How to Ding, Dong, Ditch Ring’s surveillance network

There are tons of options for video doorbells that store footage locally — including these from Eufy, Reolink, SwitchBot, Tapo, and Aqara. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

Recently, Ring ran a Super Bowl advertisement for its Search Party feature showing however it uses AI to scan footage from Ring cameras and video doorbells to assistance find mislaid dogs. It sounds neighborly — until you see that the aforesaid strategy could theoretically hunt footage for thing oregon anyone. 

Combined with longstanding concerns astir Ring’s ties to instrumentality enforcement — including a caller proposed integration with instrumentality enforcement exertion institution Flock Safety —  the advertisement has prompted immoderate users to look for alternatives to Ring. 

If you are uncomfortable continuing to usage your Ring cameras and are wondering what to do, we’ve rounded up each your options: From however to fastener down your Ring hardware if you don’t privation to oregon can’t swap it out, to doorbell cameras that don’t trust connected cloud-processing — including those that store footage locally.

Why are radical looking to ditch Ring?

The halfway interest is that Ring footage is processed and stored successful the cloud. While Ring encrypts videos successful transit and astatine rest, the institution tin entree footage portion it’s processed for features specified arsenic AI-powered video descriptions, video search, and Search Party. 

While Ring has said that it does not stock information oregon video footage with ICE oregon immoderate national instrumentality enforcement agencies, and that only its users tin stock their footage with section instrumentality enforcement, galore radical are acrophobic astir what mightiness hap if Ring changes its policies. 

Ring maintains that it is not conducting wide surveillance. However, Ring’s laminitis and CEO Jamie Siminoff continues to be vocal successful his belief that much cameras and much AI tin assistance lick crime. He was the 1 who brought backmost video sharing with instrumentality enforcement aft his predecessor ended the company’s prior police-sharing feature.

Ring — similar immoderate unreality supplier — tin beryllium compelled to supply footage in effect to ineligible requests, but Ring’s cozy narration with instrumentality enforcement is origin for interest for galore users. Additionally, the caller lawsuit of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, successful which Google retrieved supposedly mislaid Nest doorbell footage, illustrates however unreality video tin persist longer than you mightiness expect.

“I bash not spot Ring not to person a woody with Flock aboriginal down the line.”

Distrust of Ring’s motives appears to beryllium widespread, prompting an uptick of involvement successful its competition. Representatives for astute location information companies SimpliSafe and Reolink told maine they saw a important summation successful web postulation and, successful immoderate cases, sales, successful February pursuing Ring’s Super Bowl ad. 

I besides spoke to immoderate users who person decided to switch. Tim Anderson, a erstwhile IT manager successful the Chicago suburbs, told maine that it was the Search Party advertisement pushed him to reconsider Ring. “I didn’t get the cameras to beryllium a dragnet for instrumentality enforcement; I got them to support my property.” 

Another longtime lawsuit said helium removed his Ring doorbell aft proceeding astir the Flock integration (which Ring has since cancelled) and is present considering a strategy that gives him afloat section power similar Reolink. “I bash not spot Ring not to person a woody with Flock aboriginal down the line,” helium told me.

If you’re likewise acrophobic astir the absorption Ring is moving, this nonfiction lays retired the options you person for utilizing a video doorbell oregon information cameras successful your location without worrying astir perchance feeding a surveillance network.

Here, I spell implicit however to opt retired of Ring’s caller features if you privation to support your hardware. Then I screen however to take a caller doorbell if you privation to ditch Ring — including the quality betwixt unreality versus section storage, what end-to-end encryption is, and the champion options for each case. 

Keep Ring, but connected your terms

Removing and replacing installed information cameras tin beryllium a hassle. If you privation to support your existing hardware but opt retired of features that could perchance lend to broader surveillance networks, present are immoderate steps you tin instrumentality to fastener down your doorbell and different Ring cameras:

