ᐅ Planning a (smart) door intercom system connected to a Fritzbox in a new build

Hello,

the exterior plaster will be applied to our house soon, and I finally need to address the topic of the door intercom system. After several hours of research, I’m rather confused. Maybe I can gather some tips here.

I’m especially facing limitations with the following "requirements":
I would prefer not to wire the door opener directly to the system/outside but, for example, place it in the utility room in the basement. I don’t feel comfortable knowing that anyone could open the unsecured door at the intercom.

Here are the current "facts"

• During the electrical rough-in, I have laid a Cat7 LAN cable to the door – but it can also be replaced or supplemented with any bus cable.
• I exclude WLAN. I am now considering whether to use bus, LAN, or DECT. The system will be connected to a FritzBox 7590.
• An electric door opener is present – it should be connected "securely" (in the basement?)
• A camera is desirable, but it faces directly onto public space and is next to the door. It must therefore either be installed with an angle bracket or have a wide detection area.
• I do not need monitors. There will be a Fritzphone on each floor anyway, which should be used to answer calls. Video can also be transmitted there.
• I need/want the option to answer the door call and open the door remotely via smartphone (for potential package deliveries). Preferably with video transmission via an app. Possibly a keypad at the doorbell would be an option too. I want to be able to change the code at any time.
• The intercom system should be expandable to include IP cameras (this is especially important if no camera is installed).

Take a look at 2N, Goliath, GIRA, Ritto, Siedle, and others—they all offer what you need/want in their product lines. However, one thing should be mentioned upfront: it won’t be cheap.

I would also consider whether to implement such a function through the Fritz!Box, which generally has a relatively short product lifecycle.

I plan to install a Doorbird D2101V for this purpose. It can be powered via POE through the LAN cable. This allows me to operate the intercom system and door lock remotely using the included Doorbird app.

Additionally, it can be connected to Fritzfons via SIP and offers a REST interface, which can be used to forward the video stream to a NAS or similar device.

I find the product particularly interesting because it includes an RFID reader. This way, I can give our son an RFID chip instead of a key. If he ever loses it, I can deactivate the chip and issue a new one.

There is also the option to purchase the Doorbird with a keypad or have an ekey fingerprint sensor installed.

Important points to consider are:

• It is recommended to install the DoorBird IP I/O Door Controller A1081 to prevent the lock/latch from being bypassed by short-circuiting the contacts from outside.
• Doorbird products require online registration. Features such as receiving push notifications on your smartphone or operating the intercom remotely via smartphone rely on a cloud service based in Germany. Factory reset and regular firmware updates are also handled through this service. However, if you do not want to use the cloud service, the Doorbird can still be used locally like a traditional intercom system.
• The RFID technology used is not cryptographically secured, meaning the chip can be copied. For me, this is an acceptable risk.
• The camera offers only 720p resolution, not Full HD. This is sufficient for my needs.
• The audio quality is reported to be adequate but not outstanding.
• Doorbird does not yet offer a HomeKit-certified product. This may change next year.

I will also get an indoor station so that guests (e.g., relatives) inside our home can see who is ringing the doorbell.

All in all, the total costs amount to approximately 1340 euros:

• 630 euros for the DoorBird IP Video Door Station D2101V
• 260 euros for the DoorBird IP I/O Door Controller A1081
• 450 euros for the DoorBird IP Video Indoor Station A1101

MBPassion schrieb:

I am planning to have a Doorbird D2101V installed for this purpose. It can be powered via Power over Ethernet (PoE) through the LAN cable. This allows me to control the intercom and door lock remotely using the included Doorbird app.

Additionally, it can be connected via SIP to Fritzfons and offers a REST interface, which can be used, for example, to forward the video stream to a NAS or similar device.

I find the product very interesting because it includes an RFID reader. This allows me to give our son an RFID chip instead of a key. If he ever loses it, I can deactivate the chip and use a new one.

There is also the option to get the Doorbird with a keypad or have an ekey fingerprint sensor installed.

Important points to consider are:

• It is recommended to install the Doorbird IP I/O Door Controller A1081 as well, so the lock or latch can’t be bypassed by short-circuiting the contacts from outside.
• Doorbird products require online registration. Features like receiving push notifications on your smartphone or remotely controlling the intercom via smartphone run through a cloud service based in Germany. Factory resets and regular firmware updates also happen via this service.
A key point: if you choose not to use the cloud service, the Doorbird can still be used locally like a regular intercom.
• The RFID technology used is not cryptographically secure, meaning the chip can be copied. For me, this is an acceptable risk.
• The camera offers “only” 720p resolution, not full HD. For my needs, this is sufficient.
• The audio quality is said to be average.
• Doorbird does not currently offer a HomeKit-certified product, but something might be released next year.

I’m also getting an indoor station so that guests (e.g., relatives) inside the house can see who is ringing at the door.

All in all, the approximate costs are about 1340 euros:

• 630 euros for the Doorbird IP Video Door Station D2101V
• 260 euros for the Doorbird IP I/O Door Controller A1081
• 450 euros for the Doorbird IP Video Indoor Station A1101

I am interested in the Doorbird as well.
Do you already know at what height you will install it?
And what were your alternatives to Doorbird during your selection process?

I would really appreciate your feedback!

That sounds very interesting at first. I have the same question as Danvane: Why this one and not another?

There are also quite a few (sometimes significantly) more affordable alternatives. There are door intercom systems with cameras and two monitors available for around 200 EUR (about 215 USD). What are they missing? The reviews for the Doorbird are good but not the best. Some users mention frequent failures. If I spend money on a device that basically only transmits a doorbell and video signal, and another device that then operates an existing lock, it should at least work reliably and error-free for a long time.