Clear details in full HD Record video in 1080p Protect your privacy Automated Camera Privacy Shield Motion Alerts Receive alerts on your phone Night Vision See clearly without a light on Hear and speak to visitors 2-Way Audio Privacy shield Disarm your camera's audio and video when you are home for more complete privacy HD Video Get a clear picture of who and what is in your home with 1080p HD video. See even at night. Even in the dark rest easy knowing the Arlo Essential Indoor Camera captures video with Night Vision. Keep an eye on what matters. Capture clear details in full high definition and see more of the picture with a 130° viewing angle. Compact Design A compact design lets you place it in more places around your home. Easy Installation Plugs into your mains power for straight forward set-up and 24/7 power. Connect direct to WIFI No base station required – simply connect to your 2.4Ghz WIFI for the camera to work. Crystal clear audio Hear and speak to anyone in your home from your smartphone through the built-in speaker and microphone. Built in Siren Integrated siren that can trigger automatically when motion is detected or be set-off manually from the app to deter intruders.
Clear details in full HD Record video in 1080p Protect your privacy Automated Camera Privacy Shield Motion Alerts Receive alerts on your phone Night Vision See clearly without a light on Hear and speak to visitors 2-Way Audio Privacy shield Disarm your camera's audio and video when you are home for more complete privacy HD Video Get a clear picture of who and what is in your home with 1080p HD video. See even at night. Even in the dark rest easy knowing the Arlo Essential Indoor Camera captures video with Night Vision. Keep an eye on what matters. Capture clear details in full high definition and see more of the picture with a 130° viewing angle. Compact Design A compact design lets you place it in more places around your home. Easy Installation Plugs into your mains power for straight forward set-up and 24/7 power. Connect direct to WIFI No base station required – simply connect to your 2.4Ghz WIFI for the camera to work. Crystal clear audio Hear and speak to anyone in your home from your smartphone through the built-in speaker and microphone. Built in Siren Integrated siren that can trigger automatically when motion is detected or be set-off manually from the app to deter intruders.
Clear details in full HD Record video in 1080p Protect your privacy Automated Camera Privacy Shield Motion Alerts Receive alerts on your phone Night Vision See clearly without a light on Hear and speak to visitors 2-Way Audio Privacy shield Disarm your camera's audio and video when you are home for more complete privacy HD Video Get a clear picture of who and what is in your home with 1080p HD video. See even at night. Even in the dark rest easy knowing the Arlo Essential Indoor Camera captures video with Night Vision. Keep an eye on what matters. Capture clear details in full high definition and see more of the picture with a 130° viewing angle. Compact Design A compact design lets you place it in more places around your home. Easy Installation Plugs into your mains power for straight forward set-up and 24/7 power. Connect direct to WIFI No base station required – simply connect to your 2.4Ghz WIFI for the camera to work. Crystal clear audio Hear and speak to anyone in your home from your smartphone through the built-in speaker and microphone. Built in Siren Integrated siren that can trigger automatically when motion is detected or be set-off manually from the app to deter intruders.
Clear details in full HD Record video in 1080p Protect your privacy Automated Camera Privacy Shield Motion Alerts Receive alerts on your phone Night Vision See clearly without a light on Hear and speak to visitors 2-Way Audio Privacy shield Disarm your camera's audio and video when you are home for more complete privacy HD Video Get a clear picture of who and what is in your home with 1080p HD video. See even at night. Even in the dark rest easy knowing the Arlo Essential Indoor Camera captures video with Night Vision. Keep an eye on what matters. Capture clear details in full high definition and see more of the picture with a 130° viewing angle. Compact Design A compact design lets you place it in more places around your home. Easy Installation Plugs into your mains power for straight forward set-up and 24/7 power. Connect direct to WIFI No base station required – simply connect to your 2.4Ghz WIFI for the camera to work. Crystal clear audio Hear and speak to anyone in your home from your smartphone through the built-in speaker and microphone. Built in Siren Integrated siren that can trigger automatically when motion is detected or be set-off manually from the app to deter intruders.
