How To Connect Arlo Camera Without Base Station
Arlo Essential Review 2022
Arlo'south beginning-e'er SmartHub-gratuitous outdoor camera.
If Arlo puts you off because yous have to buy the company's expensive base of operations station to make its cameras work, your days of frustration are over. The Arlo Essential doesn't require extra hardware to function, and it has almost every safe feature a photographic camera could use.
As with nearly Arlo cameras, yous'll need to pay for a plan before you tin apply all of the Essential's features. But since you aren't shelling out coin for a base, the plan is a lot more affordable.
This review is about the Arlo Essential camera, also known as the Arlo Essential Spotlight camera. Arlo also recently released an Essential indoor camera, which we have not however reviewed.
Arlo Essential Wireless Security Camera toll and details
| Product | Price | Storage program price range | Automation | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlo Essential | $99.00 | $2.99–$14.99 | | View on Amazon |
Amazon.com List Prices (as of 02/xi/2022 xi:20 MST). Full disclaimer
Arlo Essential features
Avant-garde detection! Sirens! Multiple colors! No base stations!
In our estimation, the nearly pregnant difference between the Arlo Essential and other Arlo outdoor cameras is the Essential'south lack of SmartHub.
That's right; you don't need an Arlo base station or SmartHub to connect with this camera. Arlo recommends using the hub if yous have one (for one thing, you demand it to admission local storage), but it's not required.
Only that'southward non all this camera has up its sleeve. Here'due south a full listing of what you tin expect from your Essential.
Arlo Essential features:
- 1080p video without subscription
- 130° viewing bending
- Indoor-outdoor utilize
- Two-way audio
- Color dark vision
- Movement detection
- Customizable movement zones
- Geofencing
- Package detection
- Person detection
- Vehicle detection
- Brute detection
- Spotlight
- Siren
- Solar capabilities
- Rechargeable batteries
- Local and deject storage
- Two colour options
According to the Arlo website, the Essential Wireless Security Cameras come in both white and blackness. That's a new step for Arlo, a visitor that'due south known for its white photographic camera shells.
That's a lot of features! But some of them are out of reach unless you choose to employ a paid subscription.
Advanced object detection
This camera is far from the get-go to include person, packet, vehicle, or animal detection, but it's 1 of the few we've seen with all 4.
The different motion-detection settings are scattered beyond the app, making it challenging to manage them. Substantially, though, you can toggle all settings on or off. So if you want to get notifications for your Amazon commitment and your neighbor'south cat, you lot can. Likewise, if y'all want to exclude people, packages, vehicles, or animals from your motion detection, y'all tin can do that, too.
Said exclusion pick is more helpful if you alive on a decorated street. If you live on a street with average traffic or choose to use the camera indoors, we recommend keeping all move detection settings on.
This camera offers a test that helps y'all determine if your motion detection is working, which we like.
Spotlight
The spotlight definitely has the potential to startle intruders! We placed the camera on a landing for most of our tests. It gave us a bit of a shock every fourth dimension the lite snapped on when nosotros walked up the stairs in the nighttime.
Siren
You can set the siren to activate automatically, or you can activate it manually from the app.
The siren comes with a warning that it'due south "extremely loud," only it didn't sound very loud to united states of america. The Essential siren doesn't concur up side by side to the Arlo Ultra siren; we're not sure you'd be able to hear it unless you're shut by.
Solar capabilities
This camera will work with Arlo's upcoming Essential Solar Console. We're not exactly sure when the panel volition be gear up, but nosotros like the idea of harnessing solar power vs. recharging the batteries.
The batteries in the Essential Camera are supposed to last half dozen months on a accuse. But we found that after a few days of utilise, the battery levels dropped by 9%. While that'due south cypher to sneer at, it'due south not promising if y'all want your batteries to terminal half a twelvemonth without taking the camera downwardly to charge.
Arlo Essential pricing
The price of this camera is more cheap than steep.
To purchase this photographic camera on its ain, it'southward $99. If you want iii, it'due south $269.99* While Arlo isn't the most budget-friendly camera manufacturer out there, these prices aren't astronomical. Particularly if y'all compare the price to Google Nest.
It looks like Arlo also plans to sell this photographic camera as a bundle with the solar panel, although we don't yet know when or how much it will cost.
*Amazon.com Listing Prices (as of 02/eleven/2022 1:00 MST)
Storage plans
The Arlo Essential comes with a three-month-long trial of Arlo Smart Premier. After that, if y'all want cloud storage or anything else that comes with a college-tier program, you need to pay.
Arlo Smart price and deject storage comparison
| Features | Arlo Smart (no plan) | Arlo Smart Premier | Arlo Smart Aristocracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $2.99/mo. for 1 camera; $nine.99/mo. for upwards to five cameras | $iv.99/mo. for 1 camera; $xiv.99/mo. for up to 5 cameras |
| Max resolution | 1080p | 2K | 4K |
| Deject storage | | | |
| Push notifications | | | |
| Custom activity zones | | | |
| Advanced object detection | | | |
| E911 emergency phone call service (with multi-photographic camera plans) | | | |
| Details | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
Data constructive 06/17/2021. Offers subject to change.
As you tin see, many of the all-time features are hidden behind the paywall, which is disappointing. It's hard to justify ownership the Essential without the features when you tin get a cheaper camera with everything included.
But the subscription is pretty affordable for a single camera, so if in that location's a feature you really desire, the price likely won't exist insurmountable. Take the money you lot didn't spend on the base station and get a few years of video storage instead! We would propose the Smart Premier over the Smart Elite, unless you feel yous tin can't exercise without 4K.
