The Ring Doorbell is a tool that brings the next generation of innovative home technology to your doorstep — quite literally.
It lets you keep a look at your home’s entrance remotely at all times.
But what should you do if the live view stops working?
The live view feature of a Ring shared user can sometimes falter. Common fixes include troubleshooting the system, ensuring a fast and stable WiFi connection, restarting and repositioning the router, and fixing power supply and wiring issues. You can also call Ring Support as a last resort.
The Ring doorbell system might be futuristic and smart, but it’s certainly not perfect.
In this article, I’ll discuss some of the issues that can get in the way of an uninterrupted live view and how you can fix them. Let’s get into it!
Possible Reasons for Issues With Ring Live View
Let’s have a look at what could be wrong if your Ring shared user Live View isn’t working.
Ring Doorbell Is Offline
To state the obvious right off the bat, everything about the Ring Doorbell needs a consistent internet connection for proper functioning.
If it doesn’t have a WiFi connection, it’ll be offline, which means you’ll miss out on its Live View feature (among many others).
Wiring Problems
Proper wiring is necessary for the Ring Doorbell to function like any other electronic appliance.
Problems with the wiring can cause you to miss out on many of its features and lead to performance hiccups.
Live View aside, bad wiring can even stop the doorbell from ringing.
Therefore, your wiring should be the first thing you look at if you encounter any problems with the Ring Video Doorbell system.
Bad Power Delivery
If you don’t have any backup batteries installed in your Ring Doorbell, one of the possible reasons why your Live View isn’t available is insufficient power.
The first two generations of the Ring Doorbell came with an in-built battery to provide backup during power outages or energy fluctuation.
Those batteries weren’t removable, so this section doesn’t apply to you if you’ve got one of those Ring models.
However, the latest models of the Ring Video Doorbell have quick-release batteries.
These allow users to use the system without any batteries installed.
So, if you’re only relying on the power supply, your Live View might be unavailable due to energy fluctuations or power outages.
Camera Isn’t Working
Your live feed relies not only on your internet connection but also on the camera that captures it.
Whether it’s a crack on the lens or something that blocks its view — your live view won’t work correctly with a faulty camera.
Bad Internet
Even if the Ring Doorbell is connected and online, your home WiFi’s speed and reliability could be at fault for an unavailable live view.
Slower internet causes longer buffering times which means the live stream won’t load on your device properly.
The Live View feature of the Ring Video Doorbell involves the need to continuously upload data at high speed.
This system requires a fast, reliable, and stable internet connection at all times.
Even if you’ve got a lightning-fast internet connection, it could still be an unreliable connection due to the distance from the router.
The doorbell might keep losing the connection, and Live View won’t be available.
Restarting the router and reconnecting your Ring Doorbell to the WiFi often gets the job done as long as there’s no serious underlying issue.
However, if that doesn’t work, try the following fixes.
1. Fix the Wiring
Power supply issues and bad wiring are among the most common causes of an unavailable live view.
It’s important to rule this possibility out first because faulty wiring can permanently damage your Ring hardware if left unattended.
Have a look at your wiring to see if you can spot any obvious issues or mistakes.
If so, correct them and see if it works. If not, I’d recommend getting everything checked out by an electrician to ensure there aren’t any problems with the wiring and the Ring Doorbell is getting sufficient power.
2. Keep Backup Batteries Installed
You should also have a backup battery installed in your Ring Doorbell at all times.
It helps you avoid performance issues due to insufficient power delivery and energy fluctuation.
You should also watch the Ring Doorbell’s battery levels and recharge regularly.
3. Reposition the Router
Before upgrading your plan for higher-speed internet, see if you can improve your connection by simply readjusting the router position.
Sometimes, repositioning the router can do the job, such as shortening the distance between the Ring Doorbell and the router or simply changing its direction.
Ideally, your WiFi router should be in the same room as your Ring Doorbell to rule out any doubts of bad connectivity.
4. Troubleshoot for High Traffic Problems
Moreover, if you’ve got plenty of users sharing the same home WiFi, the Ring Doorbell might not be getting enough bandwidth for a smooth Live View experience.
Try disconnecting some of the other devices in your house and see if that solves the problem.
5. Get Faster WiFi
If none of the above solutions work, you might just have to get a quicker connection.
However, I’d suggest performing a quick check before investing in faster WiFi.
Connect your Ring Doorbell to the 5G mobile hotspot of your phone and see if that solves the Live View problem.
If so, you’ll know if faster WiFi would fix the problem.
Conclusion
The Ring Video Doorbell isn’t just an electronic appliance.
It’s a smart tool that needs a power supply and a fast internet connection at all times.
Having access to a 24/7 live stream of your front door wholly relies on the WiFi you’ve got at home.
Hence, poor connectivity is the most common cause for issues with Ring’s Live View, but it’s not the only one.
This article has described most of the possible causes and fixes for this problem.
If nothing seems to work, feel free to contact Ring Help for guidance and recommendations. All the best!