Last updated at 06/09/2026 07:04:35
Arlo Essential Outdoor Charging Cable - 2nd Gen
Delivery between 11–16 June $10
Arlo Essential Indoor Security Camera - White (vmc2040-100nas)
Delivery $34.86
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Arlo Essential Indoor Camera
originally posted on bestbuy.com
I've been using Arlo since they launched years ago. And to be honest, I don't know what I would have done all these years without it. They were the first to come to market with a fully wireless product, and it works. Fast forward to today, I've got at least one of everything I think they offer from the camera line, and this is the latest offering I've gotten. It fills a void previously filled by leaving one of the wireless cameras plugged in to charge. So I replaced my "puppy cam" that I use to watch my front door and where the dogs tend to hang out, thus the "puppy cam" and while not puppies anymore, the name still fits. This provides the camera, the mount, the AC adapter and cord, along with screws if you wish to wall mount this. I have kept it on the little table ... MoreI've been using Arlo since they launched years ago. And to be honest, I don't know what I would have done all these years without it. They were the first to come to market with a fully wireless product, and it works. Fast forward to today, I've got at least one of everything I think they offer from the camera line, and this is the latest offering I've gotten. It fills a void previously filled by leaving one of the wireless cameras plugged in to charge. So I replaced my "puppy cam" that I use to watch my front door and where the dogs tend to hang out, thus the "puppy cam" and while not puppies anymore, the name still fits. This provides the camera, the mount, the AC adapter and cord, along with screws if you wish to wall mount this. I have kept it on the little table in the hallway, looking back towards the front door. It works fine, provides a nice 1080p view, and allows all the rules you would have with any of the other cameras such as when to record, do you want notifications, etc. All that is pretty Arlo typical. The only thing I don't like, and I'm not willing to drop a star for it, is the lack of dynamic lighting/background lighting gain control. And my example picture will show why that can be important. Without it, the light coming through the door is overwhelming the camera and if I adjust the brightness of the camera to tame that, when the door is closed, everything is too dark. Since I have Arlo cameras outside, it isn't a big deal for me, but for some, this might be an issue such as wanting to see who is at a door that is backlit by the sun. Arlo has come a long way, continues to offer innovative products, and products that fit the needs and budgets of the American people. Thank you Arlo for doing this, because since not all of us are able to buy the very pricey installed system from a security company, this fills that void quite well. It isn't perfect, but for the price point, I'd say it is about as good as anyone could have hoped for! It does include a microphone and speaker, so you can listen in and/or talk back, if desired. One unique feature this camera has is a privacy feature. That allows you to put this into privacy mode, which puts a physical cover over the mic and camera - you'll know you've activated it in the app because you'll hear the click when the cover is engaged or disengaged. Very cool! Adding this to an existing system, or a new system, takes no time at all to do. Follow the app guidance, and I had this online in about 30 seconds.
originally posted on bestbuy.com
Tl;dr: Arlo’s subscription AI is a valuable addition for home security. A Privacy shield ensures your interior surveillance is not intrusive. A strong app and backup local recording create long term value. Arlo has moved into competition with Nest and Ring with their always powered indoor wireless camera. Unlike some of their more famous brethren, this camera requires 110v all the time. There is no battery. It retains the night vision sensor and high resolution developed for Arlo’s battery powered cameras. It also retains the same app and dedicated wireless gateway. This means easy set up and no learning curve if you already have Arlo’s battery powered camera (which I do). Overall set up was pretty easy. Plug the camera in. Find it in the app. Rename the camera, ... MoreTl;dr: Arlo’s subscription AI is a valuable addition for home security. A Privacy shield ensures your interior surveillance is not intrusive. A strong app and backup local recording create long term value. Arlo has moved into competition with Nest and Ring with their always powered indoor wireless camera. Unlike some of their more famous brethren, this camera requires 110v all the time. There is no battery. It retains the night vision sensor and high resolution developed for Arlo’s battery powered cameras. It also retains the same app and dedicated wireless gateway. This means easy set up and no learning curve if you already have Arlo’s battery powered camera (which I do). Overall set up was pretty easy. Plug the camera in. Find it in the app. Rename the camera, then you’re in business! The hardest part was trying to decide where the camera would be located in the house. The video is very clear, even in lower light. Video switches to black-and-white when it’s too dark for color. This switch su supposed to be automatic. It’s fairleigh accurate, doesn’t always switch when it sould. My cat’s dawn antics were captured in black and white for the most part due to low light. Turning on a fixture would switch modes to color recording. Arlo offers multiple subscription options. While this base station has a spot for local storage, Arlo’s subscriptions bring significant value. There’s a $14.95 monthly plan which sends you alerts based on different types of activity (i.e. person, package, audio alert). Tapping the notification gives you a clip of what caused the alert. You also have the option to contact 911, initiate a siren, or talk back through the camera. Further, you can initiate a live view in 4K resolution across 170° field of view. Without the subscription, you will not have access to the camera or recordings outside of your home. You would only have access to videos stored locally in the base station. A three-month trial subscription is included in the initial purchase. The AI intelligently zooms in on the section of the frame where activity is occurring. An additional $9.95 monthly add-on provides continuous cloud video storage. While the specs on this camera set up are impressive, the software is what all pulls it together. Fortunately, Arlo knows this and has put significant effort into the app. If you already have an investment in the Arlo security family, this is a great addition and a no brainer.
