If you are tired of video doorbells that rely on cloud storage, monthly fees, and third-party access to your footage, the Reolink PoE video doorbell is a strong alternative. This review covers why we replaced a Ring doorbell, what comes in the box, how the installation works, and why local recording makes a major difference for privacy.
Many popular video doorbell and camera brands rely heavily on cloud-based storage. That includes companies such as Ring, Google Nest, Arlo, SimpliSafe, ADT, Vivint, Blink, and Wyze. For some users, cloud storage is convenient. For others, it raises serious privacy concerns because the video is not stored only inside your home. It is stored on someone else's servers.
That is the main reason for replacing a Ring doorbell with the Reolink PoE video doorbell. The goal is simple: keep the footage local, avoid monthly cloud fees, and maintain more control over who can access the video.
Cloud-based camera systems can be easy to set up, but they also come with trade-offs. Your footage may be stored outside your home, features may depend on a paid subscription, and access to recordings can become part of a much larger privacy conversation.
Local recording gives you more control. Instead of sending footage to the cloud by default, the Reolink doorbell can save recordings to a local NVR or to a microSD card inside the doorbell. This reduces reliance on subscriptions and helps keep your video footage under your control.
| Feature | Cloud-Based Doorbell | Reolink PoE Doorbell |
|---|---|---|
| Video Storage | Stored in the cloud | Stored locally on NVR or microSD card |
| Monthly Fees | Often required for recording or playback | No required cloud fee for local recording |
| Connection Type | Usually Wi-Fi | PoE Ethernet connection |
| Privacy Control | Depends on provider policies and settings | Footage stays on your local system |
| Reliability | Can depend on Wi-Fi strength | Wired connection for power and network |
The Reolink PoE video doorbell is designed for users who want a wired, local-storage doorbell camera. PoE stands for Power over Ethernet, which means one Ethernet cable provides both power and network connectivity. This is one of the biggest advantages over Wi-Fi video doorbells.
PoE is usually more stable than Wi-Fi because it does not depend on wireless signal strength. It is also a cleaner option if you already have Ethernet near the front door or an existing camera system that supports PoE.
The Reolink PoE video doorbell includes the doorbell unit, documentation, mounting templates, installation tips, brackets, wiring accessories, screws, wall anchors, a chime, and a reset or release tool. The package also includes a flat Ethernet cable, which can be useful for setup or short connection needs.
The doorbell itself includes a 2K camera, microphone, doorbell button, PoE Ethernet connection, traditional doorbell wire connections, and a microSD card slot for local recording. The microSD card slot is especially important if you do not have a Reolink NVR system.
The installation starts by cutting power to the existing doorbell. This is important because the original doorbell wiring is still present, and you do not want to risk getting shocked while working with the wires.
In this installation, the existing Ring doorbell is removed and replaced with the Reolink doorbell. One issue is that the Reolink doorbell is narrower than the Ring doorbell. Behind the Ring unit, there is a larger electrical box where the doorbell wires and PoE cable come through the wall. If the Reolink doorbell were installed directly against the wall, there would be visible gaps on the sides.
The solution is to reuse the Ring faceplate as a cover. A hole is drilled into the faceplate so the Reolink bracket can be attached. This creates a cleaner, more professional-looking installation and hides the larger opening behind the original Ring doorbell.
Before mounting the doorbell, the microSD card is installed in the doorbell for local recording. Then the Reolink bracket is attached to the faceplate, and the wires are routed through the opening.
The PoE cable connects to the Ethernet port on the back of the Reolink doorbell. The two existing doorbell wires are stripped back to bare copper and attached to the screw terminals. Once the wiring is complete, the doorbell snaps onto the bracket and power can be restored.
After the doorbell is connected and powered on, setup in the Reolink app is quick. Open the app, scan the QR code on the back of the doorbell, and follow the setup process. In this installation, the doorbell connected quickly and began showing live footage in the app.
Because this setup uses a Reolink NVR system, the doorbell records directly to the local NVR instead of the cloud. If you do not have an NVR, the doorbell can record locally to the microSD card installed in the unit.
After using the Reolink doorbell for about a week, the experience has been very positive. Installation took about 45 minutes, and most of that extra time came from adapting the Ring faceplate to cover the larger wall opening. Other than that, the installation was simple because there were only three main connections: the PoE cable and two doorbell wires.
