThings – it still works for existing owners, even though Ring pulled the model from sale years ago. Here’s how the integration works now, what changed since the original guides were written, and what you actually get out of it (spoiler: no live video in SmartThings, but the automation … Read more
The Ring Doorbell 2 has solid motion detection – good enough that plenty of people are still running it years after Ring pulled it from sale. The settings aren’t obvious, and the Ring app has changed a lot since 2022. Here’s what every option actually does and how to tune it. Quick note: Ring discontinued … Read more
Ring Doorbell 2 firmware updates itself. You don’t press a button, you don’t open a menu, you don’t do anything. Ring pushes updates to the device automatically when it’s connected to Wi-Fi and not actively in use – usually overnight. If you still own one of these, your firmware is almost certainly current right now … Read more
Here is the honest answer nobody wants to hear: Ring discontinued the official Solar Charger for the Video Doorbell 2. It is gone from Ring’s store, gone from most retailers, and Ring’s support pages confirm it explicitly. If you have a Doorbell 2 and were counting on Ring’s first-party solar solution, you are out of … Read more
The Ring Doorbell 2 has one reset button – the orange button on the back of the unit, under the faceplate. How long you hold it determines what happens: a quick 5-second press restarts the device without touching your settings, and a full 20-second hold wipes everything back to factory defaults. That’s it. Two options, … Read more
Short answer: yes, two Ring doorbells can share one transformer – but only if the transformer is actually up to the job. Most houses have a doorbell transformer rated at 8-10VA, which can’t reliably power even one Ring doorbell. For two, you need a minimum 16VAC/30VA unit, and 24VAC/40VA is the smarter spec if you … Read more
The Ring Doorbell 2 was discontinued in 2020, but millions are still installed and working fine – Ring still supports them. If you’ve got one and want to figure out the chime situation, here’s exactly how it works. The Three Chime Options There are three distinct ways to get a chime sound with a Ring … Read more