originally posted on bestbuy.com
This Arlo Essential Indoor Camera is all about image quality and software. I have the camera facing the front door to the house covering the door and 4 windows where someone may be able to gain access. The image has always been clear and every person or animal that comes in view of the camera is immediately recognizable. The best parts about the Arlo are the features. There are so many security features built into the software and with a recurring month to month payment you can have access to all of them including emergency response from fire or police department. You can even trigger a really loud siren that emits from the camera when you get an alert of someone passing by the camera(this one is free). Motion alerts are very sensitive but you can adjust alerts to ... MoreThis Arlo Essential Indoor Camera is all about image quality and software. I have the camera facing the front door to the house covering the door and 4 windows where someone may be able to gain access. The image has always been clear and every person or animal that comes in view of the camera is immediately recognizable. The best parts about the Arlo are the features. There are so many security features built into the software and with a recurring month to month payment you can have access to all of them including emergency response from fire or police department. You can even trigger a really loud siren that emits from the camera when you get an alert of someone passing by the camera(this one is free). Motion alerts are very sensitive but you can adjust alerts to only people if your dog or other pets pass by too often such as mine does. The physical camera also has a privacy shield that when activated covers the lens and mutes audio. Also note that audio can trigger an alert to your phone if you want it. The great thing about the Arlo app and software is the ability to highlight exactly which motion is detected by placing a green box around the person or animal that it detected passing by so you know exactly where to look. The downside to Arlo is having to upgrade to a paid version if you want to use all the features including a timeline of the days events caught on the camera. At this time, you only get to view the alert one time and the rest is saved to the cloud which is restricted by a pay wall. The subscription is cheap however and definitely worth it to protect your home. If you ever need to, two way audio is available as a free feature for this camera but note that there is about a 1-2 second delay and the "live" video is not actually live. Overall, the Arlo covers basically every feature that one would need in an indoor security camera. I would highly recommend.
| Total Weight | 0.122kg |
| Compatible with | Apple HomeKit,Amazon Alexa,Google Assistant |
| Plug In (Yes/No) | true |
| Recommended Use | Home or Business |
| Indoor (Yes/No) | true |
Arlo Essential Outdoor Charging Cable - 2nd Gen
Delivery between 11–16 June $10
Arlo Essential Indoor Security Camera - White (vmc2040-100nas)
Delivery $34.86
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Arlo Essential Indoor Camera
I've been using Arlo since they launched years ago. And to be honest, I don't know what I would have done all these years without it. They were the first to come to market with a fully wireless product, and it works. Fast forward to today, I've got at least one of everything I think they offer from the camera line, and this is the latest offering I've gotten. It fills a void previously filled by leaving one of the wireless cameras plugged in to charge. So I replaced my "puppy cam" that I use to watch my front door and where the dogs tend to hang out, thus the "puppy cam" and while not puppies anymore, the name still fits. This provides the camera, the mount, the AC adapter and cord, along with screws if you wish to wall mount this. I have kept it on the little table ... MoreI've been using Arlo since they launched years ago. And to be honest, I don't know what I would have done all these years without it. They were the first to come to market with a fully wireless product, and it works. Fast forward to today, I've got at least one of everything I think they offer from the camera line, and this is the latest offering I've gotten. It fills a void previously filled by leaving one of the wireless cameras plugged in to charge. So I replaced my "puppy cam" that I use to watch my front door and where the dogs tend to hang out, thus the "puppy cam" and while not puppies anymore, the name still fits. This provides the camera, the mount, the AC adapter and cord, along with screws if you wish to wall mount this. I have kept it on the little table in the hallway, looking back towards the front door. It works fine, provides a nice 1080p view, and allows all the rules you would have with any of the other cameras such as when to record, do you want notifications, etc. All that is pretty Arlo typical. The only thing I don't like, and I'm not willing to drop a star for it, is the lack of dynamic lighting/background lighting gain control. And my example picture will show why that can be important. Without it, the light coming through the door is overwhelming the camera and if I adjust the brightness of the camera to tame that, when the door is closed, everything is too dark. Since I have Arlo cameras outside, it isn't a big deal for me, but for some, this might be an issue such as wanting to see who is at a door that is backlit by the sun. Arlo has come a long way, continues to offer innovative products, and products that fit the needs and budgets of the American people. Thank you Arlo for doing this, because since not all of us are able to buy the very pricey installed system from a security company, this fills that void quite well. It isn't perfect, but for the price point, I'd say it is about as good as anyone could have hoped for! It does include a microphone and speaker, so you can listen in and/or talk back, if desired. One unique feature this camera has is a privacy feature. That allows you to put this into privacy mode, which puts a physical cover over the mic and camera - you'll know you've activated it in the app because you'll hear the click when the cover is engaged or disengaged. Very cool! Adding this to an existing system, or a new system, takes no time at all to do. Follow the app guidance, and I had this online in about 30 seconds.
