The Ring Stick Up Cam is designed to be either an indoor or an outdoor camera. With an IPX5 rating, it can withstand a jet stream from your water hose, which is more than enough to withstand heavy rain.

On the same token, it’s just as effective indoors, which was the entire point of the camera. No matter what your preference, the Ring Stick Up Cam is more than a match. You could buy five and have a mix of indoor and outdoor cams if you wanted to do so. Read on to learn more about using your device outdoors.

Is the Ring Stick Up Cam Safe Outside in the Elements?

While the Ring Stick Up Cam has a weatherproof rating of IPX5, that doesn’t mean you should mount it in a tree, fully exposed to all manner of wind, snow, rain, dust, and debris. In fact, an IPX5 rating isn’t as robust as you think.

The number 5 in IPX5 indicates that the Ring Stick Up Cam will withstand low-pressure jets of water from all directions. The X means that there is no rating in terms of dust debris and other solid elements.

In IP ratings, the first digit—the one directly after IP—indicates the devices’ resistance to solids, while the second digit represents its resistance to liquids. Both numbers go from 1 to 9, with the higher numbers representing a higher resistance level to ingress from solids and liquids.

Where Should You Mount a Ring Stick Up Cam Outside?

The Ring Stick Up Camera is resistant to low-pressure water jets, but not entirely waterproof; therefore, it is best to find a place to install it that has some level of protection, with a focus on the wind:

  • Under an awningOn a protected porchWith a cover installed over itInside a kids’ wood-constructed playhouseInside a silicone protective case

Installing a cover is a low-cost and effective option. You can either construct your own or purchase something like the Ade Advanced Optics Sunshade or the Universal Sun Rain Shade Cover.

Additionally, you may not have kids or a playhouse, but those are just some protections that you should consider. The priority is to protect the camera from the wind, not because wind itself is an issue, but for what the wind carries, such as dust, dirt, and other debris, that could damage the device.

Finally, a silicone protective case is a great option and very budget-friendly. For instance, you could go with the HOLACA Waterproof Silicone Cover or the Camasker for Ring, which not only protects your Stick Up Cam but gives it an element of stealth as well.

Ultimately, the Ring Stick Up Cam is nowhere near as resilient to solids as it is to liquids, so you don’t want it to be fully exposed to windy conditions. Also, no matter how high its water rating, you really shouldn’t place it in an area where it could be exposed to direct rainfall.

Connecting Outdoor Ring Stick Up Cams to Wi-Fi

Installing smart cameras outside is a large part of the entire idea in terms of having a smart home camera system. However, Wi-Fi isn’t always dependable when it has to pass through several objects to get to and from the router.

If and when you decide to mount your Ring Stick Up Cam outside, you’ll need to do two things: Keep the Ring Stick Up Cam turned on and view the camera through the Ring app (Android or iOS), and observe the signal strength as you move the camera around.

Keep in mind what is on the other side of your home’s exterior wall as well, since there are both interfering signals and physical materials that you need to be concerned about:

  • Microwave ovensBluetoothRadiosConcrete and masonryThick woodMetalSmart TVs

The more obstacles the Wi-Fi signal has to pass through, the weaker it will be when it arrives. Things like a microwave won’t be a problem so long as you’re not using it.

For instance, if you mount the Ring Stick Up Cam on an exterior wall outside, and your microwave is on the other side of the wall inside, it won’t necessarily give you a problem while you’re mounting the cam. However, when you turn the microwave on, you can easily lose signal with your Ring Stick Up Cam until your Ramen Noodles are fully cooked, and the microwave turns off.

All Things Considered

Ring Stick Up Cams are designed for outdoor use and indoor use. However, you should always be mindful of keeping it as protected from the elements as possible, as well as carefully considering how you mount it outside in terms of interference.

Mounting the Stick Up Cam the right way the first time will avoid any headaches in the future.