Explore top smart home security systems. Find reviews, guides, and tips on choosing the right system to keep your home safe.
The E340 is the one to get. It shoots 4K on the main lens, has a second 1080p camera pointed downward to catch package thefts at ground level, and stores footage locally for free with a HomeBase. If you’re stuck on an older wired chime and want a simpler upgrade, the S330 is still solid … Read more
Blink cameras don’t do continuous 24/7 recording. That’s not a settings issue, a subscription tier, or something you can hack around – it’s a fundamental design choice. Blink records motion-triggered clips. That’s what these cameras are built for. If you want to stand in front of the Blink app and watch a live feed manually, … Read 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
Ring discontinued the Video Doorbell 2 in 2020, but if you still have one on your wall it is not an orphan. Ring still sells replacement parts directly, the Quick Release battery is on Amazon, and several accessories continue to ship. Here is what is still available in 2026 and what is worth buying. Quick … 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 records motion-triggered video clips and stores them in the cloud – but only if you have a Ring Protect subscription. Without one, you get live view and motion alerts, but nothing gets saved. Ring changed this policy in 2023, and a lot of owners found out the hard way when their event … Read more
The Ring Video Doorbell 2 is weather resistant – it’ll handle rain, snow, and sleet without complaint. Ring hasn’t published an official IP rating for it, but years of real-world use confirm it survives normal outdoor conditions just fine. What it won’t survive: direct submersion, a sustained blast from a pressure washer, or flooding. For … Read more