Arlo Essential home automation
The Essential works with the usual suspects and more than.
The Essential photographic camera works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT, which is pretty typical. Less typically, information technology as well connects with Apple HomeKit and Samsung SmartThings. If y'all're an Apple or Samsung stan, this is i of the only leading camera brands that will work with your favorite hub.
You lot need the Arlo base station or SmartHub to connect with Apple HomeKit.
Arlo still lacks integration with Z-Wave and Zigbee, which means you can't direct connect your camera or your Arlo business relationship to many smart lights, smart locks, and other home devices. But with the existing compatibility, you tin indirectly connect to nigh annihilation. The links just have to become through a primal hub or protocol.
Arlo automation assistance
If you need help connecting your Arlo products to your smart home assistant, we have guides for Alexa and Google Banana users.
Arlo app
People aren't crazy nearly the Arlo mobile app. Information technology has iv-ish star ratings on both the App Store and Google Play, and users are constantly criticizing it in their Amazon reviews.
It's non the worst app we've run into. Merely nosotros do wish that some of the settings were easier to find. It's manner more intuitive to click on a unmarried device and adjust all its settings from one screen than it is to chase down settings across the app.
Arlo Essential installation
This DIY security camera isn't too hard to set upwards.
If y'all love DIY home improvement projects, yous'll be thrilled to know you'll ready up this camera yourself. (Unless, similar some of our squad members, you know someone who loves to practice manual labor in exchange for dinner.)
Arlo Essential installation steps:
- Charge the camera.
- Download the Arlo app.
- Create an Arlo account.
- Select Devices > Add together New Device > Cameras > Essential.
- Select your Essential model.
- Cull whether to connect the camera to a SmartHub.
- Connect the app to your Wi-Fi network.
- Follow the app instructions to complete the camera setup.
- Secure the Arlo mount in the desired location.
Make sure y'all secure the photographic camera in a place you tin attain once again since (until the solar console comes available) you'll accept to dismount it at least twice a year for battery recharges. Or you tin can mountain it inside an extension cord'southward reach of an outlet if you'd rather bring the charge to the camera.
Recap: Is Arlo Essential good?
We think the Arlo Essential is very expert overall
When all is said and done, if you're looking for an Arlo camera, this would exist one of our beginning recommendations. The base station-free design just can't exist vanquish, and the upcoming solar ability role is another step in the right direction for user convenience.
- Features: This photographic camera has a lot of safety features, including multiple types of motion detection, a light, and a siren.
- Pricing: The Arlo Essential isn't the cheapest camera on the market, but for a leading safety brand, it's a lower price.
- Dwelling house automation: You lot'll get plenty of indirect smart product connections with this Arlo camera.
- Installation: The Essential shouldn't be besides hard to install in your home.
If you want a fuller overview of how the Essential compares to other Arlo cameras, read our complete Arlo review. You can as well bank check out our Arlo Ultra and Arlo 2 vs. Arlo 3 pieces for even more than insight.
Arlo Essential FAQ
We've got answers to a few questions that might be on your mind.
Is the Arlo Essential an indoor or outdoor camera?
Most of Arlo'due south cameras are indoor-outdoor, and as far as nosotros can tell, this one is too. But regardless of the designation, you can use all outdoor cameras indoors. You just have to exist okay with paying more, since outdoor cameras are typically more expensive due to waterproofing.
Then, in short, at that place'south no reason you tin can't use this camera both indoors and outdoors. Merely if y'all only need indoor use, you tin always wait until the cheaper Essential Indoor Photographic camera drops.
Is a paid Arlo Smart plan worth it?
Paying $2.99 for advanced object detection, better video quality, and cloud storage seems like a pretty good bargain to usa. Even if y'all pay more for even higher paradigm quality, the price is even so reasonable.
If you choose to use local storage, call up that you'll have to buy an Arlo SmartHub (and an SD card). That volition require a lot more money up forepart than a subscription plan will. And with the local storage, you'll have to remove the SD menu from the hub to view the videos on a computer. Which is manageable but not very user-friendly.
How does the Arlo Essential compare to the Arlo Pro cameras?
The Arlo Pro and Arlo Essential have a lot of the same features since some of Arlo's superlative tech comes through the subscription programme, non through the camera model. But at that place are some differences.
The Pro 3 (the most contempo model) is more than expensive, has a wider field of view, and has local storage in the camera itself. It also requires a SmartHub. And while it has a siren, it doesn't take a spotlight. (You can, all the same, buy a version with a floodlight.)
Should I get an Arlo doorbell?
Should you become an Arlo video doorbell instead of the Essential? Not necessarily. While the video doorbell is cheaper and has some of the same features, it tin only be placed in one spot. You take to make sure you definitely want a camera on your door before you buy.
Should you lot get the doorbell in addition to the Essential? Sure. It's a decent video doorbell, and you'll exist able to admission both cameras at once using your Arlo ecosystem in the app.
Learn more from our Arlo video doorbell review.
Does Arlo sell a dwelling security system?
No, Arlo doesn't sell a full security organization. We've heard rumors for the last few years that the company will soon break into the proper home security manufacture, but so far, nothing's happened.
However, with its many, many cameras, Arlo is certainly a force in the security camera system space.
Which security camera is the best?
"All-time" is a relative term, only we've broken downwardly the home security camera scene and chosen some top recommendations. You tin can find our write-upwards here.
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