There are several ways to fix the Ring streaming error on your doorbell or camera. Normally, you can resolve the issue by ensuring that you have a reliable internet connection. Sometimes, you need to update your Ring app or your device firmware. Let’s take a look at some possible solutions.
1. Check Your Internet Connection
Is Your Internet Working?
Nine out of ten times a Ring device has a streaming error, it’s because of a problem with the internet connection.
To diagnose the issue, you have to ensure that your internet connection is working.
Turn off your phone’s data, and launch YouTube or another streaming app.
See if it works.
Open a browser and visit a website like Wikipedia.
See if it loads.
If your home’s WiFi is down, your Ring doorbell won’t be able to stream.
Disable Your VPN
In the past few years, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have become a popular tool for savvy internet users.
A VPN is a server company that conceals your IP address from people who want to track your online activity.
You connect to the VPN’s servers, and their servers connect to the wider internet.
When you visit a website or access a service, they “see” the VPN server’s IP address, not yours.
Starting in December 2019, Ring discontinued support for VPNs.
You’ll have to turn off your VPN to use the Ring App or Neighbors App.
Alternatively, you can set most VPNs to exclude traffic from the individual app.
Ring stopped supporting VPNs for a couple of reasons.
To begin with, they can cause connection issues.
Even with a well-optimized app, performance on a VPN can be glitchy.
But the main reason was security.
VPN IP addresses often fall into the same ranges used by hackers.
Since Ring uses IP blocking as part of its security efforts, your connection might be blocked altogether.
Even if your IP address isn’t blocked, you might encounter technical problems while using the Ring app on a VPN.
These issues can occur on PCs, tablets, and laptops as well as on smartphones.
Possible issues include:
- A blank video feed
- Streaming errors while loading videos and other data
- A “406 – Not Acceptable” error
- General connection problems such as signal instability
Check Your Internet Speed
The Ring doorbell and camera need a minimum amount of bandwidth to work properly.
If your upload or download speed is slower than 2Mbps, you might have streaming issues.
You can check your internet speed using any number of free tools.
One of the most reliable is the official M-Lab speed test, which was created through a partnership between M-Lab and Google.
If your internet is inordinately slow, contact your Internet Service Provider.
They can help you troubleshoot the problem.
2. Check Device RSSI
Even if your internet works, your Ring doorbell or camera still needs a strong WiFi signal.
Depending on your router and any nearby interference, your signal may be weak.
To measure this, you need to determine your device’s Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI).
The RSSI is exactly what it sounds like; it measures the strength of the WiFi strength at the Ring device.
To find your device’s RSSI, open your Ring app, and select the device that’s having issues.
Tap “Device Health,” and among other metrics, you’ll see the RSSI.
Your RSSI is like a golf score: lower is better.
- With an RSSI of 40 or lower, you should have zero issues with streaming.
- From 40 to 65, your device should still work. However, if the level is consistently higher than 60, you may have streaming errors.
- An RSSI above 65 will almost certainly cause streaming errors.
So, what happens when your RSSI reading is too high? To begin with, at levels higher than 70, your Ring’s battery will drain faster.
At anywhere under 65, you risk losing your video feed.
If your RSSI is to blame, you can try upgrading your router.
You can also invest in a Chime Pro.
The Chime Pro is a plug-in speaker with a built-in WiFi booster.
Put it between your router and your Ring device, and your RSSI should go down.
3. Confirm Your Ring Subscription is Active
Keep in mind that Ring’s streaming features are a subscription service.
If your subscription has lapsed, you won’t be able to access your video stream.
To make sure your plan is active, you’ll need to use a computer with a browser.
For some reason, Ring does not allow you to view your billing history via the smartphone app.
Go to Ring’s website and log in to your account.
Click the “Account” link, and select “Billing History.”
You’ll see a list of all your charges, as well as any refunds.
As long as you’re the primary account holder, you’ll be able to see if your payments have stopped.
If there are any issues, you’ll be able to update your payment method or re-start your subscription.
4. Update Your Ring App
If your Ring app is out of date, your device might not be able to stream properly.
Normally, this should happen automatically, but sometimes it doesn’t.
Open the Apple Store or Google Play, and update the app.
If the app is already current, uninstall it and reinstall it.
This often solves any streaming issues.
5. Update Your Device Firmware
If there are no signal issues and your app is up to date, the next thing to check is your firmware.
Firmware is a special type of software that’s built into a device.
Almost every electronic device nowadays has unique firmware.
Firmware is one of the most common areas of vulnerability that hackers exploit.
For this reason, companies like Ring regularly update their firmware to improve their security.
They also make updates to add new features or improve overall reliability.
Your Ring doorbell or camera will automatically update to the latest firmware version the first time it connects to the internet.
After that, it will automatically update during the wee hours of the night.
That said, there might be an error with a firmware update.
Maybe your internet went out in the middle of the update.
Maybe you were up late and manually turned off your device.
In that case, you might be running an old firmware version.
Here’s how to see if your Ring’s firmware is up-to-date:
- Open the Ring app, and tap the hamburger menu at the top left corner.
- Tap on your Ring device, and select “Device Health.”
- Scroll through the details until you find the entry for “Firmware.” If you’re running the current version, it will say “Up to date.”
If you see a number instead, you’re running obsolete firmware.
It will automatically update the next time the doorbell or motion sensor is triggered.
Just trigger it yourself by ringing the doorbell or waving your hand in front of the motion sensor.
Then, wait for the firmware to update.
6. Try Using the Rapid Ring App
If you have streaming errors after clicking notifications, your phone might be having trouble with the app.
The Ring app is fairly robust, and it requires a lot of system resources.
If you’re using an older phone, try downloading the Rapid Ring app.
This is a free, lightweight app that replicates many of the regular Ring app’s features.
Like the regular app, you can download it from Google Play or the Apple Store.
The Rapid Ring app is designed to make it easy to respond to notifications.
It doesn’t have all the features of the main Ring app.
For example, you won’t be able to view old videos or change your settings.
In addition, the Rapid Ring app has more limited availability.
It’s currently only available in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
Language support is also limited to English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Dutch.
That said, you’ll still have access to all the communication features of the main app.
Most importantly, you can access your camera’s live view and use two-way voice communication.
Ring designed both apps to be used simultaneously.
When you turn a certain type of notification on in the Rapid Ring app, it will automatically turn off in the original app.
You choose how much or how little you want to use it.
Conversely, any changes you make in the original app will be reflected in Rapid Ring.
7. Factory Reset Your Device
As a last resort, you can try a factory reset.
Why do I say it is a last resort? Because factory resetting your Ring device will erase all of your settings.
You’ll have to start over with the initial setup and reconfigure everything from scratch.
So you don’t want to do it unless you have to.
To reset your doorbell or camera, you’ll have to locate the orange reset button.
This is in different places on different models, so I won’t get into it here.
Ring has a thorough guide to finding the button on each model.
Once you’ve found the button, press and hold it for 10 seconds.
The device will reset, and you’ll be able to reconfigure it.
In Summary
By following these steps, you can solve almost any streaming error with your Ring doorbell.
Make sure your internet is working, and move forward from there.
Sooner or later, you should stumble across the solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I fix a Ring streaming error?
Normally, a Ring streaming error is caused by an issue with your internet connection.
You may also need to update your app or firmware, or run a factory reset.
What is a good RSSI for Ring devices?
A Ring device will function with an RSSI of 65 or less.
An RSSI of 40 or less is ideal.
