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HOOBS and NodeJS

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Dusty Greif edited this page Jun 5, 2026 · 2 revisions

TL;DR

homebridge-ring requires a supported Node.js version. If you are running HOOBS and see startup, install, or plugin crash errors that mention Node.js, fetch, crypto.hash, unsupported engine, undici, npm, or package install failures, the fix is usually to update the HOOBS runtime or contact HOOBS support.

This is not something homebridge-ring can fix inside the plugin. The plugin runs on the Node.js version provided by your Homebridge or HOOBS installation.

Common errors

These errors usually mean the system running Homebridge is too old for the current plugin version:

Unsupported engine for homebridge-ring

TypeError: crypto.hash is not a function

fetch is not defined

Failed to reach Ring server at https://oauth.ring.com/oauth/token. fetch is not defined.

You may also see install failures involving npm, tar, yallist, undici, ffmpeg-for-homebridge, or other dependencies. Those errors can look like plugin bugs, but they are normally caused by an outdated Node.js or npm runtime, an outdated HOOBS base system, or a dependency install failure in the HOOBS environment.

Why this happens

homebridge-ring follows the supported Homebridge and Node.js ecosystem. Over time, dependencies move forward and start using APIs that only exist in current Node.js versions.

For example, newer versions of dependencies used by this plugin may expect Node.js APIs such as:

  • global fetch
  • crypto.hash
  • newer WebSocket and HTTP client behavior from undici

If HOOBS is shipping an older Node.js build, the plugin may fail before any Ring-specific code has a chance to run.

What to check

Please check the versions shown in your Homebridge or HOOBS logs:

Node.js Version
Homebridge Version
homebridge-ring Version

If the log shows an unsupported Node.js version, update the system before opening an issue here.

Current homebridge-ring versions are tested against current supported Node.js LTS releases. If your HOOBS system cannot update Node.js through the normal UI, that needs to be handled by HOOBS.

HOOBS support resources

For HOOBS-specific runtime, update, and support questions, please use HOOBS support:

We cannot provide reliable instructions for updating Node.js on HOOBS hardware or HOOBS images because HOOBS owns that runtime and may change how updates are managed.

What if you cannot update HOOBS?

If HOOBS cannot provide a supported Node.js version, the practical options are:

  1. Ask HOOBS support how to update Node.js or the HOOBS base system.
  2. Move to a standard Homebridge installation that supports current Node.js releases.
  3. Temporarily install an older homebridge-ring version that still supports your old runtime.

The third option is only a short-term workaround. Older plugin versions stop receiving fixes for Ring API changes, Homebridge changes, and dependency updates.

When to open an issue here

Please open an issue in this repo only if:

  • You are running a supported Node.js version.
  • You are running a current homebridge-ring version.
  • The error still occurs after updating.
  • Your issue includes the full Homebridge startup log, not just the final error line.

If the error is caused by an outdated HOOBS runtime, we will close the issue and point back to this page.

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