You just got a new router. Maybe you switched from Comcast to Fiber, or perhaps you finally decided that "Starlink_Guest" was a better network name than "Linksys_Default." Either way, your Ring doorbell is now a glorified paperweight on your doorframe, blinking a sad little light because it has no idea how to talk to the internet anymore. It happens to everyone. Honestly, learning how to change the wifi on Ring doorbell units is one of those tasks that sounds like it should take thirty seconds but often ends with you standing on your porch in your pajamas, waving a screwdriver at a piece of plastic while your neighbors watch.
Let’s get one thing straight: Ring doesn't make this as "one-click" as we’d all like. Security devices are finicky about network changes for a reason—it prevents a random person from hijacking your camera by just spoofing a signal. But if you’ve got the app and a few minutes, we can get you back online without a factory reset (usually).
🔗 Read more: Is TikTok Banned or Not: What Most People Get Wrong
Why Ring Makes You Jump Through Hoops
When you change your SSID or password, the Ring hardware doesn't just "look" for a better signal. It stays loyal to the old one until it's told otherwise. Most people think they have to delete the device from the app and start over. Don't do that. Deleting the device can sometimes wipe your stored footage history depending on your plan settings. Instead, we’re going to perform a "reconnect" or a "network update."
The process varies slightly depending on whether you have a battery-powered unit like the Video Doorbell 4 or a hardwired one like the Doorbell Pro 2. The Pro models often require you to pop off the faceplate to hit a physical button, while the newer battery models can sometimes be triggered right from the app interface if they still have a tiny bit of residual connection.
The Standard Playbook for Most Models
Open your Ring app. You’ll see the "Device Health" tile after you tap on your specific doorbell. This is the nerve center for your hardware. If your doorbell is offline, there will likely be a giant red "Offline" banner, which is hard to miss. Tap Reconnect to WiFi or Change WiFi Network.
Now, here is where it gets tactile. Most Ring doorbells require you to put the device into "Setup Mode."
For the classic Video Doorbell (1st and 2nd Gen), this means taking the device off the mounting bracket and pressing the orange button on the back. If you have the Pro or Elite models, you’ll need to unscrew the security screw at the bottom, pop the faceplate off, and tap the button on the side. You'll know it worked because the light on the front will start spinning. It’s a distinct, rhythmic white light. That’s the doorbell's way of saying, "Okay, I’m listening, tell me where the new router is."
A Quick Detour: The Dual-Band Headache
Here is a detail that trips up a lot of people. If you have a newer "Whole Home Mesh" system like Eero or Orbi, it likely uses both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands under the same name. Older Ring doorbells, specifically the original Video Doorbell and the Doorbell 2, cannot see 5GHz networks. They are blind to them.
If your new router is strictly pushing 5GHz and you can't see the network in the list, you might need to go into your router settings and temporarily "pause" 5GHz or create a dedicated 2.4GHz "Guest" network specifically for your smart home gear. I've seen hundreds of forum posts on Reddit and the Ring Community boards where people think their doorbell is broken when, in reality, it's just a frequency mismatch.
When the App Fails: The "Soft Reset" Trick
Sometimes the app just hangs. You’re spinning, it’s spinning, and nothing connects. If you're struggling with how to change the wifi on Ring doorbell and the standard "Change Network" button isn't responding, try a soft reset.
Hold that setup button (the orange one or the side button) down for a full 20 seconds. Not five. Not ten. Twenty. When you let go, the light will flash a few times and then go dark. Wait a minute for it to reboot. This clears the temporary cache on the doorbell's internal chip without wiping your actual account ownership. Once it boots back up, try the setup process again. It usually clears the "handshake" errors that happen when a doorbell is stuck trying to find a router that no longer exists.
🔗 Read more: The Distance Between Sun and Earth: Why 93 Million Miles is Only Half the Story
Hardwired vs. Battery: The Power Factor
If you have a Ring Doorbell Pro, it draws power from your transformer. If that transformer is old—maybe it's a 10V unit from the 1990s—the doorbell might not have enough "juice" to maintain a WiFi search and a broadcast signal at the same time. While changing networks, if the doorbell shuts off entirely, your transformer is likely the culprit. You need at least 16V-24V for a stable experience.
On the flip side, if you have a battery model, make sure it’s charged to at least 50% before you try to change the WiFi. The setup process uses a surprising amount of energy because the device has to broadcast its own temporary WiFi hotspot (you'll see a network named "Ring-xxxxxx" in your phone's settings). If the battery is low, the doorbell might kill the setup mode to save enough power just to stay "alive."
The Chime Pro Exception
If you use a Ring Chime Pro (the little box that plugs into your hallway outlet), you aren't actually connecting your doorbell to your router. You’re connecting the doorbell to the Chime.
In this scenario, you change the WiFi on the Chime Pro first. Once the Chime is happy and green, you go into the doorbell settings and tell it to join the Chime’s network. This is actually a great workaround if your front door is made of heavy metal or brick that blocks WiFi signals. The Chime Pro acts as a bridge. If you're struggling with a weak signal after a router change, moving your Chime Pro to a halfway point between the door and the router is usually the fix.
Security Screws and Tiny Screwdrivers
Let's talk about the physical barrier. You need that tiny "star-shaped" Torx screwdriver that came in the box. If you lost it, don't try to force it with a flathead. You'll strip the security screw, and then you're truly stuck. You can buy replacement kits on Amazon for five bucks that include the "Ring Orange Tool." It's worth it.
Once the screw is out, don't yank the faceplate. Slide it up or pull from the bottom depending on the version. If you have the Doorbell Wired (the tiny, cheap one), the entire cover pops off to reveal the setup button on the right side.
Troubleshooting the "No Internet" Loop
You entered the password. You’re 100% sure it’s correct. The app says "Connecting..." and then... "No Internet Found."
- Check for special characters: Ring devices sometimes struggle with complex passwords containing symbols like
&or*if they are at the beginning of the string. - Distance: If your router is in the basement and the doorbell is on the porch, the interference might be too high during the initial handshake. Temporarily move the router closer if possible, or use a WiFi extender.
- VPNs: This is a big one. If your phone has a VPN active (like NordVPN or Google One VPN), the Ring app will fail to talk to the doorbell's local hotspot. Turn off your VPN before you start the process.
Essential Next Steps
Changing your network shouldn't be a weekly chore, but doing it right ensures your home stays monitored without those annoying "Motion detected at Front Door - Video Unavailable" messages.
- Verify Signal Strength: Once you are connected to the new WiFi, go back to Device Health and check the RSSI value. A "good" signal is anything between -40 and -60. If you are at -70 or -80, your new WiFi setup isn't reaching the door effectively, and you’ll experience laggy video.
- Update Firmware: Often, a new connection triggers a firmware update. Let it finish. If the light is pulsing white, don't ring the bell or cut the power. Give it five minutes to settle in.
- Check your Chime: If you have a physical chime inside your house, test it. Sometimes a network reset can toggle the "Internal Doorbell Ringing" setting to "Off" in the app.
Once the light on the front of the Ring stays solid for a moment and then turns off, you're golden. Your device is back on the grid.