Tl;dr: Arlo’s subscription AI is a valuable addition for home security. A Privacy shield ensures your interior surveillance is not intrusive. A strong app and backup local recording create long term value. Arlo has moved into competition with Nest and Ring with their always powered indoor wireless camera. Unlike some of their more famous brethren, this camera requires 110v all the time. There is no battery. It retains the night vision sensor and high resolution developed for Arlo’s battery powered cameras. It also retains the same app and dedicated wireless gateway. This means easy set up and no learning curve if you already have Arlo’s battery powered camera (which I do). Overall set up was pretty easy. Plug the camera in. Find it in the app. Rename the camera, ... MoreTl;dr: Arlo’s subscription AI is a valuable addition for home security. A Privacy shield ensures your interior surveillance is not intrusive. A strong app and backup local recording create long term value. Arlo has moved into competition with Nest and Ring with their always powered indoor wireless camera. Unlike some of their more famous brethren, this camera requires 110v all the time. There is no battery. It retains the night vision sensor and high resolution developed for Arlo’s battery powered cameras. It also retains the same app and dedicated wireless gateway. This means easy set up and no learning curve if you already have Arlo’s battery powered camera (which I do). Overall set up was pretty easy. Plug the camera in. Find it in the app. Rename the camera, then you’re in business! The hardest part was trying to decide where the camera would be located in the house. The video is very clear, even in lower light. Video switches to black-and-white when it’s too dark for color. This switch su supposed to be automatic. It’s fairleigh accurate, doesn’t always switch when it sould. My cat’s dawn antics were captured in black and white for the most part due to low light. Turning on a fixture would switch modes to color recording. Arlo offers multiple subscription options. While this base station has a spot for local storage, Arlo’s subscriptions bring significant value. There’s a $14.95 monthly plan which sends you alerts based on different types of activity (i.e. person, package, audio alert). Tapping the notification gives you a clip of what caused the alert. You also have the option to contact 911, initiate a siren, or talk back through the camera. Further, you can initiate a live view in 4K resolution across 170° field of view. Without the subscription, you will not have access to the camera or recordings outside of your home. You would only have access to videos stored locally in the base station. A three-month trial subscription is included in the initial purchase. The AI intelligently zooms in on the section of the frame where activity is occurring. An additional $9.95 monthly add-on provides continuous cloud video storage. While the specs on this camera set up are impressive, the software is what all pulls it together. Fortunately, Arlo knows this and has put significant effort into the app. If you already have an investment in the Arlo security family, this is a great addition and a no brainer.
This Arlo Essential Indoor Camera is all about image quality and software. I have the camera facing the front door to the house covering the door and 4 windows where someone may be able to gain access. The image has always been clear and every person or animal that comes in view of the camera is immediately recognizable. The best parts about the Arlo are the features. There are so many security features built into the software and with a recurring month to month payment you can have access to all of them including emergency response from fire or police department. You can even trigger a really loud siren that emits from the camera when you get an alert of someone passing by the camera(this one is free). Motion alerts are very sensitive but you can adjust alerts to ... MoreThis Arlo Essential Indoor Camera is all about image quality and software. I have the camera facing the front door to the house covering the door and 4 windows where someone may be able to gain access. The image has always been clear and every person or animal that comes in view of the camera is immediately recognizable. The best parts about the Arlo are the features. There are so many security features built into the software and with a recurring month to month payment you can have access to all of them including emergency response from fire or police department. You can even trigger a really loud siren that emits from the camera when you get an alert of someone passing by the camera(this one is free). Motion alerts are very sensitive but you can adjust alerts to only people if your dog or other pets pass by too often such as mine does. The physical camera also has a privacy shield that when activated covers the lens and mutes audio. Also note that audio can trigger an alert to your phone if you want it. The great thing about the Arlo app and software is the ability to highlight exactly which motion is detected by placing a green box around the person or animal that it detected passing by so you know exactly where to look. The downside to Arlo is having to upgrade to a paid version if you want to use all the features including a timeline of the days events caught on the camera. At this time, you only get to view the alert one time and the rest is saved to the cloud which is restricted by a pay wall. The subscription is cheap however and definitely worth it to protect your home. If you ever need to, two way audio is available as a free feature for this camera but note that there is about a 1-2 second delay and the "live" video is not actually live. Overall, the Arlo covers basically every feature that one would need in an indoor security camera. I would highly recommend.
