Many items promise that they are easy to use, straight from the box and few of them deliver on their promise. You take out the product and discover it needs charging for 24 hours or find out that the ‘wireless’ item you have bought doesn’t connect easily to your Wi-fi. Having had these experiences before, I wasn’t expecting the Arlo Wireless Security System to be quick and easy to set up nor completely wireless – How wrong could I be?
All four of the Arlo cameras come with the required batteries and are ready to go in the time it takes to check which way round the battery goes. Connect the included NetGear router to your existing Wifi, hold the camera next to the router so they sync and you are ready to go. All you have to do now is decide where you want to mount the cameras. The magnetic camera mounts are easily placed with a single screw (included in the box), and you can have all four cameras up and working in under 30 minutes.
Once you have downloaded the free Arlo app to your ‘phone, tablet or laptop (or every device you own if you wish!) you can do many things with your system. Name each camera and pan, tilt & zoom until you have the view you prefer. You can then set rules for each camera such as motion sensor on or off for particular time periods during the day and specific days of the week.
Features
100% Wire-Free
HD Video
Outdoor-Ready
Night Vision
Motion Alerts
Free App & Cloud Storage
All videos are saved on the free cloud storage that is included in the package & stays there for seven days – unless you choose to favourite the video, then you can keep it as long as you like.
What did we think of the Arlo System?
First of all, it really was effortless to set up. Everything, down to the batteries, is included in the box and we had the entire system up & running in less than a half hour – including the time it took us to think up amusing names for each of the cameras!
The HD video is excellent quality. Everyone captured on the cameras was clearly visible, in sharp focus, and easily identified. The night vision is equally as clear and, again, you can clearly identify people on the video recordings or the live video feed. Here are a couple of videos from the Arlo site, submitted by users, that allow you to see the quality of the video.
It rains a great deal here and so far (after six weeks) we haven’t had a single problem with the cameras that are mounted outside. No blurring or fogging has occurred, and we haven’t had any problem with them working in even the heaviest of wind & rain storms.
One thing I especially like is, you can move the cameras around and because they are wireless, it’s as easy as taking off of the magnetic mount and moving to another room. Mounts are not required so you can place the cameras on a table or shelf and you do not need to reset them in any way when they are moved. This was very useful for monitoring our youngest son with autism. He has no real sense of danger and is an intensely curious little fella so to have the ability to watch him play in his own room and have the comfort of being able to see him from every other room in the house, via the iPad, was fantastic.
Now I can also sit at my desk & work knowing I will receive an email alert every time the movement sensors record some action in or around the house. I can see who’s at the door before going to answer, monitor the older kids doing their homework and even be alerted when someone thinks I can’t see them and sneaks into the kitchen for a pre-dinner snack or two. The sensitivity of the motion monitors can be adjusted so you can ensure you won’t receive an alert every time a car drives past or a bird flies through the cameras field of vision.
Because the alerts work on your email and not on the Arlo system itself, you can receive your alerts wherever you can receive your email. Know the actual time your teenager got home from school and who they brought home with them – instead of having to believe their version! Check who’s at the door or walking around your house when you’re not home and know when that parcel has been delivered even if you are on the other side of the world!
Arlo is the wireless camera system our family has been waiting for. Easy to install, flexible, easy to use and it meets our families specific needs without any modifications – we recommend you get yours today!
Buying Arlo:
The four camera Arlo set is only available at Best Buy US or Best Buy Canada
Product Specifications:
Arlo by Netgear:
- Downloadable apps enable you to view live video from your compatible Android, Apple® iOS, Amazon Kindle, Windows or Mac device
- Completely wire free, for use inside and outside – weatherproof for temperatures ranging from 14° to 122°
- Enables you to capture 720p video footage both during the day and at night, with a 130° field of view
- Motion-activated design automatically records motion once detected, sending email or app notifications
- Comes with six magnetic camera mounts and nine mounting screws, for easy installation on a wall or flat surface
- Works with other Netgear products
Netgear® Nighthawk™ DST Router and DST Adapter with Geek Squad included – new and exclusively at Best Buy
This is a brand new router that was exclusively developed between Netgear, an industry leader in the networking world, and Best Buy, to help provide consumers with an easy, all-in-one solution to support their home’s connected devices. As the number of Wi-Fi dependent products increase in a home – the average US household has 7 “connected devices” – from smartphones (often several in a home), to tablets, to laptops, to computers, and Wi-Fi printers, this puts a strain on the home’s network, especially the router. With interest in online gaming and 4k TVs, connected devices such as smart thermostats, plus the need to stream shows from Netflix or Hulu, it places, even more, demands on the network. Many households may experience slow Wi-Fi, dropped calls, or experience “dead zones” – which could be improved upon with an “AC” router, Wi-Fi extenders and expert help.
· The AC1900 comes with one DST, or “Dead Spot Terminator,” adapter – to eliminate your Wi-Fi dead zones; place it in an area where you get little/no reception, to improve Wi-Fi access. Additional adapters can be purchased for other dead zones.
· This high-performance router was built to support 10+ connected devices – you can also prioritize devices for streaming videos or music, and included advanced features for lag-free gaming
· See additional fact sheets for both the Router and DST adapter
· Best Buy makes it easy with this new high-performance Wi-Fi router, which includes a Wi-Fi extender and Geek Squad Set Up and Support via phone & the web, for one full year.
· The Geek Squad service via phone & web allows customers to call or get help 24/7 whenever they want, vs. the need to schedule an appointment.
I have been compensated for this post in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. All opinions given are my own.
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