Arlo set up.

[BarbaraK]

Please advise on what to purchase or how to proceed.  I have on hand a solar Panel Charger which is designed for: Arlo Ultra, Ultra2, Pro3, Pro 4 and Pro 3 Floodlight Cameras.  I would like to start a new set up with two cameras.  I will need to purchase the cameras, one solar panel and I’m not sure if I need a hub or not.  After reading some of the questions I found out if I purchase an Arlo Pro4 I will not need a hub.  Is this correct and how what would you suggest purchasing? Thank you for your time, appreciate it. 

[StephenB]

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@BarbaraK wrote:

 I’m not sure if I need a hub or not.  After reading some of the questions I found out if I purchase an Arlo Pro4 I will not need a hub.  Is this correct and how what would you suggest purchasing? 

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The Pro 4 and Pro 5s, and Floodlight cameras are all compatible with your panel.  All three models can connect directly to your home wifi or to a hub.  How effective the panels are depends on both outdoor temps and the amount of sun (the battery won't charge below freezing). You can get XL upgrades for the Pro 4 and Pro 5s that increases the battery life significantly. 

My own experience here - I live in New England, so modest amounts of sun and fairly cold winters.  Even with a panel, I needed to charge an Ultra camera every few months.  Once the battery was upgraded, I've only needed to charge it once a year at most.

If I had to choose between the XL battery and the solar panel, I would go with the larger battery.  (Either way, I recommend putting the cameras in a place where you can reach them, as there are times when you will need to take them down for troubleshooting).

As far as the hub goes - if you purchase one, get either a VMB4540 or a VMB5000.

The main benefit of the hub is that it gives you the option of local storage.  Some people use that option instead of getting a paid subscription.  Local storage isn't as good as a subscription - there are a number of limitations.  Also, there are some subscription features unrelated to storage that you might need (activity zones, and smart notifications).  

The hub needs to be connected with ethernet to your router.  Another potential advantage of the hub is that onboarding cameras to a hub is often a bit easier than onboarding them to your home wifi.

But if you have a wifi mesh system, its range will be less than your home wifi.  It creates a closed wifi network for the cameras - that wifi has a range similar to a standard router, and It cannot be extended with a range extender.   So it is conceivable that you will need more than one hub to get good connections to all your cameras.  

I do have two hubs myself (one in the front of my house, the other at the back), but also have a couple of cameras that are directly connected to wifi.  

Obviously if you want local storage (either as a substitute for a subscription, or for a backup of the recordings), then you will need to connect the cameras to a hub.  Though this is something you could easily add later on.

[BarbaraK]

Thank you for taking the time to respond, very much appreciated.