Ring provides a great video doorbell for single-family homes. Looking for a ring doorbell for apartments? Ring is designed for single-family homes. An intercom like Swiftlane is specifically designed for apartments. It provides apartment security features like a video doorbell, photo audit logs, and touchless entry using your phone. Read this article to understand the key features needed in a ring for apartments. Smart doorbell products for single-family buildings and multifamily are quite different from each other.
Apartment Doorbell Intercom
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Table of contents
- Single tenant vs Multi-tenant directory
- Ring Camera for Apartments
- Management Interface
- Video Intercom Calling
- Remote Door Unlock
- Work with electrified doors
- Hardwired vs Battery Operated Installation
- Usage volume
- Access Control
Related post
- Best Smart Locks for Apartments
- Guide to Apartment Intercom System
- Multi-Tenant Intercom System – Buying Guide
- Apartment Security Systems: Complete Guide
Single tenant vs Multi-tenant directory
Ring is a single-family doorbell with just one button to start the video call.
Apartment doorbells require a multi-tenant directory of residents. This enables a visitor to call all the residents inside an apartment building.
Ring Camera for Apartments
Ring provides a video camera at the door, to inform a resident about any visitors and delivery people. For apartments, Swiftlane provides a video camera-based intercom. This captures a photo log of visitors, into the system. This is useful in case of a break-in or unauthorized access. The photo log can be viewed to audit who came through the building. This can be stored for visitors of all residents and can be looked up for any date in the past.
Download a PDF overview of Swiftlane
Management Interface
A homeowner can manage their Ring system using a mobile app.
Swiftlane Apartment doorbells are managed by the property management company. The Swiftlane system can be managed from a mobile app or a web dashboard, remotely.
Video Intercom Calling
Ring is designed to be a video-only doorbell. It makes video calls to a person’s phone through the Ring app. This allows visitors to get hold of the resident.
Apartments have residents of all ages and preferences. Not everyone may carry a smartphone. 90% of residents may strongly prefer video calls, but it should not leave the other 10% behind. Swiftlane apartment intercom enables both video calls, as well as support for VOIP-based regular telephone calls. Tenants can receive a call to their landline or cell phone and press 9 to unlock the door.
Remote Door Unlock
Ring is designed to be a wireless doorbell. It does not interface with the door lock, but simply a doorbell. Ring works with some smart locks by communicating over ZigBee or Z Wave.
Apartment intercoms like Swiftlane can buzz the door open. This feature is important since apartment buildings are much larger than single-family homes. This allows residents to remotely let someone in, without having to walk a large distance to the door. Swiftlane enables a resident to wirelessly buzz the door open, even when they are not home.
Work with electrified doors
Most single-family homes use mechanical door locks, like deadbolts and mortise locks. Apartment buildings have electronic locks that can be unlocked through an electronic signal. This provides ease of management of access. A lot of people are moving in and out of apartment and condo buildings every month. Video intercom systems work with electronic door locks to allow the unlocking of the door.
Hardwired vs Battery Operated Installation
Most Ring doorbells use a rechargeable battery to operate. This makes the installation easier and reduces the need for an expensive installation. Apartment buildings have a lot of movement of people. Battery-operated intercoms would run out of power quickly. Hence, apartment doorbells are hardwired for long-term operation. This allows the handling of hundreds of access and visitors per day without having to change batteries constantly.
Usage volume
A doorbell in a single family home may be used only occasionally, and can last on a battery for months. Typically household may receive 2-3 visitor everyday. Compared to that, apartments may receive hundreds of visitors, food deliveries, package deliveries every day. This requires a more robust solution that can handle a large volume of visitors.
Access Control
Doorbells like Ring are a communication device. They are not designed for providing access to the door. Multifamily intercoms like Swiftlane also provide access for residents. Residents can get into the building using the Swiftlane intercom. They can choose many access formats. E.g. A resident can simply use face recognition to unlock doors. This comes handy when you are carrying things or don’t want to fumble for keys. A resident could use their phone or a key fob, built into the intercom, to get into the building.
Learn more about the Swiftlane video intercom here
Can I use Ring in an apartment building
Ring is not suitable for apartment buildings. Apartment entrances require a multi-tenant doorbell, with ability to remote unlock doors. Ring does not have that functionality. However, Ring may be suitable for individual unit doors, if the building does not have an entry system.
Is Ring security good for apartments?
While Ring could be used on individual unit doors, it is not a suitable choice for apartment entrances.
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