Arlo vs Nest

[wellfleetion]

I returned 2 arlo camera systems, one with the original base and one with the new base. Both were horrible and offline parts of the day/night every day and missing key recordings. The Arlo is definitely not a “security” camera. If you are having Similar issues, you should switch to Nest like I did. Rock solid. My Nest Cam never goes offline and is always recording 100%. No bs and constant recording is only $100 a year. Nest blows Arlo out of the water. Not even close. You want real security it’s Nest

[NewfieDrool]

Does the Nest connect to a base station or to your Wi-Fi network?

[wellfleetion]

It communicates via Wi-Fi. It NEVER goes offline, EVER. Arlo is a toy and not a “security” system as advertised. That’s my hands on extensive experience with both.

[wellfleetion]

Oh, and customer support (If you should even need it) is like night and day. Clearly Nest cares while Arlo doesn’t.

[NewfieDrool]

Here’s the thing, Arlo may not be perfect but it does have a secure connection via WiFi and allows a cable connection too.

Nest uses your routers WiFi so it’s best to find out if it’s secure from attacks. 
Like I say Arlo may have issues but at least it’s secure and to be honest I’m actually finding it pretty reliable.

[NewfieDrool]

I have to agree they do need to move away from a third party support and maybe that will happen in the future, in saying that you can’t expect support to understand every issue related to incidents that are created by routers for example so there are limits. 

[wellfleetion]

“Pretty reliable” is not what I considered reliable, especially for a product advertised as a “security” system. Also, if your router is secure then your network is too. But even if someone hacked in anyway all they would see is video of my outside door.

[NewfieDrool]

I think you might need to read up a bit. The difference between Nest and Arlo is the secure connection via WiFi from camera to base. Yours connects to your Wi-Fi.

what router and model do you have and I’ll check it for you.

[wellfleetion]

I was away for 2 weeks and my ex and children came to my condo every other day to feed my cat. Arlo did not record them coming or going once! That was the last straw for me. I also had an altercation with a neighbor right in front of the cam and could not wait to view it on video. Well it didn’t get that either. Nest is always recording and never misses a thing. That’s my true real life experience. I had Arlo for months and the issues were ongoing. Thank god I got the Best Buy extended warranty so I could exchange it for the Nest cam that actually works as advertised!

[NewfieDrool]

What’s your router and I’ll check it for you.

[wellfleetion]

It’s connected to aN extended eero mesh router. I think I’m plenty safe and ten times more secure considering the Nest is always recording, and again and most importantly, NEVER offline

[wellfleetion]

Oh, and there’s no 4 or 5 second lag time with Nest like there is with Arlo. I post this info as a frustrated ex-Arlo user who spent countless hours taking cams down and trouble shooting issues. I don’t want others to feel my pain. Since my Nest Csm went up (only 1 cam) I have not needed to take it down (3 weeks now of constant on recording and rock solid)

[NewfieDrool]

Here the thing with Nest, as it uses your home Wi-Fi network and not it’s own base station you need to insure your router has PMF or else it can be simply turned off and even with the alerts for the signal being lost it can be disconnected with out the alerts. 
go into your routers settings and see if it’s got PMF and insure it’s on. 
You might find if you are unlucky with some clients a compatibility issue but hopefully not.

look at your spec and look for 802.11w-2009. If it does not have it I would strongly suggest asking them if it’s on your router or you think about a different router that offers this as your cameras are not secure.

A mesh system is no more secure than any other network. 

[Thewood]

I am seriously considering binning my$1500 investing in Arlo cameras and lights and going to Nest.  I know Nest isn't perfect, but the ongoing issues with Arlo are making me a full-time maintenance tech for the system in my house.

1) Constant logging out of the Arlo app that comes and goes.  I have a tablet hanging on my wall that my wife can use to check if the notifications go off.  She has stopped using it because over the last three weeks or so its always logged off.

2) Random disconnects of cameras all over the house.  Never the same one twice in a row.

3) very slow speed in picking up movement and notifying my devices.

4) Night vision constantly failing.  I can't count the number of times I have had to pull cameras down and resynch them to the base.  That is always support's recommendation.

5) just general quirks that are driving me crazy.  

My wife has completely lost faith in the notifications.  I have a camera on my driveway that only seems to pick up half of the events.  My front door camera actually notifies me someone is at the door after they are in the house with their coat hung up already.  She has told me to either fix it or take them down because she thinks they are useless.  There is no way she will ever let me put more money into Arlo.

Note: in the middle of writing this, the tablet android app logged itself out again.  I am beside my self with frustration on this system.

[Thewood]

Also want to point out that my neighbor got a Nest doorbell and a camera a month ago.  This is a 65 year old retiree who can't even record a TV show.  Both cameras installed and running with no issues for a month.  He has slower wifi and longer distance between router and camera.  He get notifications within a second of movement.

And the BS about security.  That's mostly chicken little stuff.  If they want to go to the effort of coming out here to the bowels of my town, break into my cameras, watch my family come and go, have at it.

[NewfieDrool]

It has nothing to do with chicken stuff, you want a secure setup then every thing is secure to as good as you can have but  that’s down to you how secure you want the home security or you home Wi-fi. 
the choice is yours or how much you worry about it or if you want to learn about such stuff ie looking in to cameras is not the issue.  Look how Mirai botnet used unsecured cameras.

Don’t forget you can try a Nest along side the Arlo and compare if you wish.

[Thewood]

Its not about just being secure.  Its about risk.  Do I spend money or make a decision about a product because of some remotely potential threat that has a worst case of someone watching my videos.  That is the problem with security IT people.  They want everything to be Fort Knox.  When what your defending really only needs a simple lock on the door.

[NewfieDrool]

It has nothing to do with watching videos. I don’t understand where that’s from, could you explain in detail why?

im not an IT guy by the way, I might do voluntary work for a well-known company but I’m not an IT guy by trade.

heres the thing, you are already complaining of poor service with Arlo, you would be the first to jump if say your Nest devices got taken down and you were broken into or if info was taken due to UPnP loops. 

people can only suggest what you do, it’s not for me or anyone to hammer it it, it’s just down to you. 
I’m not saying Arlo is the best thing since sliced bread, I’ve no allegiance to this brand, I’m just an end user.