This Arlo indoor camera will work great as a stand alone unit, but is even better with other Arlo wireless cameras. I am using it with the Arlo Floodlight camera, and they complement each other perfectly. I love Arlo cameras so much that I intend to keep adding more! This camera lives up to the Arlo reputation of making reliable products that perform well. It is very simple to set up and does not require the use of an Arlo Hub. Just download the Arlo App and pair the camera. If you already have Arlo cameras, all it takes is using the App to add a camera. The 1080P video quality is detailed and clear. The two-way audio communication feature likewise works well. Just make sure you have a fast Wi-Fi signal since HD video streams require a high speed wireless signal. ... MoreThis Arlo indoor camera will work great as a stand alone unit, but is even better with other Arlo wireless cameras. I am using it with the Arlo Floodlight camera, and they complement each other perfectly. I love Arlo cameras so much that I intend to keep adding more! This camera lives up to the Arlo reputation of making reliable products that perform well. It is very simple to set up and does not require the use of an Arlo Hub. Just download the Arlo App and pair the camera. If you already have Arlo cameras, all it takes is using the App to add a camera. The 1080P video quality is detailed and clear. The two-way audio communication feature likewise works well. Just make sure you have a fast Wi-Fi signal since HD video streams require a high speed wireless signal. Since it is not battery operated, this camera needs to be plugged into an outlet to function. It can be wall mounted or stood upright on the base. I am not mounting it on the wall because I want the flexibility to move it around the house. One feature that I appreciate is that privacy shield that can be activated by disarming the camera. When disarmed a physical cover blocks the camera lens. An Arlo subscription is not required to use this camera, but is necessary to get the maximum function of the Arlo App. I am paying the monthly subscription cost,and find that it is worth the cost for the added functionality.
This is my second Arlo camera. First is a wire free outside camera which is great, but requires a battery charge every 2 months or so which means taking it off the mount, bringing it in to charge for 6 hours, then going back outside to re-mount. This new one is wired which is nice, no more charging every so often. Since I already have an Arlo camera, setup was quite easy. Make sure you already have the Arlo app downloaded. You will need this and it is required for setup. In the box you have the camera, a wall plug, a power cord that attaches to the wall plug, a wall mount adapter, and some screws plus installation manuals. Honestly, you don't need any manuals. Just download the app, click the "add camera" button, and follow the steps. You also need the app during ... MoreThis is my second Arlo camera. First is a wire free outside camera which is great, but requires a battery charge every 2 months or so which means taking it off the mount, bringing it in to charge for 6 hours, then going back outside to re-mount. This new one is wired which is nice, no more charging every so often. Since I already have an Arlo camera, setup was quite easy. Make sure you already have the Arlo app downloaded. You will need this and it is required for setup. In the box you have the camera, a wall plug, a power cord that attaches to the wall plug, a wall mount adapter, and some screws plus installation manuals. Honestly, you don't need any manuals. Just download the app, click the "add camera" button, and follow the steps. You also need the app during installation because it pops up a QR code and requires you to scan it with the camera you are setting up. So make sure you have good lighting in the room. Setup took me probably about 5 minutes. Another 5 afterwards to download the firmware updates. These Arlo camera are nice. They come with a free 3 month subscription trial. But that's why I took off 1 star for my review. During the free trial, you get all the bells and whistles. Alerts, motion alerts, recording storage, etc. After that ends though, these are pretty pointless without buying a subscription. Without one, you no longer get any type of alerts on your phone. Someone could be right outside your house breaking in, right in front of the camera, and you would not get an alert. So what's the point of this? Without a subscription all you can do is "view" the camera from your phone and see what's going on, but you can't record or store anything. So again, unless you have the app open and are viewing the camera, you would never know what was going on, and at that point, what's the point of having security at all? So you will need a subscription. You can buy it buy camera at $2.99 + tax per camera. Or you can buy a plan that covers all your cameras. After my 3 month trial on the new camera, I will need to decide which way I want to go. Other companies like Nest by Google switched to a more customer friendly option where there is 1 subscription choice and it covers all your cameras. That is $6 a month. Arlo needs to go that route and just make 1 plan for all the cameras. Overall camera is great, and I would recommend.
