If you’re looking to add a video doorbell to your security arsenal but don’t have a doorbell wire, you may be able to do so without too much trouble. There are a few different ways to go about it, and each has its own set of pros and cons. Here’s a look at the different options:

  1. Use an existing camera This is probably the simplest option, as all you need is an existing camera that can be connected to your home’s Wi-Fi network. You can then use that camera to capture footage of people or vehicles outside of your home, and send that footage directly to the video doorbell’s app. This method has the advantage of being relatively cheap and easy to set up, but it doesn’t offer the same level of security as using a doorbell wire.
  2. Purchase a standalone video doorbell If you want more security than what an existing camera can provide, you may want to consider purchasing a standalone video doorbell instead. These devices typically come with their own built-in cameras and sensors, which allow them to detect when someone is outside of your home and trigger an alert on your phone or computer. They’re also usually more expensive than using an existing camera, but they offer greater protection from break-ins and vandalism.
  3. Use a wireless doorbell adapter If neither option 1 nor option 2 meets your needs, you may be able to use a wireless doorbell adapter instead. These devices allow you connect any standarddoor bell wirelesslyto your video doorbell app in orderto create the illusion of having a real live person at the front gate! While this method offers greater security than using either an existing camera or standalone video doorbell alone, it does require some extra work on your part (i.e., installing additional hardware). ..

Why Use a Video Doorbell Without Wires?

There are various reasons why you might want to set up a video doorbell without wires. In some cases, your home might have the appropriate wiring, but the wiring, the chime, the doorbell transformer, or all of the above are damaged, and you’re not interested in repairing them.

Or maybe your front door, back door, or both were never wired for a doorbell in the first place, so you’d like a solution that doesn’t involve drilling, wire fishing, and DIY electrical work.

And hey, maybe you have an even more fringe use case like you want to put a video doorbell on something besides your front door. Maybe you want to place one on a detached garage you run a business out of or some other spot where it would be handy to have both a camera and a button to summon assistance.

Battery-Powered Doorbells Are Easy to Install

Whatever your motivation, you’re in luck. There are a variety of battery-powered video doorbells on the market.

While attaching a video doorbell to existing wiring is always ideal (because then you never have to fuss with recharging and swapping batteries), you can’t beat the convenience battery-powered video doorbells provide in terms of placement flexibility.

You don’t even have to drill; you can use a no-drill mount or specialty tape.

Google’s Nest video doorbell line comes in both a wired and battery-powered version. Other companies like Arlo offer battery-powered video doorbells too.

Don’t Forget a Wireless Chime or Smart Speaker

All of the video doorbells we mentioned above pair with an app on your phone, so whether you’re at home or away, you’ll get a notification when someone rings the doorbell.

If you want door notifications in other formats, like a traditional chime or announcement via smart speaker, you’ll need to invest in some accessories.

The Ring video doorbell line supports stand-alone chimes you plug somewhere in your home. You can also link your Ring doorbell with your Alexa smart home, and any Echo smart speaker or display can do the job, too—as well as show you who is ringing the doorbell.

Google doesn’t have a stand-alone chime unit but, like the Ring lineup, you can pair your Nest doorbell with your Google Nest smart speakers or displays.

Google is a bit unusual in, though, as most video doorbell companies have an option for a dedicated stand-alone chime but they don’t—they probably assume you’ll just get a Nest Mini on sale. Most companies have a stand-alone chime, though, like this plug-in chime from Arlo.

So be sure to search for a matching chime for your video doorbell purchase if you prefer that over a smart speaker or display.