ᐅ Should the signal radiation be adjusted at the access points because of the Netatmo doorbell?

Hello everyone,

I’m torn between getting a Netatmo video doorbell or a Ring.

What bothers me a bit is that the Netatmo only works with Wi-Fi. I’m building a new house and would prefer to run an Ethernet cable (PoE) for it. But okay.

If I install an access point in the entrance area instead of running an Ethernet cable to the doorbell, can I adjust the coverage area? Similar to how some motion sensors or cameras allow you to set the active detection zone.

I don’t want the signal to reach the neighbor’s property but only cover about 2–3 meters (6–10 feet) westward from the entrance area toward the front door in the direction of my neighbor.

Besides that, are there users who have experience with the Netatmo doorbell? 😉

Please share if so.

Thanks a lot and greetings from the white BaWü
anna377

Basically, I would always recommend installing a network cable or conduit to the entrance to keep all options open now or in the future.

Why do you want to place an access point in the entrance area? Are you worried that the one planned normally won’t reach the door?

With access points, you cannot adjust the radiation angle. Depending on the access point and mounting position, you can have some influence. Generally, you can reduce the transmission power, but this only works uniformly and not directionally. Alternatively, you can use only the 5 GHz band, which has a shorter range, and stay on the lower 4 channels to avoid DFS.

There are few access points where you can adjust the radiation pattern. However, you can adjust the output power. If the Netatmo supports 5 GHz, you can simply disable the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and set the transmission power to low on 5 GHz.

Why not Doorbird? Unlike other smart doorbells, it at least supports LAN. Especially in new constructions, when all options are available, I consider a Wi-Fi/battery-powered solution to be the worst choice.

annab377 schrieb:

...if I install an access point in the entrance area, can I adjust the radiation pattern? ...

Modern multi-MIMO devices handle this automatically... Unfortunately, it’s not adjustable. However, there are access points with a defined radiation angle (e.g., 120°) AND adjustable transmit power. That could work, but I wouldn’t even consider reducing the transmit power just to prevent the neighbor from being "exposed." Or are you worried they might "hack" the signal?

A tightly glued aluminum foil on the inside of the house should ultimately solve your problem :p

untergasse43 schrieb:

Why not Doorbird? Unlike other smart doorbells, it at least supports LAN. Especially in new builds, where all options are available, I consider a Wi-Fi/battery solution to be the worst option.

Do you have a Doorbird? The 1101 model or the second generation?

Yes, I also see the LAN connection as an advantage. The Doorbird just costs almost twice as much.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

I’m not sure how good the Wi-Fi reception is at the entrance area, which is why I’m asking if it’s possible to configure an access point there. Or a repeater?

Unfortunately, the Netatmo camera only supports 2.4 GHz.