Ring Device Setup Failing or Not Completing — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

Your Ring device is failing to complete the setup process in the app. This usually means a Wi-Fi issue or a router compatibility problem. Follow the steps below to finish setup successfully.

Affected Models

Ring Video Doorbell 4
Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2
Ring Video Doorbell Wired
Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus

Common Causes

Your phone connected to Ring's setup network but lost internet access
Your router uses 5 GHz only — Ring needs 2.4 GHz to set up
The Ring device is too far from the router during setup
Bluetooth is off on your phone — required for newer Ring setup processes
A VPN on your phone is interfering with the setup connection

How to Fix It

Make sure Bluetooth is turned ON on your phone before starting setup.

Newer Ring devices use Bluetooth for the initial pairing step. Setup will fail without it.
Turn off any VPN on your phone during the setup process.

VPNs can block the local network communication Ring needs to complete setup.
Move your router and Ring device within 3 metres of each other for setup.

Once setup is complete, you can move the device to its permanent location.
Log into your router and confirm 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi is enabled and broadcasting.

If your router only shows one network name for both bands, try setting them to separate SSIDs during setup.
Do a factory reset on the Ring device and start setup from scratch.

On most Ring doorbells, hold the setup button on the back for 15-20 seconds until the light flashes. Then restart setup in the app.

When to Call a Professional

If setup fails repeatedly across multiple phones and networks, contact Ring Support. They can confirm if the device has a hardware fault and arrange a replacement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Ring setup get stuck on 'Joining your Wi-Fi network'?

This almost always means the device cannot reach your Wi-Fi. Check that 2.4 GHz is enabled on your router. Also make sure you're entering the correct Wi-Fi password — it is case-sensitive.

Can I set up Ring without the app?

No — the Ring app is required to set up any Ring device. The app is free to download from the App Store or Google Play. You'll also need a free Ring account.

My Ring setup worked but the device shows offline right after. Why?

This usually means the device connected briefly but then lost the signal. Move the device closer to your router, or add a Ring Chime Pro as a Wi-Fi extender. Then use 'Reconnect to Wi-Fi' in Device Health to re-establish the connection.