I have had a couple of the Arlo Floodlight cameras set up on the exterior of my house, but have those set up to alert for movement over night. The Arlo Essential Indoor Camera was a great option to add a camera in the living room to watch multiple entries into the house. With the Geofencing I got it setup to monitor and alert us when no one is home, the rest of the time it sits idle so we don't get constant alerts. The privacy shutter is nice, you can easily tell when the camera is not open to view, but you can easily open the privacy shield with the click of a button in the app. Since I already had the Arlo App and Account, it took just a few minutes to add the wifi and add it to view. It did come with a three month trial with Arlo, but I just added it to my ... MoreI have had a couple of the Arlo Floodlight cameras set up on the exterior of my house, but have those set up to alert for movement over night. The Arlo Essential Indoor Camera was a great option to add a camera in the living room to watch multiple entries into the house. With the Geofencing I got it setup to monitor and alert us when no one is home, the rest of the time it sits idle so we don't get constant alerts. The privacy shutter is nice, you can easily tell when the camera is not open to view, but you can easily open the privacy shield with the click of a button in the app. Since I already had the Arlo App and Account, it took just a few minutes to add the wifi and add it to view. It did come with a three month trial with Arlo, but I just added it to my membership. The camera comes with a wall mount and cable, I can easily place the camera on top of my bookshelf and plug it into the outlet around the base of the wall, it's likely not long enough to go to the floor, but it's a decent length. I'm sure you can find a longer cable to use since it isn't proprietary. Video quality is pretty good, it's clean enough to see my entry way and tell who comes in and out. Zoom gets pixelated quick, but I just want to monitor the space, so that wasn't a big deal. Arlo does offer cameras with higher capture quality, the price just was great for my use. Definitely no complaints on this product, I started getting Arlo off of a recommendation and would happily recommend it to others!
I received the Arlo Essential Indoor camera 5 days ago. I started the set up on the day I received it and just got it working yesterday. I can either blame it on the app or my stupidity! The Arlo camera will only connect to Wi-Fi that has a frequency of 2.4 GHz. I have a 5 GHz Arris router and a 2.4 GHz Century Link router. I’m usually connected to the 5 GHz router, but the other is available. The app has good instructions for changing to a different SSID in the phone settings. During the camera installation, I got as far as entering the SSID password on my phone and powering the Arlo Camera and then got stuck. There was no “Continue” button or right arrow in the app. I assumed that nothing was happening because of interference from the 5 GHz Wi-Fi. Either that, or ... MoreI received the Arlo Essential Indoor camera 5 days ago. I started the set up on the day I received it and just got it working yesterday. I can either blame it on the app or my stupidity! The Arlo camera will only connect to Wi-Fi that has a frequency of 2.4 GHz. I have a 5 GHz Arris router and a 2.4 GHz Century Link router. I’m usually connected to the 5 GHz router, but the other is available. The app has good instructions for changing to a different SSID in the phone settings. During the camera installation, I got as far as entering the SSID password on my phone and powering the Arlo Camera and then got stuck. There was no “Continue” button or right arrow in the app. I assumed that nothing was happening because of interference from the 5 GHz Wi-Fi. Either that, or I was using the wrong password since the app didn’t check the validity of the password. I plugged and unplugged, changed phone settings and started over in the app for 5 days. Yesterday I accidentally swiped left on the “Power Your Arlo Camera” page and found the rest of the instructions. But once again the instructions were unclear. They said to “Press the Sync Button to Start Sync” and to wait for the blue light to flash. I pressed the button but nothing happened. I had to Goggle Arlo Indoor Camera Sync Button to find that the button has to be pressed for several seconds. Once I got past all of that, the rest was easy. The Arlo camera is wired, which limits where it can be positioned since it must be placed within a couple feet of an outlet. Compared to other Arlo cameras I’ve tested, the stand seemed cheap and like it could easily break. Notifications can be set up for people, vehicles, animals, all motion or a combination. When aimed outside, even the wind gently blowing a tree will set off the motion alert. When all the notification types are enabled the phone can ding constantly with alerts, so it's nice to be able to filter out some. Even so, there can be hundreds of alerts in a short period of time and each alert is a video that takes up phone memory. Fortunately, it is possible to “select all” videos and trash them in one step. The alerts (phone dings) can be muted for up to 24 hours but I couldn’t find a way to mute until unmuted. When muted, a video will still be made of the event. Videos can be filtered by vehicle, person, animal and package for viewing, which is helpful if just looking for a package to be delivered. Unlike another security camera I tested, the Arlo indoor camera can “see” through a window. I was able to see the FedEx truck pull up and the driver deliver a package. However the picture was too small to identify a person or capture a license plate number. I could tell it was a white truck with FedEx on the side and that the package was delivered by a man of average build wearing shorts, but that was the extent of the identification using my phone. However, it appears that it's possible to view a larger picture using the Arlo Web Portal on a PC. The Emergency Response feature, available free for 30 days or after that with a subscription, could be valuable. During Emergency Response set up, information such as residential/business, single dwelling/apartment, building access code or building entry instructions, name, age, language spoken and a photo are entered. Once the set up is complete, touching the red shield in the upper right corner of the app will theoretically cause a siren to go off and an Arlo agent will contact a first responder. Arlo will share the location and any additional information that has been provided. I didn’t test this part. It seems like it might be easy to hit the red button by mistake, but on the other hand if it takes too many steps to get to it, it wouldn’t be useful in an emergency. My overall opinion is that the picture is clear and the camera does accurately detect a person or vehicle passing by its wide field of view. It’s unlikely that the identification of a stranger could be made from the picture on my phone, but it does have a small screen. I think a paid subscription is needed to get the most value out of this device.
