Bird Home Automation GmbH is best known for its DoorBird video door stations. With the D301A, the company launched a box that makes an existing intercom smart. You can talk to visitors at the door from your smartphone or tablet, at home or on the go, and open the door from the app.
Our thanks go to DoorBird for providing the D301A for this review.
Note: We tested the D301A back in 2019. This review is our hands-on experience from that time. What has changed since then is summed up in the “Update 2026” section below.
Update 2026
- Availability: The D301A is no longer listed in DoorBird’s own online shop, and its old product page now returns an error. On Amazon UK it is currently unavailable. A few retailers still list remaining stock. In its shop, DoorBird now lists the Smart Door Controller D410 under retrofit. It is an LTE/4G I/O device for upgrading existing doorbell and intercom systems, aimed mainly at access control and door opening via the DoorBird app.
- App: The app is still called DoorBird and is available for iOS and Android. Menus and wording have changed since 2019, so the steps below may look slightly different today. The current installation manual and app manual are on DoorBird’s support page.
- Firmware: DoorBird’s public firmware changelog lists version 000114 from 29 November 2018 as the latest release for the D301A (improved signal detection on Ritto intercoms). Newer releases cover other DoorBird models. Firmware updates are distributed automatically to devices connected to the internet.
- Alexa, HomeKit, Google Home: The Alexa integration planned in 2019 never arrived. DoorBird says it has stopped work on Alexa, HomeKit and Google Home integrations for data privacy reasons until further notice. Integration runs through the open API, SIP and DoorBird Connect partners instead.
- nello one: The nello one we compare it with below no longer works. The manufacturer went bankrupt in 2019, and the servers were switched off for good in 2021. The Nuki Opener is still on sale.
- Company: DoorBird is now part of ASSA ABLOY.
DoorBird products currently available on Amazon UK are mainly system components, such as the IP I/O door controller:
Last updated on 2026-11-14 / affiliate links / images from the Amazon Product Advertising API. Prices shown may have changed since then. All information without guarantee. * = affiliate link: if you order a product through such a link, we receive a commission from the seller. There are no extra costs for you.
What’s in the box and design
The box contains:
- DoorBird D301A
- Installation manual
- Quick start guide with Digital Passport
- Drilling template
- Plug-in power supply with four adapters
- Universal connection cable
- 2 x green screw terminal blocks
- 1 x Dupont connector for Ritto models
The IP upgrade for your analogue intercom comes in a plain white design. That makes sense, as most indoor intercom handsets are white too.
Size is another matter. At 125 x 119 x 26 mm, the D301A is large. Compared with the nello one we tested earlier, it is almost three times as wide and tall.
Setup
To set up the device, you need DoorBird’s own app, simply called “DoorBird“. It is available for Android and iOS.
Here is how we completed the setup in a few minutes:
- Download the DoorBird app from the Apple App Store or Google Play
- Open the DoorBird app
- Allow notifications
- Select “First installation”
- Have the quick start guide to hand
- Go to Devices => Add
- Scan the QR code on the quick start guide
- Disable LAN-only mode if you also want to reach the DoorBird from outside your home network
- Under Devices => select DoorBird Door Intercom IP Upgrade D30x
- Connect the DoorBird via LAN or Wi-Fi
- If there is a network socket near the intercom, a PoE switch is the best option. The device then gets both network and power over a single cable, and no extra power supply is needed.
- Alternatively, connect the DoorBird via Wi-Fi and power it from a mains socket. For this, two cable ends have to be connected to the DoorBird.
- Unplug the DoorBird and plug it back in
- The LED now flashes 10 times per second
- Continue and log in with the admin account
- Connect the DoorBird to Wi-Fi
- Select your Wi-Fi network and enter the password
- Once connected:
- Unplug the device
- Wait two minutes
- Then tap “OK” in the setup process
- A video shows the installation for your selected intercom model
- Connect the cables as shown in the video.
Features
These are the features DoorBird listed for the D301A at launch:
Receive parcels at any time
Direct the courier to a neighbour, for example, or open the door from your smartphone.
Burglary prevention
According to DoorBird, it prevents more break-ins than an alarm system.
Open API
Local interface for integration with third-party systems and SIP (such as AVM FRITZ!Box).
Free cloud history
Can be enabled for the visitor history.
