Record events locally, playback on the network, with NO subscription?

[EricCPeterson]

Years ago in Texas we installed an awesome Arlo Pro 2 system with five cameras and a base station. We were fortunate that the home was barely compact enough that the cameras mounted to the exterior could be serviced by one station. We used the free cloud storage, finding it easy and convenient to set up notifications and to access event recordings. I think our opinion of the system would have changed had we still been in that house when Arlo cut off free cloud storage for the Arlo Pro 2 -- despite marketing materials contemporary with the devices that stated we could use free cloud storage indefinitely.   I think the language was probably "for the life of the cameras" ... which is terribly mealy-mouthed when the provider defines "life." We want to install exterior surveillance at my daughter's home now, but the house is more spread out and the building materials prevent a good signal from reaching both ends. Is there a way to either:

(1) Use multiple base stations with installed local storage to provide service to both ends of the home, to all cameras, to record locally, and to support network playback without moving storage media, WITHOUT a subscription?

- OR-

(2) Use multiple wireless cameras, like the wireless floods, with a TPLink or Netgear mesh, hang a smart hub on the network with installed storage, and record from all connected cameras locally, supporting playback without moving storage media, WITHOUT a subscription?

I don't want to build another Unifi system just to avoid mandatory hardware subscriptions -- which I regard as inexcusably evil -- but I will if I need to.

[StephenB]

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@EricCPeterson wrote:

(1) Use multiple base stations with installed local storage to provide service to both ends of the home, to all cameras, to record locally, and to support network playback without moving storage media, WITHOUT a subscription?

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This is possible if you get VMB4540 or VMB5000 smarthubs and use the direct access to local storage feature.

There are some limitations

• recordings can only be accessed in the app, not my.arlo.com
• recordings can only be accessed from the primary account
• no thumbnails, so recordings need to be downloaded to the phone to see anything
• no ability to make manual recordings or take snapshots while livestreaming
• remote access requires router setting changes that some find difficult (and which don't work with some internet service providers)