Ring Alarm Pro vs. 2nd Gen – Which is Worth it?

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So you’re looking to set up a home security system, and Ring seems like the company for you. But which system should you choose: the newer Ring Alarm Pro*, or the 2nd Gen*?

The main difference between the Ring Alarm Pro and the 2nd Gen Ring Alarm is that the Ring Alarm Pro has an eero Wi-Fi 6 router built into it, and Rings of Power can expand its external power. The router provides failover for the whole house’s internet in the event of a power outage.

Here’s what you should know about the extra features Ring Alarm Pro introduces. Then you will be able to see the similarities and differences between the two systems and make a decision based on what you want for your home security.

eero Wi-Fi 6 Router

Do you ever worry about the security of your home’s internet network? Does a power outage cutting off your internet in the middle of a task present a significant concern or inconvenience? The eero Wi-Fi 6 router that comes with the Ring Alarm Pro can solve both of these issues.

The router plugs right into your ISP modem with an ethernet cable and creates a new network for your home internet. It provides Wi-Fi speeds up to 900 Mbps over an area of up to 1500 square feet, and it supports 75 or more connected devices. It’s a solid mesh Wi-Fi that makes it so that you don’t have to deal with dead spots in your house.

These Wi-Fi services come with the Ring Protect Pro subscription plan, which is $20 a month as of 2022.

Network Security

In addition to the job it already does of keeping your home safe, the router keeps your internet connection secure with its world-class network security. It has a built-in encryption system and automatically sends security updates to keep your network’s security as solid as it can possibly be.

You manage it with the eero app, which you can use to manage Wi-Fi access and get updates about online threats. The app sends you notifications if a new device joins the network, and you can even use it to pause the internet.

Internet Failover

If you’re concerned about power outages interrupting your internet tasks, you will be happy to find that the Ring Alarm Pro’s route comes with a safety net for that: 24/7 backup internet to provide failover for brief outages.

In the event of an outage, the router will switch over from relying on your electricity to providing battery-powered internet. It may take a minute or two for the backup internet to kick in after an outage hits, but then it will power up with no problem. The backup internet isn’t quite as fast as the normal internet, but it won’t be so slow as to interrupt your workflow.

This turns a power outage from a major inconvenience into a short blip, allowing you to continue what you were working on without waiting long at all.

3 GB of cellular data are allotted to your router each month for this purpose. That’s not a lot, so constant use isn’t an option. However, you can pay to increase that data limit if you expect to need more than 3 GB of backup data.

The intent behind the backup internet is so that all of your security systems and features can stay online, even if the power is out. So, while having your internet backed up so that you can continue your internet use is a nice bonus, the real benefit here is that your home stays protected even if the power goes out.

Your cameras stay on and continue to make your professional monitoring services possible, and you don’t have to worry about the security systems failing while you’re away, even if the power goes out. The only thing that can really interrupt it is your nearest cell tower going down.

Ring Power Packs

But, however exciting this idea of backup internet is to you, the process isn’t completely perfect. When the router switches over to its internal battery, the timer starts ticking: it can only last as long as that battery. The same goes for your other security devices. If they run out of internal power, you run out of home security.

The only real way to get around that is to make some additional purchases: Ring Power Packs. These are external backup batteries that keep Ring devices running for about 8 hours after a power outage. They’re stackable, too, so you can apply up to 4 power packs to your Alarm Pro base if you expect a power outage to last longer than 8 hours.

The packs may last longer than 8 hours if you use less power. Things like video streaming and Wi-Fi use drain the batteries more quickly, so avoiding things like that will extend the battery life.

You can also use Ring’s app to monitor battery status from your phone when you’re away, so you can rest easy, not worrying about whether the system has enough power because you’ll know for sure how much power it has.

The downside is that Ring Power Packs are sold separately from the Ring Alarm Pro, and they’re not inexpensive. I wouldn’t recommend getting more than one unless you expect power outages to be a real problem. If that’s the case, you can think of them as power outage insurance, keeping your home safe no matter the conditions.

No other external batteries are compatible with the Ring Alarm Pro base.

Local Video Storage

The Ring Alarm Pro system uses the new Ring Edge feature to allow you to store and view videos with a MicroSD card. This feature requires a Ring Protect Pro plan and a separately purchased MicroSD card.

With Ring Edge, you can store videos on the MicroSD card and watch them from your Ring app. You can also use it to process Smart Alerts locally.

The videos kept on the MicroSD card are encrypted, so you can only view them from the app unless you remove the encryption. If the MicroSD card is stolen, its data will be unreadable.