We’ve had an Arlo system for years that continues to grow. This will be our first Arlo indoor camera. Positive points for the Arlo system are that the video quality is excellent, hardware has been very durable and reliable, easy setup and installation, and the app is very user friendly. Things to consider if you’re looking to purchase are that Arlo now requires a subscription service if you want your video stored to the Cloud for 30 days and outdoor cameras typically require routine battery charging; for us we probably have to charge the batteries for outside cameras every one to two months depending on settings. We had an interest in the indoor camera for primarily when we are gone from our house. It’s not something I would want routinely recording. The automated ... MoreWe’ve had an Arlo system for years that continues to grow. This will be our first Arlo indoor camera. Positive points for the Arlo system are that the video quality is excellent, hardware has been very durable and reliable, easy setup and installation, and the app is very user friendly. Things to consider if you’re looking to purchase are that Arlo now requires a subscription service if you want your video stored to the Cloud for 30 days and outdoor cameras typically require routine battery charging; for us we probably have to charge the batteries for outside cameras every one to two months depending on settings. We had an interest in the indoor camera for primarily when we are gone from our house. It’s not something I would want routinely recording. The automated privacy shield is nice that it has the camera put the physical shield over the camera and mic. Note that this indoor camera connects via cable directly to your wifi and thus will be limited in terms of physical placement depending on cable length. The app allows users to customize settings for notifications, camera sensitivity and device settings. Arlo’s AI identification works well to differentiate people, vehicles, packages and animals. The 2-way audio feature is good to have, but we have used this feature very rarely. Arlo is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Samsung SmartThings. If you’re looking for an easy-to-use security camera system with excellent 1080p video quality I think you’ll like Arlo a lot. Just keep in mind that outdoor cameras will require charging (easy task to accomplish) and there is a monthly security cost to consider if you want longer Cloud storage. Night vision is decent, though not as good as daytime video clarity, it is still very acceptable in my opinion. I still like Arlo a lot for its nice design, great video quality, durability and ease of use; I just with the subscription plans were a bit less.
I love the design, video quality, 2-way audio and smart features of this camera. The app is quick, and I never have to wait to see what is going on when I get an alert. Setup only took a few minutes. Pros - Daytime video quality and viewing angles are great. - Privacy shield is a great physical indication that the camera is not recording and makes my family more comfortable knowing the are not being recorded when we are home. - Design and size allow the camera to easily blend in on my white fireplace mantel. You can turn the status led off to make it even less noticeable. - Smart detection tags motion alerts (people, animals, other) and allows you to exclude notification of certain types. This helped cut down on false notifications due to my dog, but it didn’t ... MoreI love the design, video quality, 2-way audio and smart features of this camera. The app is quick, and I never have to wait to see what is going on when I get an alert. Setup only took a few minutes. Pros - Daytime video quality and viewing angles are great. - Privacy shield is a great physical indication that the camera is not recording and makes my family more comfortable knowing the are not being recorded when we are home. - Design and size allow the camera to easily blend in on my white fireplace mantel. You can turn the status led off to make it even less noticeable. - Smart detection tags motion alerts (people, animals, other) and allows you to exclude notification of certain types. This helped cut down on false notifications due to my dog, but it didn’t always work. - Microphone allows the camera to record audio and be triggered by noises, including listening for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms - 2-way audio allows you to get a better idea of what is going on – you can listen for your dog barking and speak to people/pets if needed - Allows for multiple motion detection zones (unfortunately this is all or nothing – I wish it allowed you to select different zones dependent on time of day). - The Arlo app works well on the iPhone. Notification previews work great – giving you the type of alert, a short video clip, and highlighting the motion so you can easily determine if there is an issue without opening the app. Inside the app it is easy to set up the camera, live stream, view recordings, change motion settings, set schedules and turn the camera on/off. - Arlo works with my Echo Show (Alexa) Things to Consider - Low light video quality is just ok – it is just good enough to provide motion alerts and make out high level details. - Camera is wall mountable and includes the mount/screws, but the length of the provided power cord limits your options (6-7ft). Not a big issue, since the cord is standard USB and you can easily buy a longer one. - Video recordings and smart alerts require a subscription that adds to the overall cost of ownership. The plan you subscribe to impacts video quality. It is an investment, but this is not my only Arlo device and they all work well.
