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Doorbell Wire Check product guide

Aqara Doorbell Camera G400 (Wired) DB-C03E with Chime

A door with PoE or a well-sized 8-24V transformer, in a HomeKit or NAS setup

The Aqara G400 (Wired) is a battery-free doorbell that runs on PoE or 8-24V doorbell wiring, with a 3:4, 165 degree view and 940 nm infrared night vision. It records 24/7 to a microSD card and supports HomeKit Secure Video, RTSP and ONVIF. It will not ring a traditional chime; the included RF chime rings instead.

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Published specifications

  • Aqara: 1536x2048, 3:4 frame, 165 deg diagonal (98 H / 137 V)
  • Aqara: PoE 802.3af, or 8-24V AC 1.3A / 8-24V DC 0.8A; no battery
  • Aqara: transformer table recommends 12V/12VA up to 24V/12VA; 8-10V not recommended
  • Aqara: 940 nm IR night vision; local motion, person and zone detection
  • Aqara: microSD up to 512 GB for 24/7, not included; SMB NAS, RTSP, ONVIF
  • Aqara: IP65, -20 to 50 C; Wi-Fi 6 2.4/5 GHz with WPA3, or Ethernet

Fit and limits

Strengths

  • PoE or doorbell wiring, with Ethernet taking over power and data when connected
  • 24/7 microSD recording plus NAS backup, RTSP and ONVIF for NVR or Home Assistant
  • HomeKit Secure Video, Alexa, Google and SmartThings display support in one unit

Caveats

  • Will not ring your traditional chime; the RF chime has no custom tones or app control
  • Package, face, pet and vehicle recognition need a paid HomeGuardian plan after trial
  • Needs PoE or a suitably sized transformer; no battery or solar option at all

Which G400 this is, and what is in the box

This listing is the Aqara Doorbell Camera G400 (Wired), model DB-C03E. Aqara's page notes a second version, the G400 Select (Wired), model DB-C03D, and says the versions are sold through different channels. Amazon's details table also shows a manufacturer part number of SVD-C01, which does not appear on Aqara's page, so check the model on the carton.

Aqara's box list is the doorbell, a plug-in chime, two user manuals, a USB-C charging cable, a wall screws and anchors kit, a mounting plate, a 15 degree wedge, two sealing plugs, a detaching pin, an extension wires kit and a mounting hole template. A microSD card is not included, and Aqara says 24/7 recording and NAS backup both need one.

The troubleshooting guide is blunt about power: the G400 has no battery and cannot run from a solar panel. It runs only from 8-24V AC or DC through existing doorbell wiring, or from Power over Ethernet. If you have neither at the door, this model will not work there.

Power: PoE or doorbell wiring, and the transformer table

Aqara's specifications list PoE to IEEE 802.3af at 48V, or a wired input of 8-24V AC at 1.3A or 8-24V DC at 0.8A. On PoE, the guide asks for a cable run of no more than 100 metres and recommends CAT5E or better. If the doorbell is already on Wi-Fi and you plug in Ethernet, it switches to PoE for power and data and Wi-Fi stops being used.

For existing wiring, Aqara tells you to verify your transformer first and publishes a reference table it calls guidance only: 24V at 12VA or more, 18V at 18VA or more, 16V at 16VA or more and 12V at 12VA or more are recommended, while 8V or 10V at 10VA or more is marked not recommended. It warns that undersized supplies may cause faults.

We are not reproducing any wiring steps. Aqara says to replace or upgrade an unsuitable transformer with professional help if needed, and the guide's relay-module route for keeping an old bell ringing carries a high-voltage warning recommending a qualified electrician. Follow the user manual and hand transformer work to an electrician.

The chime: your old bell stops, the new one is basic

The footnote under Aqara's wiring section reads: "Does not work with your existing traditional chime." The included chime is what rings indoors instead. The guide says it talks to the doorbell over RF433 or RF315 MHz radio, cannot play custom ringtones, and cannot be controlled in the app.

Ringtone and volume are changed with buttons on the chime itself, and Aqara says you can pair or unpair it at any time using those buttons. The app does let you set a ring count for the doorbell.

If you want your original mechanical bell to keep ringing, the guide's route is extra hardware: an Aqara Single Switch Module T1 (With Neutral) or Dual Relay Module T2, plus a separate Aqara hub because the G400 has no hub function. That involves mains wiring, and the guide recommends a qualified electrician for it.

Camera, night vision and mounting height

Aqara lists video at 1536 by 2048 pixels in a 3:4 portrait frame, with a 165 degree diagonal view; the guide gives 137 degrees vertical and 98 degrees horizontal. Within Apple Home the resolution is limited to 1200p. The guide also warns that network video recorders default to 16:9, so the 3:4 image may look distorted on an NVR.

Night vision uses 940 nm infrared LEDs. Amazon's details field says Night Color, but the guide states that in infrared night vision the target's colour information is lost, which also affects some AI detection. Expect monochrome night footage, and note that the guide says face detection is off by default.

The guide recommends mounting the G400 so its top edge sits 1.3 to 1.4 m above the ground, and says that at 1.3 m the blind spot at the bottom of the frame is about 0.4 m. Aqara's page says adhesive and screw mounting are both supported, and the 15 degree wedge adjusts the angle.

Detection, recording and what needs HomeGuardian

Free local AI in the guide covers motion detection, person detection and a virtual fence, which Aqara's page calls zone intrusion. Package, face, pet and vehicle recognition are cloud features that need a HomeGuardian plan. Aqara says the plan includes a free trial, then a paid plan, and adds cloud storage of up to 90 days with end-to-end encryption.

Local recording is 24/7 to a microSD card of up to 512 GB. Aqara's page says local recordings can back up automatically to an SMB NAS; the guide adds that SMB backup needs the card inserted and the NAS on the same network, while recording over RTSP to a NAS needs no card.

For ecosystems, Aqara's page says HomeKit Secure Video needs an iCloud+ plan and an Apple home hub. Aqara also lists Home Assistant via RTSP and ONVIF, and live view on Google Home, Alexa and SmartThings smart displays. Connectivity is dual-band 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi 6 with WPA3, or Ethernet.

Weather, anti-theft settings and what the sources leave out

Aqara rates the G400 at IP65 and for operation from -20 to 50 C (-4 to 122 F) at up to 95 percent humidity without condensation. The doorbell measures 5.55 by 2.09 by 1.28 inches on Aqara's page; Amazon lists 5.55 by 2.08 by 1.24 inches and a weight of 5.8 ounces that no Aqara document read confirms.

Aqara lists a tamper alarm and says it is off by default. Once triggered, the guide says it cannot be silenced on the device except by cutting power; you switch it off in the app. Lost Mode stops anyone unbinding the doorbell from your account with the reset button.

Neither Aqara's product page nor the troubleshooting guide states a warranty term, and we could not read the attached user manual. The guide says the silicone sealing plug is for field-terminated Ethernet plugs and can be left off when a larger moulded plug is used.

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Primary sources

  1. Aqara Doorbell Camera G400 (Wired) product page and tech specifications
  2. Aqara Doorbell G400 troubleshooting guide, attached to the listing

Primary sources checked .

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