Smart home and ONVIF compatible
Control4, Loxone, Crestron, Synology, QNAP, AVM FRITZ!Fon, URC, RTI, ELAN, Fibaro, Bang & Olufsen and many more.
Push notifications and audio calls
On smartphones and tablets (iOS, Android) or landline phones (SIP).
Simple network connection
Via Wi-Fi or network cable (PoE).
Geofencing
Opens gates and doors automatically when you come home.
Automatic door opener
For use in offices and medical practices.
Sleek, discreet design
No visible screws.
Echo cancellation and noise reduction (AEC, ANR)
For two-way voice communication.
Alexa integration
When we tested it, DoorBird devices could not be integrated with Alexa, but DoorBird had announced plans for it. That never happened: DoorBird has since stopped work on Alexa, HomeKit and Google Home integrations for data privacy reasons. Details are in DoorBird’s FAQ.
Power consumption
The DoorBird D301A IP upgrade draws between 3.0 and 4.0 watts. As in our other reviews, we measured this with the ELV Energy Master Basic 2.
DoorBird D301A pros
- good build quality
- access to the intercom itself
- different ringtones for the front door and your flat door
DoorBird D301A cons
- high price
- geofencing only worked properly on Android in our test
- the supplied cables are far too short
Alternative door openers for blocks of flats
When we tested the D301A, there were three door openers for blocks of flats that could trigger the door buzzer. I had been using the nello one for quite a while and had reviewed it. The Nuki Opener was still in testing at the time and launched shortly after.
Other products:
- nello one: no longer usable. The manufacturer went bankrupt in 2019, and the servers the device depends on were shut down for good in 2021.
- Nuki Opener: still on sale. It works with the Nuki Bridge for remote access. You can find other smart door solutions in our smart lock overview.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | DoorBird |
| Type | IP upgrade for analogue intercoms |
| Model | D301A |
| Colour | White |
| Connections | – RJ45 for LAN/PoE – 15 V DC input (+, -) – inputs for bus and communication signals |
| Wi-Fi | 2.4 GHz, 802.11 b/g/n, internal antenna |
| PoE | IEEE 802.3 af/at |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) |
| Power supply | 15 V DC or Power over Ethernet (PoE 802.3af Mode-A) |
| Housing | Polycarbonate / ABS, UV-resistant |
| Weight | 200 g |
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 125 x 119 x 26 mm |
Availability
The D301A was never a cheap upgrade, and today it is hard to find: DoorBird no longer lists it in its own shop, and the Amazon UK listing is currently unavailable. If you already have a DoorBird system or are planning one, these components are currently available on Amazon UK:
Last updated on 2026-11-13 / affiliate links / images from the Amazon Product Advertising API. Prices shown may have changed since then. All information without guarantee. * = affiliate link: if you order a product through such a link, we receive a commission from the seller. There are no extra costs for you.
Last updated on 2026-11-14 / affiliate links / images from the Amazon Product Advertising API. Prices shown may have changed since then. All information without guarantee. * = affiliate link: if you order a product through such a link, we receive a commission from the seller. There are no extra costs for you.
Verdict
When we tested it, DoorBird’s IP upgrade was probably the only solution that gave you access to the intercom itself. DoorBird charged accordingly: the D301A cost more than twice as much as the nello one.
I tested both devices over a longer period and came to the following conclusion:
Personally, I preferred the nello one. The main reason was that it triggered the buzzer automatically when I entered the geofencing zone and simply pressed my doorbell. On top of that, I have no socket near my intercom. The nello one drew power from the building’s shared supply, which could be called stealing electricity. If you clear it with your landlord, though, that is not a problem.
Otherwise, the manufacturers could have considered a battery-powered option. The Nuki Opener, for example, runs on batteries (or an external power source).
A huge advantage of the DoorBird IP upgrade is access to the intercom. Neither the nello one nor the Nuki Opener offers this. That is a clear plus for the D301A.
What put me off the DoorBird, though, was that I still had to take my phone out of my pocket to open the door when I entered the geofencing zone. For me, that added nothing, and it was a clear point in favour of the competition.
From today’s perspective, the verdict needs one addition: the nello one no longer works, and the D301A is hard to get. If you want to make an analogue intercom smart today, check what is still compatible with your intercom model before you buy.
