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Ring•Ring Camera

Analysis by Lukas & Team

Ring Camera: Resolving False Person Alerts Triggered by Shadows

Fix false person alerts on your Ring camera caused by shadows. Optimize your Ring camera settings for Canadian weather and avoid false alarms.

Frequently Asked Questions

•My Ring camera battery drains quickly in cold weather. What can I do?

Cold temperatures significantly reduce battery performance. Bring the camera inside to charge, or purchase a Ring solar panel to keep it charged. Consider a hardwired solution if possible.

•My Ring camera keeps disconnecting from Wi-Fi. What could be the problem?

Check your Wi-Fi signal strength. Consider moving your router closer to the camera, or adding a Wi-Fi extender. Ensure your router firmware is up to date, and that your internet service provider is stable.

•Are there privacy concerns with Ring cameras in Canada?

Yes. Be mindful of recording laws and neighbours' privacy. Position the camera so it doesn't excessively record private property. Enable privacy zones in the Ring app to block out sensitive areas.

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About Lukas & Team

Lukas leads the technical research department at Digital Home Faults. Together with a team of systems analysts, he specializes in translating complex manufacturer error codes into actionable diagnostic steps for the Canadian market.

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Technical Overview:

The Ring camera uses a PIR (Passive Infrared) sensor combined with computer vision algorithms to detect human figures. The PIR sensor detects changes in infrared radiation caused by the movement of warm objects. The camera then uses its onboard processor to analyze the video feed and confirm if the object detected by the PIR sensor matches the characteristics of a human. Shadows, particularly during sunrise and sunset, can mimic the thermal and visual signatures of a person, leading to false positives. Wireless signal strength (RSSI) affects the latency of the video feed and the processing speed of the AI algorithms.

Common Causes:

Incorrect 'Person Only' mode configuration.
High sensitivity settings leading to over-detection of motion events.
Shadows mimicking the shape and movement patterns of people.
Low light conditions exacerbating shadow effects.
RF interference (2.4GHz band) causing delays in AI processing and inaccurate object identification.
Temperature fluctuations causing changes in PIR sensor sensitivity.

Symptoms:

The Ring camera triggers 'Person Detected' alerts despite no actual person being present. Event history shows recordings triggered by moving shadows. App logs may indicate object detection errors (error code 402) or sensitivity settings exceeding recommended levels. LED patterns may show alert confirmation (blue light) during false triggers. The camera may be incorrectly configured to trigger motion events even if person detection is not set.

Critical Safety Precautions:

Never work on live electrical circuits. Ensure the breaker supplying power to the Ring camera's power adapter is switched off before disconnecting or reconnecting any wiring. Protect your data privacy by enabling two-factor authentication on your Ring account. Be aware of physical tampering risks and ensure the Ring camera is securely mounted. Secure your Wi-Fi network with a strong password to prevent unauthorized access to your Ring camera.

Expert Tip:

Perform a "hard reset" by holding the setup button for 20 seconds, then release. This can clear persistent configuration issues. After the reset, the device should show a rapidly flashing light indicating its ready for setup in the Ring App.

Solution:

1

Verify 'Person Only' mode is enabled in the Ring app to filter out non-human motion events.
2

Reduce the motion sensitivity in the Ring app. Start by reducing the sensitivity slider by 20% and testing for improvements.
3

Adjust the camera's field of view to minimize areas prone to shadow casting. Reposition the camera, if possible, to a location less susceptible to direct sunlight or shadows.
4

Create custom motion zones in the Ring app to exclude areas where shadows are frequently present. Focus motion detection on areas with actual entry points.
5

Optimize the Wi-Fi signal strength (RSSI) to the Ring camera. Use a Wi-Fi analyzer app (e.g., Wi-Fi Analyzer) on a smartphone to measure the signal strength near the camera. Aim for an RSSI of -60dBm or better. Consider a Wi-Fi extender if necessary. Rogers Ignite users might need to adjust band steering settings in their router to prioritize 2.4GHz band for IoT devices.
6

Clear the camera's cache within the app to reset AI learned behaviors.
7

If the problem persists, perform a factory reset of the Ring camera and reconfigure it from scratch. Document the previous configuration for troubleshooting.

Prevention:

Regularly check and adjust motion sensitivity settings, especially during seasonal changes when sunlight angles shift.
Monitor the Ring camera's battery health (if applicable) via the Ring app. Replace batteries before winter to ensure optimal performance in cold weather.
Periodically update the Ring camera's firmware to the latest version to benefit from bug fixes and performance improvements.
Consider assigning a static IP address to the Ring camera to prevent IP address conflicts that can disrupt network connectivity.
Check your router's logs for indications of interference or dropped connections.