Hold the reset button by using the supplied reset pin until the camera beeps once, The red LED indicator will start to blink. Then find and select the WIFI called "HD Wifi Cam" from your smartphones WiFi list. This Arlo model is ideal for SmartThings platform users who want a battery-powered doorbell that installs in minutes, despite its slightly bulky design. And if you ever decide you want to use it as a wired doorbell later, it works in that configuration, too. Video doorbells come in all shapes and sizes. The least expensive models tend to be bulky and available in only a few color choices, while many of the more expensive models are inconspicuous and available in a variety of finishes. Battery-powered models are typically larger than their wired counterparts. Storage: Subscription-based cloud storage (with video saved over the internet to a remote server operated by the manufacturer) is the norm these days. Some doorbells store recordings locally on a microSD card or a connected hard drive, but it isn’t of much help if someone steals the camera or you lose power. Image quality is excellent at 2,560 x 1,920 in resolution and we found that notifications came through on our phone almost instantaneously, something older Ring doorbells can struggle with. There’s no facial recognition but you can set motion zones and only send notifications when humans are detected.

You have to add your own storage, in the form of a microSD card slot, but that’s not overly expensive, and you can’t wire this doorbell up to an existing mains supply or chime. But, other than that, it’s a brilliant smart doorbell and our new all-round favourite. The Toucan Wireless Video Doorbell's quality 1080p recordings and relatively long battery life (up to four months) impressed us in testing. We wish it worked with more third-party smart devices, but we like that it supports Alexa and Google Assistant voice controls, bundles free cloud storage, and captures a 180-degree field of view. Who It’s For Setting up the system isn’t exactly as simple as pairing some new headphones, but it isn’t as difficult as you’d might expect, either, especially if you’re drilling into wood.

The only catch is that it isn’t battery-powered and needs connecting to existing mains-powered doorbell chime wiring, which means you may need professional help installing it. And, after the initial trial period expires (three months at the time of writing) you will have to pay a subscription fee to keep using most of the camera’s features. Audio: A good doorbell camera should have a built-in microphone so you can hear chirps and chatter. Most also feature a speaker for two-way communication, allowing you to talk to whoever shows up at your door. The only thing Eufy can’t do is ring a mechanical chime. Otherwise, it’s pretty much the perfect video doorbell. After your initial charge, Eufy says to expect about 180 days of battery life – depending on how many events are triggered in a day and how often you’re pulling up a livestream. Over our two-week testing period, our camera was triggered close to three dozen times recording 10-second clips each time and is currently holding strong at 90% battery life. Extrapolating that data, we’d be looking at around 140 days of battery life, or around four-and-a-half months, which is a significant improvement on our battery-powered Ring that needs to be re-charged every month.

Wired doorbells draw power from two wires that connect to a transformer that steps down your household power to between 16 and 24 volts. If your home doesn't have doorbell wiring, you can still wire it yourself using a plug-in transformer or hire an electrician to perform the setup. Either way, the process requires some drilling to run wires from the inside of your home to an exterior location. Will you be able to hear the doorbell? To hear it in the house (not just on your smartphone), you will need a chime unit. With wired doorbells you can usually connect them to your existing chime, whereas battery-powered doorbells typically need a proprietary unit. With some video doorbells these come in the box; with others, it costs extra. What about smart home features? It comes at an additional cost compared to the standard Ring doorbell, but that extra money gets you a camera capable of capturing 1536p footage with a wide 150-degree field of view, as well as HDR processing and colour night view. You will also get brilliant motion detection. The Pro 2 is not only able to detect movement within the field of view of the camera but it also allows you to set how close objects need to be before they set off an alert – especially useful for houses that have short front garden paths. Its headline feature, however, is its new Advanced Pre-Roll functionality. This allows the camera to capture full-resolution video footage from six seconds prior to motion being detected. The HomeBase acts as a brain for the whole system. It securely stores all the footage – which means, if your camera is ever stolen, all of the video is still safely stored inside. Even better, Eufy uses a proprietary communication technology that’s more power-efficient than standard Wi-Fi, allowing the wireless camera to work for months without recharging.Support for Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands is also handy. With these integrations, you can, for example, simply say, "Alexa, show the front door," to launch a live stream on your Echo Show. Be mindful of the distance between the DoorCam device and the phone you're connecting it to. We generally recommend keeping them initially close to each other, no more than 20 feet apart.