• Angle the camera to lone drawback your beforehand doorway oregon property. If that’s not possible, alteration privateness zones successful the app to artifact retired immoderate “public” areas.
• Opt retired of a unreality subscription. If you don’t wage for Ring’s subscription service, the Ring doorbell volition not grounds video, but you’ll person to beryllium speedy to reply that alert connected your telephone if you privation to spot who is astatine the door.
• Turn disconnected AI features. If you privation the recorded video but don’t similar the thought of the AI features, including the precocious added facial recognition, crook them disconnected successful the Ring app settings nether Ring AI Features.
• Turn disconnected Search Party. This diagnostic allows Ring’s AI to hunt the footage of your outdoor cameras for mislaid dogs and wildfires (currently). This is enabled by default. Go to the Control Center successful the Ring app, prime Search Party, and click done to disable.
• Opt retired of Community Requests. This diagnostic allows users to stock footage with section instrumentality enforcement done Ring’s exertion partner Axon. (Ring cancelled its planned Flock Safety integration.) Go to the Neighbors conception of the Ring app, pat the settings icon, prime Neighborhood Settings, past Feed Settings, toggle disconnected Community Requests. You tin besides disable the Neighbors app integration wholly done the Control Center.
• Enable end-to-end encryption. Ring already encrypts footage successful transit and astatine rest, but galore of its features necessitate entree to your footage for processing. E2EE locks it down truthful that lone you, not Ring, tin entree it. You tin alteration this connected astir Ring cameras, but you bash suffer entree to several features, including affluent notifications and idiosyncratic alerts. 

Pick a doorbell that doesn’t process video successful the cloud

Internet-connected location information cameras store and process recorded footage successful 3 ways: 

Cloud first — Video is processed and stored connected a company’s servers. Examples see Ring, Nest, Wyze, Arlo, and Blink. These systems typically necessitate a subscription, and portion astir besides connection section storage, it’s often deprecated successful favour of unreality video.

Local first — Video is stored and processed locally connected the device, a hub, oregon a section server. Examples see Eufy, Tapo, Reolink, and Aqara. Cloud retention whitethorn beryllium disposable arsenic a backup.

Hybrid — Video is processed locally and stored successful the unreality with end-to-end encryption. Examples see Ecobee, Philips Hue, and cameras that enactment Apple HomeKit Secure Video. 

Cloud archetypal is the slightest backstage option. Alongside concerns astir companies intentionally sharing your video are the worries astir unintentionally doing so.

Wyze, Ring, and Anker-owned Eufy person suffered large information flaws successful the past that exposed their users’ videos. While each 3 companies accidental they person resolved the issues, the concerns astir the vulnerability of the unreality are real. 

If you don’t privation immoderate unreality exposure, take section storage. If you privation unreality convenience with stronger protections, take E2EE.

If you bash take to usage the unreality to store your footage, look for companies that necessitate two-factor authentication and connection a precocious level of encryption, ideally end-to-end, which is what the hybrid method uses. This ensures the institution cannot entree your videos.

Local retention is the astir private, arsenic successful mentation it ne'er leaves your home. A large vantage present is that you don’t person to wage immoderate subscription fees to store your video, though the basal stations that astir companies connection for expanded retention outgo astir $200, adding to the archetypal cost.

One downside of some section and hybrid systems is that section processing of footage to make astute alerts for packages, people, etc., isn’t arsenic effectual arsenic cloud-based solutions, which tin leverage their servers’ greater computational powerfulness to analyse footage. But that whitethorn change.

You besides can’t get “rich” notifications without the cloud, which includes a snapshot of what the camera saw. However, if each you privation to cognize is who is astatine your beforehand door, you mightiness not miss these features.

Put simply, if you don’t privation immoderate unreality exposure, take section storage. If you privation unreality convenience with stronger protections, take an end-to-end encrypted system.

Best doorbells with end-to-end encryption

The unreality isn’t inherently bad. If a work uses end-to-end encryption, nary 1 but you tin entree your footage, nary substance wherever it’s stored, truthful companies can’t beryllium compelled to manus implicit footage to authorities. 

These are the existent options that enactment E2EE (in summation to Ring, arsenic antecedently mentioned). One notable payment of these implicit the section retention options mentioned aboriginal is simply a much polished app acquisition and easier setup, but you volition person to wage to store your video successful the cloud.

Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video (HKSV)

Power: Battery oregon hardwired/ Video: 1080p / Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi / Smart alerts: Person, vehicle, packages, animals, facial designation / Cloud storage: iCloud +, starting astatine $1 a month

HomeKit Secure Video is Apple’s astute location video solution that processes footage from compatible cameras locally connected your Apple TV oregon HomePod. This enables astute alerts for people, animals, vehicles, and packages, arsenic good arsenic facial designation done the Apple Home app, wherever you tin presumption livestreams and recorded video. It stores video successful the unreality utilizing E2EE. 

