Innovation and Ease-of-Use in One Small Package- The Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell
Jeffrey Clos is a participant in the Amazon Associates LLC associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. There are some links within this article to the described product.
As someone who loves technology, specifically gadgets, my house had to have a video doorbell. I had already invested in various Arlo wireless cameras around the house, and it made sense to add the Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell to my home security ecosystem. Is it a perfect system? No, but given the features, ease of use, and overall decent experience I have had, I would say it is worth the investment.
Installation and Setup The first thing you need to do is figure out if you have an existing doorbell wire that you can use. If not, you’ll need to run one (which may require some drilling). Once that’s sorted, installation is pretty straightforward. It took me about 20 minutes from start to finish.
Once installed, you need to connect the doorbell to your home Wi-Fi network. This was quick and easy to do using the Arlo app. The app also allows you to customize sensitivity settings for motion detection, set up alerts, enable two-factor authentication, and more.
Features and Performance The Wired Video Doorbell has many features worth considering as part of your home security setup. One of my favorite features is package detection. Whenever a package is left on my doorstep, I get an alert on my phone, so I can bring it inside before it gets stolen. (not that I am paranoid).
I also like seeing a person from head to toe, thanks to the doorbell’s 180-degree field of view. And if someone does try to break in, I can use the two-way audio feature to scare them off (or at least get their attention). This doorbell should not take the place of a home security system. Think of it as an extension of the home.
I mentioned package detection, but it also detects animals. We get the occasional squirrel or deer that likes to eat our pumpkins.
The only downside is that this doorbell is wired, so it doesn’t have a battery backup like the wireless version. So if there’s a power outage, my doorbell won’t work , meaning no alerts or live streaming video. The 2022 hurricane in Florida took out the one I installed for my father, although even the wireless one wouldn’t work if the internet were out.
Conclusion: Overall, I am happy with the Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell. It was easy to install and set up, and it comes packed with features that make it worth the investment. The only downside is that it doesn’t have battery backup like its wireless counterpart — but given the other features and performance, I would still say it’s worth considering for your home security needs.
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