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Whether you’re looking for an added layer of security for your home or your business, Ring more than likely has the exact products you need. The brand has risen to prominence to become one of the major names in security cameras, with a decently sized catalog featuring units of all shapes, sizes, and capabilities. They may not be perfect, with there being a couple of preventable ways thieves can disable Ring cameras, but overall, they do a great job of keeping an eye on their immediate surroundings. However, they can’t access their full smorgasbord of features on their own.

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The fact is, to get any sort of use out of your Ring security cameras, they’ll need to be connected to Wi-Fi. This connection allows you to access a live feed of your cameras through the Ring mobile app, communicate verbally through your device, and remotely control other camera functions such as lights and sirens for emergency situations. Unfortunately, all of this functionality doesn’t transfer to mobile hotspots, so you’ll have to connect your Ring devices to a proper home Wi-Fi network. Thus, without one, it’s no stretch to say that Ring cameras are basically expensive paperweights.

Ring security cameras require a stable Wi-Fi connection, rendering them entirely useless without one. Worse yet, even the main method of recording and storing footage one would expect to work without Internet is a no-go.

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One of the central Wi-Fi functions of Ring security cameras is to record, capture, and process footage. The footage is stored in the cloud and is accessible through either the Ring app or the Ring website, but, of course, this is only possible with a Wi-Fi connection. Theoretically, could this footage be stored locally instead, bypassing the need for an Internet connection entirely? At first, it might seem like a possibility since some Ring models can store footage locally on a microSD card instead of in the cloud. Once you go through the local storage setup process on your device and capture footage, it can be downloaded to the Ring app or website for viewing.

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The problem with this apparent alternative is that, despite moving footage capturing and storing from the cloud to a microSD card, Internet access is still needed. In fact, you’ll also need a Ring Home Premium subscription and a Ring Alarm Pro Base Station too. SD cards generally aren’t too expensive, though a Ring Home Premium subscription costs $19.99 per month, or $199.99 for a year, while the Ring Alarm Pro Base Station costs well over $200. Ring Edge is also required, as this service facilitates the storing and processing of footage locally. Even with all of this, though, you need to have a Ring device that’s actually compatible with the local storage option.

As great as Ring devices are, without Wi-Fi, they can’t perform any tasks that would keep your home or business safe. Thus, if you don’t have such a wireless connection to attach them to, you can always look into alternative surveillance options that aren’t in need.

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Though Ring is a major name in the surveillance space, its Wi-Fi-centric cameras are far from the only ones on the market. It is joined by several other major home security brands worth looking into. After all, security cameras are far from new technology, and there are some great alternatives out there that don’t require Wi-Fi. One such brand is Arlo, which offers the Arlo Go: a small, portable camera that doesn’t need a Wi-Fi connection to function. It relies on a 3G or 4G LTE cellular plan to access its features, and it’s powered by batteries or a plug-in adapter, adding to its versatility.

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While the Arlo Go and other similar cellular-powered security cameras are a good idea, you could always go a bit old school with your surveillance. You can shop around for a set of wired security cameras, which offer a more stable means of transferring footage by foregoing wireless connections altogether. The wiring could get tricky, and some brands run for hundreds of dollars, but if it means keeping your home or business safe without having to worry about a wireless connection, it could be worth the price. Consulting a security company like ADT could be a good idea, too, this way professionals in the field can point you in the right direction and get you the equipment you need.

Home security is no joke, so it’s stressful to think that all thanks to a lack of Wi-Fi connection, Ring and other brands’ cameras will fail at their duties. Without much to rely on in terms of workarounds, understanding why your Wi-Fi might be down and knowing how to fix it are paramount to getting the most from such safety systems.

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