HKSV has immoderate limitations: you request to beryllium successful Apple’s ecosystem and person an iCloud + subscription. Video solution is constricted to 1080p, and the astute alerts are unreliable. Another occupation is that lone 3 brands of doorbells enactment HomeKit Secure Video – Aqara, Logitech, and Belkin — and Belkin’s Wemo has been discontinued.

If you spell this route, see the Aqara G410, which I screen successful the section retention section, oregon the older (and cheaper) Aqara G4. 

Ecobee Smart Doorbell Camera

Power: Hardwired / Video: 1080p / Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi / Smart alerts: People and packages / Cloud storage: $5 a period oregon $50 a year

This doorbell from the astute thermostat shaper uses end-to-end encryption to store footage successful the unreality and offers escaped astute alerts processed on-device. It integrates neatly with the Ecobee thermostat, letting you usage it as an intercom. Read my afloat review.

Philips Hue Secure Video Doorbell

Power: Hardwired / Video: 2K / Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi, Zigbee / Smart alerts: People, animals, vehicles, and packages (with subscription) / Cloud storage: 24 hours free, $39.99 a year 

I haven’t tested the Hue doorbell yet, but connected paper, it’s a solid, privacy-focused enactment that offers end-to-end encryption, 24 hours of escaped video history, and locally processed alerts. But you bash person to wage for astute alerts. 

It’s a bully enactment if you’re successful the Hue ecosystem — it connects to the Hue span via Zigbee, truthful your lights tin crook connected erstwhile it detects motion. 

Best doorbells with section storage

If you don’t privation to store your video successful anyone’s cloud, you person a fewer options. 

If you are useful with tech and networking, you tin acceptable up your ain network-attached retention strategy (NAS) — a section server connected to your router. This solution tin besides beryllium utilized to watercourse unrecorded video via RTSP oregon ONVIF. We have a heavy dive into this solution if you privation to spell that route.  

A simpler enactment is to take a video doorbell that offers section storage, meaning video is recorded and stored locally connected a microSD paper successful the instrumentality oregon connected a location basal oregon basal station. Popular options see Anker’s Eufy, TP-Link’s Tapo, Reolink, and Aqara. 

If you person conscionable 1 oregon 2 cameras, the microSD paper way is easiest. Bear successful mind, you volition request to bargain these separately successful astir cases. If you are looking to physique retired a larger information system, a hub lets you store video from aggregate cameras successful 1 spot and offers much retention capacity.

Another payment of a hub setup from an established information institution is the quality to tally section AI to supply “smart alerts” — notifications erstwhile the camera spots a person, package, animal, and conveyance — arsenic good arsenic much precocious features similar facial designation and video search.

Most systems fto you presumption locally stored footage connected your smartphone, some erstwhile you’re connected your section web and erstwhile you’re distant from home, utilizing a peer-to-peer transportation betwixt your telephone and the device. This besides means you should inactive get recordings if the net goes down.

I’ve been investigating products from Eufy, Reolink, and Aqara for respective years now, and 1 happening you volition miss if you power from a cloud-first marque similar Ring is the app experience. While the idiosyncratic interfaces person improved significantly, they are inactive often obtuse and analyzable to navigate. Eufy and Tapo person the cleanest apps, followed by Aqara, whereas Switchbot and Reolink’s are rougher astir the edges. 

Here’s a rundown of the champion video doorbells with section storage:

Best overall

Power: Battery oregon hardwired / Video: 2K / Connectivity: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi / Smart alerts: People, packages, pets, and vehicles / Optional unreality storage: $2.79 per month

This is simply a large fund enactment that ticks astir boxes. It tin grounds to a microSD paper successful the instrumentality oregon to Tapo’s H500 Hub and offers 24/7 signaling erstwhile wired. Read my afloat review.

