alarm security
But let’s go over what it can do today, first. The very affordable $199 starter kit includes a wireless base
station, a keypad for arming and disarming the system, one door/window sensor, one passive infrared motion sensor, and a Z Wave range extender. You can monitor the system yourself, but at the price Ring is charging for professional monitoring—just $10 per month $100 per year if paid annually with no long term contract—it would be foolish not to sign up for it. That goes double for people who already have other Ring devices, because it includes video storage in the cloud for an unlimited number of Ring cameras. Ring’s sensors operate on battery power, the keypad and base station come with AC adapters, and the Z Wave range extender plugs directly into an AC outlet. All three of those
components have battery backup, so the system will continue to operate in the event of a power outage.
We required all systems to have Z Wave Support — the most universal mesh network for communicating appliance to appliance. One of the biggest draws of a DIY system is the opportunity to add in third party equipment like Philips Hue lights or a Nest Thermostat at any point. Z Wave is available in over 2,400 home security and automation devices from more than 700 companies. Plus, you have flexibility in where you place various devices because Z Wave can communicate farther distances than other protocols — like Wi Fi, for example — since it functions by sharing an Internet connection between devices as opposed to a localized router. Ultimately, we wanted systems that could integrate seamlessly into our homes and improve our quality of life. To find which fit the bill, we spent a day outfitting a 1,900 square foot home with the equipment of our finalists.