I just purchased a Ring Bridge because of the Mailbox Sensor. We have a very long driveway (around 100 feet). The metal mailbox is attached to a stand across the street and a house or so down along with two other mailboxes. At first, I had a “fair” signal. Then it kept dropping and has had a “poor” signal at best. I found a different window in the house that made it a bit closer (263 feet as the bird flies v. 273 at the first spot). It is not direct line of sight, and there is no option for doing that. Now the sensor is completely disconnected. In the past, power cycling the Bridge has reconnected it, but it’s not working. Any suggestions for improving this? I have a waterproof box in our front yard that we have a router extender for a doorbell. I’m sure it would improve the Mailbox signal. I know the Bridge is supposed to be inside, is that due to water? Any information on operating temperature that may make repositioning the Bridge outside a bad idea?
I power cycled the Bridge again, and now the Mailbox Sensor is connecting, though still Poor quality connection. Something different I did was turn the Bridge back up, where the lights are facing up. I had turned it upside down last night to reduce the light shining back into our bedroom at night. Does the direction of the Bridge itself increase/reduce range?
Hi @drjosh. If you are experiencing poor signal with your Ring Bridge, it could be due to interference. The metal mailbox, depending on the thickness, could be causing an issue. The radio signal that is used could be degraded by the metal of the mailbox. I would try moving your Ring Bridge to a different location and monitoring the signal for a day or 2. You may need to do this a few times to find an optimal location. If possible, try relocating the Mailbox antenna as well. The Ring Bridge is designed to be used indoor and not rated to handle the elements. I hope this helps!
Is there a way to adjust the mailbox antenna since it attaches with one time use adhesive? I’m not sure how else to place it to increase the signal at this point either.
I’ve already repositioned the Bridge to maximize the signal. The current spot is really the closest possible. I entirely believe it’s interference, as line of sight, there’s another house between the Bridge and the Mailbox. But I also know the Bridge theoretically can cover hundreds of feet.
Regarding the elements, is it mostly water? What is the safe operating temp of the Bridge? I have a waterproof box, but it’s not temperature controlled, so it can get hot in the summer. I’m sure that would improve the signal.
It’s been pretty stable for the past 24 hours at least. Always listed as “poor,” but not disconnected.
Hey @drjosh. For this concern, it might be best to contact our support team. This way, they can go over your specific setup in detail and develop the best course of action. It would also be beneficial to have some pictures of how/where these devices are mounted, to determine the best mounting solution. Please give our support team a call at one of the numbers available here. We’re taking additional steps to protect our team and help reduce the spread of COVID-19, so this has resulted in longer than normal wait times. If you are outside of the US, please read our response to COVID-19 here to see how to contact support.