Best for afloat section control

Power: Battery oregon hardwired / Video: 2K video / Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi / Smart alerts: Person, vehicle, packages / Optional cloud storage: Reolink Cloud $5.99 a month

A bully enactment for users looking to integrate cameras into an precocious section networking setup, Reolink supports section retention via microSD oregon Reolink’s Home Hub and works with FTP servers, Home Assistant, and NAS systems. It supports protocols specified arsenic RTSP and ONVIF. Read my review.

Best for astute location acceptable ups

Power: Battery oregon hardwired / Video: 2K / Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi, Thread, Zigbee / Smart alerts: Person and question (more with subscription) / Optional unreality storage: HomeKit Secure Video oregon Aqara’s HomeGuardian

This is simply a bully prime if you privation to usage Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video oregon if you’re invested successful Aqara’s astute location system, arsenic it besides acts arsenic a Zigbee, Thread, and Matter astute location hub. 

Along with HKSV, it has section retention via a microSD paper housed successful the included 95dB indoor chime/hub. It volition besides enactment with Aqara’s upcoming Home Station M410 and supports RTSP, truthful you tin nonstop its provender to a third-party lawsuit specified arsenic your NAS oregon Home Assistant. 

Best for astute alerts

Power: Battery oregon hardwired / Video: 2K / Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi / Smart alerts: Person and question (vehicle, pet, and facial designation with HomeBase) / Optional unreality storage: Eufy Cloud $3.99 a month

Eufy has 1 of the champion apps and astir robust astute alerts, including escaped section facial recognition. If you privation much bells and whistles from your section cameras, this is the 1 to get. Eufy is besides the lone institution that has a removable artillery enactment — each the others listed necessitate you to region the doorbell to complaint the artillery (although you’ll request to bump up to the C31 exemplary for $35 more).

It offers section retention via a microSD paper and, erstwhile connected to the Eufy HomeBase 3, provides escaped conveyance and favored detection, facial recognition, and much storage. Eufy says each processing is local, but erstwhile you alteration propulsion notifications, which “temporarily” store images successful the cloud. 

Note: Eufy had immoderate major information issues successful 2022, including that its video streams were not natively end-to-end encrypted, arsenic it had antecedently stated. The institution says it has afloat rearchitected its systems and hired a third-party information researcher to audit them. Today, Eufy maintains that “Our information solutions person been designed to run locally and, wherever possible, debar utilizing the cloud,” according to spokesperson Brett White.

Best for video intercom

Power: Battery oregon hardwired / Video: 2K / Connectivity: 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi / Smart alerts: Person and question (vehicle and favored with subscription) / Optional unreality storage: $3.99 a month/ $34.99 a year  

The SwitchBot doorbell is simply a bully solution for radical who privation an interior surface for viewing doorbell footage and don’t privation to trust connected cloud-based options similar Amazon’s Echo Show oregon Google Nest astute displays. It comes with a abstracted tiny surface that serves arsenic a hub, intercom, and chime, and tin store up to 4GB of recorded video (upgradeable). 

Switchbot conscionable launched a $259.99 AI Hub with expandable retention up to a whopping 16TB that enables AI features specified arsenic on-device facial recognition.

It comes down to who you trust

There are a batch of options extracurricular of Ring, and portion I didn’t sermon them here, companies specified arsenic Google Nest, Arlo, and Blink (also Amazon-owned) each connection bully cloud-first solutions and don’t person advertised relationships with instrumentality enforcement. You tin work much astir these successful my guide to the Best Video Doorbells.

One happening to enactment erstwhile looking for the astir privacy-focused video doorbell is that the section retention brands listed present are Chinese companies, portion those that mostly usage the unreality are based successful the US oregon Europe.

American companies are taxable to the US’s patchwork of privateness laws and regulatory scrutiny, whereas Chinese companies tin beryllium compelled to cooperate with the wide Chinese authorities entree laws. Because of this, US lawmakers person called for investigations into respective Chinese-owned companies, including TP-Link (which owns Tapo) and Anker (which owns Eufy).

This leaves you to measurement 2 antithetic types of trust: trusting the exertion oregon trusting the institution down it. My proposal is to spell with a institution you trust.

Long-term, the astute location modular Matter could alteration much secure, section networking options that enactment crossed platforms without relying connected unreality services.

For now, though, erstwhile it comes to choosing a video doorbell, you inactive person to determine which tradeoffs marque you the astir comfortable, if any.

Photos by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge