You can add shared users to Ring, which will all get the app and access to selected devices, such as the doorbell, plus a unique PIN for the alarm. You can also set Guest users, which are just given a unique PIN. It would be nice to have timed access – say, for letting a cleaner only use their PIN on a set day between set times. However, if you’ve opened your front door to let the kids out, or because you were loading the car first, this is just annoying. The only way around the issue, in my example, is to shut the front door, then arm the system, then open the door, go out and then shut the door. The Ring Alarm (2nd Generation) is still the best DIY alarm system for most people. With its excellent range of sensors and new outdoor siren, you get the coverage that you need, while the new keypad is far smaller and easier to use. The good news for anyone with the original system is that the new components are compatible, so you can upgrade the bits you want to.

It’s much neater, and the new size makes it easier to place this model where you want. It’s also less intrusive, if you want to have multiple keypads around your home for arming and disarming in different locations. Yes! The new Ring Alarm (2nd Gen) devices are smaller, providing you with more options for mounting and securing them within your home. Motion Detector (2nd Gen) which has a smaller profile and is easier to mount on the wall. It also uses patented motion detection technology to detect intruders and ignore pets. What’s particularly clever about the new system is that it maintains the same base station, so users of the existing alarm system can add the new sensors or sirens into their existing system, without being forced into upgrading everything. It’s nice to see a company do that for once. Design and installation If you are registering the Alarm at a new location, you’ll also receive a 30-day trial of Ring Protect subscription so you can try out professional monitoring** now.When triggered, the Ring Alarm (2nd Generation) will sound the internal and external sirens. The internal model is loud at 104dB – certainly loud enough to make itself heard. The internal siren can also play a ‘chirp’ when a sensor is triggered. You can choose what sound to play, and the volume on a per-sensor basis, although you may just want to disable the feature completely. If you don’t want to have to recharge batteries, you can either permanently power the siren (you can wire it into a transformer or buy the Plug-In Adapter 2nd Generation), or buy the solar panel for the Spotlight Cam. Liquid error (sections/product-template line 350): Could not find asset snippets/pdp_bundles.liquid This sensor is powered by two CR2032 batteries, which you can access by simply sliding the cover off the top. It’s far easier to change the batteries here than on the old sensor, which needed a button pushing in to release the top cover. At the heart of the system is the base station, which is the same as used on the original alarm. This is a Z-Wave hub, communicating with the wireless sensors and components, an internal siren, and the communications hub with the internet.

If you've started with a 1st Gen Ring Alarm kit, you can add 2nd Gen devices to your Alarm Base Station. If you buy a new 2nd Gen Alarm Kit, you can add both 1st Gen and 2nd Gen devices to your Alarm Base Station. Range Extender (2nd Gen) which is designed to be easier to use with a new button and indicator light on the front. Currently, the Ring Alarm professional monitoring** service is available only within the U.S. (excluding American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and Canada (excluding Quebec).

With the external siren, you can choose the volume level from silent (a little pointless, although the LEDs flash), up to loudest. Ring doesn’t state the decibels figure for all of the volumes, but says that Loud is 100dB at 1m. That’s loud enough to attract attention, for sure. Geofence can also be used as a reminder to set your alarm if you go out and forget. That’s actually better than just setting the alarm: if you have house guests, for example, you don’t want to turn the alarm on when you go out. You can also choose to get a prompt when you get home, telling you to turn the alarm off. For the Home and Away modes, you can set the entry and exit delay. The entry delay is the time in seconds you have to disarm the alarm when the main sensor (as defined in the installation) is triggered – say, you opening the front door. The exit delay is similar but is the time in seconds before the alarm becomes active, giving you enough time to set the alarm and get out. During installation, you’ll be asked to specify the type of entryway you have the sensor on, which defines how it works. Main door sensors will only trigger the alarm after a delay; secondary door and window sensors trigger the alarm immediately. That’s a lot of options and shows that Ring has really thought out all the ways you may want to keep the siren going. My only minor complaint is that it would have been nice if Ring could have built in the solar panel, as with the old Y-Cam Alarm’s siren.