The app setup was also simple. The QR code setup took only a short time, and the doorbell was quickly added to the Reolink system.
| Review Area | Result |
|---|---|
| Installation | Simple overall, with minor adjustment needed for the old Ring mounting area. |
| Setup | Fast QR code setup through the Reolink app. |
| Recording | Local recording to NVR or microSD card. |
| Video Quality | 2K video quality is clear and more than enough for most front doors. |
| Audio Quality | Sound quality is very good for a video doorbell. |
| Favorite Feature | Quick reply messages, including package delivery responses. |
| Monthly Fees | No required cloud fee for local playback and recording. |
The Reolink PoE doorbell uses a 2K camera, and the video quality is very good. While some competing doorbells offer 4K versions, 2K is more than enough for most front-door monitoring. It provides a clear view of visitors, deliveries, and activity near the entryway.
The audio quality is also strong. In the review, outdoor sounds such as landscapers and birds are picked up clearly, showing that the microphone performs well in normal real-world conditions.
One of the best features is quick reply. The doorbell can play preset responses, such as asking a delivery driver to leave a package at the door, telling someone you will be there soon, or asking a visitor to leave a message.
Quick replies can also be set to auto reply. In this setup, the package delivery reply is used because package deliveries are common. This is a convenient feature for anyone who gets frequent Amazon, UPS, FedEx, or other deliveries.
The playback feature is another major benefit. Since the footage is stored locally, playback does not require monthly cloud storage fees. The doorbell integrates into the same Reolink app used for other Reolink cameras, which keeps everything in one place.
For users who value privacy, local recording, and no required cloud fees, the Reolink PoE video doorbell is absolutely worth considering. It costs less than many popular cloud-based doorbells and gives you more control over your footage.
The strongest reason to choose this doorbell is simple: your video should be yours. If you do not want your front-door footage stored in the cloud, and you prefer a wired connection over Wi-Fi, this is a practical and privacy-focused Ring doorbell alternative.
The Reolink PoE video doorbell is a great option if you want local storage, no required monthly fees, 2K video, reliable wired connectivity, and integration with a Reolink camera system. It is especially useful if you already have a PoE switch, PoE injector, or Reolink NVR system.
If you are replacing a Ring doorbell, be prepared for possible mounting differences because the Reolink doorbell may be narrower. However, with a faceplate or bracket adjustment, the finished installation can look clean and professional.
Ring, Google Nest, Arlo, SimpliSafe, ADT, Vivint, Blink, and Wyze. What do all these companies have in common? All of these companies sell video cameras and/or doorbells that require cloud-based storage. That means the video is not stored locally. It is stored somewhere else in the cloud. And we all know the cloud is just someone else's computer.
If you are okay with that, no harm, no foul. But if you are not okay with that, let us talk about the problem and the solution.
I am Michael Scott, and not the one from The Office. I am pretty sure you have seen the commercial where Ring was going to partner with Flock Safety, using AI surveillance to monitor existing footage from Ring doorbells. The idea was that it could help find lost dogs. That type of commercial can tug on your heartstrings because who does not love dogs?
But the reality is that this raises concerns about surveillance using personal cameras. You own the camera, and they should not have access to your footage unless you give them authorization.
We have also seen reports involving Nest camera footage used in an investigation. In that case, the footage became part of the story even though there were questions about whether a cloud recording subscription was active. Situations like that raise a bigger concern: what is being recorded, where is it stored, and who can access it?
This is not surprising because both Nest and Ring have faced privacy-related concerns before. Most people do not want to be surveilled by the state or large corporations. This is deeply concerning because it is your video camera and your video footage. Nobody should be able to view it unless you give them permission.
For me, it feels too much like a surveillance state. The scary part is that we did the hard part for them. We bought the cameras, set them up, and started recording. On top of that, these systems can be hacked, and we have seen that happen before.
That is why I do not like cloud storage for video doorbells. Your video footage may not feel fully under your control when it is stored in the cloud.
So, what is the solution? The solution is to use a camera that records locally instead of relying on the cloud.
Today, there is going to be one home that does not have a Ring doorbell, and that will be ours. We are going to install the Reolink PoE video doorbell.
To be clear, this is not a sponsored video. However, we did reach out to Reolink about reviewing their video doorbell, and they were happy to send one out for a thorough and honest review. We have installed multiple Reolink cameras on our house, and we love them, so this was a no-brainer.
Local recording with a PoE connection is the only way to go. It is fast, secure, and always on. At the time of this video, the Reolink PoE doorbell was priced at $98.99, and the Wi-Fi version was $119.99.
I always recommend PoE over Wi-Fi because Wi-Fi can be spotty, inconsistent, and less secure. However, if you do not have a PoE connection, the Wi-Fi option is available.
First things first, what comes in the box?
You get documentation, a mounting template, installation tips, the operation manual, and a catalog showing some of Reolink's other cameras. We already have some of these cameras, and they are pretty awesome.