To be really honest, I got this camera for the sole intention of using it as a baby monitor. I know, that is not the main purpose of this camera but hey, as they say "to each their own". Arlo is a renowned company and they include the best level useful basic and advanced features, no subscription and a wide variety of cameras. The App is quick to understand and easy to use for a basic user as well as people who like to get into adjustments and advanced features. The best feature is you don’t need a subscription to get a fully functioning camera system. That was a big selling point for me. It gives me all the most useful features without paying subscription. Arlo also offers advanced features for a low monthly fee compared to all the other systems I researched. I ... MoreTo be really honest, I got this camera for the sole intention of using it as a baby monitor. I know, that is not the main purpose of this camera but hey, as they say "to each their own". Arlo is a renowned company and they include the best level useful basic and advanced features, no subscription and a wide variety of cameras. The App is quick to understand and easy to use for a basic user as well as people who like to get into adjustments and advanced features. The best feature is you don’t need a subscription to get a fully functioning camera system. That was a big selling point for me. It gives me all the most useful features without paying subscription. Arlo also offers advanced features for a low monthly fee compared to all the other systems I researched. I have been very pleased using it extensively without any subscription so far. As mentioned above, I'm using it as a baby monitor. We have a newborn in our house and we are making full use of this camera. Initially, we were planning on buying a dedicated baby monitor but then I came across this camera and thought, wait a minute. Can it be used as a baby monitor? I did some research online and found out that people do use indoor cameras as baby monitor. So I thought of giving it a shot and I'm not disappointed so far. The only caveat is that you have to have the app running all the time on your phone or ipad to keep an eye on the baby which is kind of a problem sometime for us as our 5 year old son takes advantage of the ipad being unlocked and grabs it to start his own adventures. So we might end up actually buying a baby monitor but lets see. This is a personal problem and won't affect my review in any way. Lets talk about the camera itself. I had this thing set up in less than 10 minutes. Picture is good. Sound is loud which is what I was looking for. The app is super intuitive and very easy to use. The 1080p resolution is gorgeous. The HD image is great and you can pinch to zoom and really see detail and faces. Talking about using it as a baby monitor, the video is crisp and clear, and the motion zones work very well. The microphone picks up even the faintest cry, and the speaker on the camera is surprisingly clear. We can clearly see the baby with the night vision. With a baby monitor, you want it to work when you need it. The audio/video alerts give you a good 15-30 second recording of audio or motion events. You can set a specific area in the image to focus on for sending you alerts too. You can even use the digital zoom up to 2x if you want to look at a specific location more closely. Two way audio is great, so when the baby gets older, we will be able to talk to her through it. Other way of using it is with Amazon Echo Show if you have one. We have one but rarely use the Arlo camera with it. The reason being, the Echo show is not wireless and is stationed at a different location in the house than we normally sit. Still, I have connected the camera with my Echo Show just in case if we need it. So we can just ask Alexa to "Show me the baby monitor" and it comes right up with the live feed. Pros: -Great build quality and design -Great picture quality -Very responsive when connecting to Echo Show -Small size -Mountable base -Long power cord -Two way audio with App -Reliable App Overall, I'm greatly satisfied with this. I am looking forward to using this as an indoor security camera once we no longer need it as a baby monitor.
| Total Weight | 0.122kg |
| Compatible with | Apple HomeKit,Amazon Alexa,Google Assistant |
| Plug In (Yes/No) | true |
| Recommended Use | Home or Business |
| Indoor (Yes/No) | true |
