Does Ring use WIFI or Z-Wave? Both. The ring alarm uses a Z-Wave system. Ring cameras, smart lights, and video doorbells are compatible with Z-Wave by using a hub compatible with Z-Wave.
Ring also sells standalone security cameras like the Stick Up Cam Wired, lighting products and other accessories. Ring says its new program already works with "over 1,000" Z-Wave-enabled products today.
Z-Wave is a wireless communication protocol that your Ring Alarm devices use to speak to the Ring Alarm or Ring Alarm Pro Base Station.
What is Z-Wave Plus? Z-Wave Plus is essentially just an extension of Z-Wave. It's a certification that devices receive for utilizing the new features of the next generation, or Gen 5, of Z-Wave. The new generation enhances the user experiencing by improving speed and ease of installation.
Ring Alarm's base station uses Z-Wave to pair its security devices (but it also has a Zigbee radio on board that's not currently active).
Thirteen (13) different smart home products from Ring have been reported as being compatible with Aeotec Smart Home Hub and the SmartThings gateway platform.
It uses Z-Wave to communicate to the devices, and Wi-Fi to communicate to the internet, which includes the Ring app.
Ring home security system now works as a hub for smart home devices. Smart home products have a fragmentation problem: There are options for everything from doorbells to cameras to sensors, but getting them to play nice and keep track of all the activity can be a pain.
Do I need a hub? Yes - to get the most out of your Z-Wave device, a Z-Wave Certified hub is required to set schedules and control remotely away from the home, which a handheld Z-Wave controller cannot do.
Alexa only “speaks” WiFi (and ZigBee if you have the EchoPlus). It currently doesn't support Z-Wave, the protocol of choice for home automation thanks to its high speed and low interference with other connected devices in your home. That means you can't have a Z-Wave switch or plug speak directly to your Echo.
Will Z-Wave interfere with my Wi-Fi network? No, Z-Wave operates on a different wireless frequency than Wi-Fi. Even though your smart hub will plug into your Wi-Fi router, the hub communicates with other smart devices on a different frequency making interference nonexistent.
As with previous iterations of the Ring Alarm system, the Ring Pro also has both Z-Wave and Zigbee radios onboard; however, the Zigbee radio will not be active right out of the box. As with previous Ring Alarm systems, we've been told Zigbee might be turned on at a future date.
Z-wave switches are one you can control your home lighting from your smart phone, Alexa, or Z-wave controller interface. The configuration options for your lighting are endless. Find the best prices online on top brands like: GE Jasco, Aeon Labs, Enerwave, HomeSeer, Fibaro, and Linear.
Without Ring Bridge, Ring Smart Lights function only as standard motion-sensing lights. With a Bridge, you can control whole groups of lights at once and be notified via the Ring app when any light or Motion Sensor senses movement.
Ring Alarm currently supports more than 35 Z-wave locks from Schlage, Kwikset, and Yale. Ring is currently working on adding more locks to that list and will update neighbors on the Ring.com Website and the Add Device section of the Ring app as they become available.
Z-Wave is based on a mesh network topology. This means each (non-battery) device installed in the network becomes a signal repeater. As a result, the more devices you have in your home, the stronger the network becomes.
Differences between Z-Wave and Z-Wave Plus
Z Wave Plus has extended device communication range. The new Z Wave protocol extends communication between devices from 40 feet to about 60 feet. Z Wave Plus devices are smaller which require less power to operate.
The SmartThings Hub is a Z-Wave certified central static controller. It can be included in any Z-Wave network and operate with Z-Wave certified devices from other manufacturers.
Z-Wave Has Fewer Congestion Problems
As such, Z-Wave's network has much less congestion, as it operates on a lower radio frequency - 908.42 MHz. Zigbee's frequency is closer to that of Wi-Fi - 2.4ghz - meaning a lot more congestion.