Here is the doorbell. It has a 2K camera, microphone, and doorbell button. On the back, there are two connections for the existing doorbell wires, plus the PoE connection. There is also an SD card slot for local recording directly on the doorbell, which is amazing.
We also have a Reolink NVR system, and we will see if this doorbell works with it. Either way, the doorbell can record locally, so it is no big deal.
The box also includes a plug-in chime, mounting brackets, a flat installation bracket, an angled installation bracket, a flat Ethernet cable, wiring accessories, screws, wall anchors, and a small tool used for reset or removing the doorbell from the bracket.
Now, let us get the doorbell installed.
The first thing we need to do is cut power to the doorbell. We do not want to get shocked. We currently have a Ring doorbell that we are going to replace.
However, there is one issue we have to resolve. The Reolink doorbell is narrower than the Ring doorbell. Behind the Ring doorbell, there is a large electrical box where the electrical wires and PoE cable come through the wall. If I install the Reolink directly to the wall, there will be gaps on the sides.
My solution is to use the Ring faceplate to cover that area. This way, there will be no gaps, and the finished install will look polished and professional. I drilled a hole in the faceplate for the bracket, and all the wires will pass through into the unit.
I am also going to install the SD card before we get started. The SD card installs directly into the doorbell.
Now we are going to install the Reolink bracket to the Ring faceplate. We need to make sure all of the wires go through the opening. There is not a lot of extra PoE cable here, but we can make it work.
We are attaching the bracket with one screw because the bottom screw did not line up with the hole. That one screw is still enough to keep it tight and secure.
Next, we are going to hook up the PoE connection and then connect the two doorbell wires. We need to strip both wires back to bare copper and attach them to the screw plate.
Once the wiring is done, the doorbell simply pops onto the bracket. Then we can turn the power back on.
One thing to note is that the other end of the PoE cable needs to connect to a PoE injector, PoE switch, or Reolink NVR system. These devices provide power to the doorbell and also handle the network connection.
In this setup, we connected the PoE cable to our Reolink NVR system. If you do not have an NVR system, connect the cable to a PoE switch or PoE injector.
Next, I am going to launch the Reolink app, scan the QR code on the back of the Reolink doorbell, and follow the installation process. It is easy.
Now you can see my doorbell footage. Like I said before, the Reolink doorbell records locally to my NVR system and not to the cloud.
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We swapped out our Ring doorbell for the Reolink doorbell about a week ago, so now I will give you a full review.
First, installation took about 45 minutes and was very simple. The only minor difficulty was using the Ring bracket to cover up the hole. Other than that, it was only three wires.
The setup process was simple. It used a QR code, and it only took about 20 seconds to connect.
As far as recording goes, it is all local with no cloud storage. All of the video footage is recorded on my NVR system. However, if you do not have an NVR system, the video doorbell can record locally to the SD card. The maximum storage for the SD card is 256 GB, which is plenty. No NVR system is required.
It feels so much better knowing my video is not in the cloud.
Speaking of video, this is a 2K camera, and the video quality is very good. Most doorbells are 2K cameras. Some companies, such as Lorex, Ring, and Swann Buddy, offer 4K versions, but to be honest, 2K quality is all you need.
The sound quality is also very good. The microphone picks up outdoor sounds clearly, including landscapers and birds.
As far as features go, my favorite is called quick reply. You can use messages like, "Hi, please leave the package at the door. We will get it later," or, "Hi, we will be right there. Please wait a moment." You can also set quick replies to auto reply. I set mine to the package delivery option because we get a lot of Amazon packages. It is very convenient.
Another feature I love is playback. Playback requires no fees and no cloud storage because it is all local.
One more thing I love about this doorbell is that it works with my current surveillance system. All of my Reolink cameras are in the same app, and now the Reolink doorbell is included too. Instead of having the Ring doorbell in a separate app, everything is together in the Reolink app. Once again, that is very convenient, with no cloud storage and no fees.
So, is this Reolink doorbell worth around $100? For me, it is absolutely worth it because I cherish my privacy. I do not want anybody watching my video unless I give them permission. That is how it should be.
For me, Ring has made a huge mistake. If a company is going to charge you for cloud service, it should be your video and not theirs. And if you do not pay for cloud service, the footage should not be recorded in the cloud.
If you are looking for a video doorbell with local storage, no fees, and no cloud storage, then the Reolink doorbell is a great option. It is also roughly half the price of some Ring doorbells, so for me, it is a no-brainer.
All the Reolink product links will be listed below. Thank you to Reolink for sending out the video doorbell. We love it. Thanks for watching, and I will see you in the next video real soon.
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