Bandwidth is the fountain from which home security systems love to drink. The Ring Alarm is no exception but, as with all Wi-Fi devices, bandwidth consumption depends on several factors; the number one factor is how it’s used.
Regardless of the type of kit purchased, the Ring Alarm system doesn’t consume much data because there are no cameras that come with it. However, if cameras that are compatible with Ring Alarm are added, the numbers can change dramatically. The Alarm Base Station alone averages 500 – 600MB/mo.
Some of the Ring Alarm Kits come with “savings deals” that include the Ring Video Doorbell, the 4th Gen Echo Dot, the Ring Stickup Cam, and the Echo Show 5. Each of these devices is capable of changing the dynamics of your bandwidth usage. Read on to learn more about how much bandwidth you can expect your Ring Alarm to use.
What is Ring Alarm’s Bandwidth?
There are a lot of moving pieces when it comes to a Ring Alarm system. The number of devices, types of devices, and the level of use each device undergoes are all part of the equation.
However, as you can see, the cameras and the Echo Show 5 are where the vast majority of data consumption will come from. These devices are listed solely because they are compatible with the Ring Alarm Ecosystem and are offered as add-on incentives with the Ring Alarm Kits.
Overall, these devices have the capability of putting a serious strain on your data cap, and that’s before a Netflix or Hulu movie night on the 55” 4K smart TV.
What Requires the Most Bandwidth with Ring Alarm?
The Alarm Base Station—unless there’s a camera involved—consumes most of the data, as it stays online all of the time, not just when it’s needed. It has to periodically check for firmware updates, there are system status checks, and cloud communication.
These checks are generally referred to as “heartbeats,” and the Ring Alarm Base Station spends a lot of time in rhythm.
The Ring motion, window, and door sensors are negligible. The amount of bandwidth they use is on the level of bytes. However, other Ring and Ring-compatible devices—such as those mentioned above—can consume quite a bit.
How to Reduce Ring Alarm Bandwidth Use
By itself, the Ring Alarm is not much cause for concern. Pair it with two motion sensors, six window and door sensors, a video doorbell, an indoor cam, a few Ring Spotlight or Floodlight cameras, maybe a smart lock, and some Echo devices, and you have a recipe for easily topping a TB.
The following are some ways you can help reduce the amount of bandwidth your Ring Alarm uses:
A Ring Alarm System, especially with add-on devices, can be a drag on your bandwidth. Not only does it threaten your data cap—unfortunately, so many ISPs still strictly enforce them—but it also threatens to tie up your router with unnecessary traffic.
The first thing you should consider when purchasing a Ring Alarm—or any smart home security system—is your data plan through your internet service provider. Then, focus on how you can tie all of your smart devices into the Ring Alarm Base Station and make it all work seamlessly without data overages.
Final Thoughts
One day it would be nice if ISPs would join the Information Age—some are ironically calling it the Interruption Age—and get rid of offensive data caps. With current 4k and the advent of 8k or higher, 500GB data caps are obscene.
The best way to deal with it while enjoying the security and efficiency of your Ring Alarm system is to control your bandwidth by shedding what is unnecessary (overly expansive motion zones, high resolution, too many false alerts) and streamline your Ring Alarm into a bandwidth-efficient security system without sacrificing security.