Some people like the idea that Edge provides the ability to follow both the best security and privacy practices. With the videos being encrypted and stored locally rather than being sent to cloud storage, you’ll have a lot fewer worries about your videos being accessed by people who shouldn’t be seeing them.

On the other hand, other people dislike the fact that you have to choose between using Edge and using cloud storage. The microSD card doesn’t provide a lot of space for video, and it’s a trade-off at an additional cost rather than a better service.

Shared Features

Those were all the features the Ring Alarm Pro base has and its advantages over the 2nd Gen system. However, the two systems have more in common than that.

Battery Backup

Both systems have a rechargeable 24-hour battery backup, which means that your system will continue working for 24 hours after it loses power. So, despite the 2nd Gen base being incompatible with Ring Power Packs, you still have a good chunk of time before your security system loses power.

If you’re away and you see on the app that your system is on battery power, you will have about 24 hours to get home or to arrange something with a friend, a family member, or a neighbor to keep your home safe.

This element makes the choice between the 2nd Gen base and the Alarm Pro base one of potential: do you want the ability to extend the battery life another day or so, or will you be content with the 24-hour battery backup?

Professional Monitoring

Both systems allow you to use Ring’s Professional Monitoring system with a Ring Protect plan. This service monitors Ring alarm signals, and it can dispatch the authorities to your home if needed. They can also send fire and medical support.

When your system detects a threat, it sends a notification to your phone as well as to shared users. Alerts are also sent to the Ring monitoring center, where trained agents will see what’s happening and call you to see if the threat is genuine. If it’s an emergency, they will send the appropriate emergency services to your home to resolve the situation.

Alarm Cellular Backup

Both systems have Alarm Cellular Backup, a feature that continues to run the alarm system if the power goes out by using cellular data. It’s less fancy than Wi-Fi staying online when the power is out, but it gets the essential jobs done. It allows your security system to continue working and communicating with your phone and the monitoring system.

If your only concern when the power goes out is to keep your security system online, then this should do the job without the need for Alarm Pro’s Wi-Fi router. In fact, this system will use less power because it’s not having to deal with Wi-Fi and your other internet needs.

Alexa Guard Plus

Alexa Guard is a free feature included with both systems that allows you to connect your Echo devices to your security system. When you set the system to “Away Mode,” Echo devices will start listening for suspicious sounds, including breaking glass, smoke alarms, or carbon monoxide alarms.

The system will use those sounds to send you Smart Alerts about such things happening in your home and where they occur. It can also send those alerts to the monitoring center. If you have smart lights connected to your Echo network, the system will use that to turn your lights on and off to give the appearance that you’re home.

Alexa Guard Plus is a feature available at an additional price, though the Ring Protect Pro plan includes it automatically. It adds the sounds of footsteps and doors closing to its list of suspicious sounds for Away Mode, and it also lets you use Alexa to call the Emergency Helpline. It will also simulate the sounds of dogs barking as a deterrent if motion is detected outside.

All this assumes you have at least one Alexa device, of course, and it’s an additional cost if you don’t. The nice thing here, though, is that Alexa isn’t only useful for a small part of home security, as the rest of the Ring devices are. It’s useful in your day-to-day life. And honestly, the free Alexa Guard seems to me like one of the best free features offered.

Customizable Police Response

The monitoring system can dispatch police to your home in order to resolve a perceived threat, but that’s not always what you want. You want to be able to avoid false alarms, or else you may risk getting fined for an unnecessary police visit.

Both systems allow you to switch your preferences for Police Response from “If No One Cancels” (the default) to “Only When I Say.” You can switch it back and forth as much as you like, changing the preference based on the situation.

Is 2nd Gen Enough for You?

With all that considered, do you want the extra features provided by the Ring Alarm Pro*, or would you rather choose the simpler 2nd Gen system*?

Consider your home security needs. Do you need extra network security for your home internet, or are you satisfied with the network security that you have? Do you need a backup internet solution in case your power goes out, or can you get by with a hotspot from your phone?

Do you expect power outages to last longer than 24 hours? I mean, if an outage lasts longer than that, you may be more concerned about the food in your fridge spoiling than your security system running out of power.

Are you concerned about where the videos from your cameras are going and who might access them? If so, you might want to store and manage your videos locally, but if not, 2nd Gen will do what you need it to.

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Attention: When installing electronic equipment, please be sure to observe the manufacturer’s safety instructions. You have to take care of your own safety. The information on this site only helps you to learn.
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