Is my extender breaking my Ring Stick Up Cam Pro?

The short answer

Pairs through an extender, then often clings to the weaker main-router link. Cheap extenders make a second network. Once your phone and the gadget end up on different halves of it, they can no longer find each other.

What's happening underneath

Talks mainly to the manufacturer's servers, so it survives strict routers well — but live view needs a steady upload, not just a good signal bar. An extender that makes its own network name puts your phone and the gadget on two different networks.

Source: Manufacturer documentation

Try these, in this order

• • Check the signal reading in the Ring app where the camera actually sits — worse than -65 means it is struggling.
• • Check your upload speed, not download. Cameras use the upload, and several at once will stutter.
• • Move the router off the floor and out of the cupboard before buying anything.
• • Set the camera up in its final position rather than next to the router.
• • Check the signal where the gadget actually lives, not where you're standing.
• • Move the router off the floor and out of any cupboard before buying anything.
• • Put the gadget and your phone on the same Wi-Fi name.

Setting it up again properly

• • Stand next to your router while you set it up, then move the gadget to where it lives.
• • Put your phone on the 2.4 GHz network name for the setup, or use one name for both bands so the phone can follow.
• • If your router splits bands into two names, turn the 5 GHz one off for five minutes rather than fighting it.
• • Turn mobile data off on your phone during setup — some apps quietly use it and never find the gadget.

When it's worth spending money

A mesh box in the nearest room beats a new camera every time.