Increasing network strenght

[StevenVanTuijl]

Hi all,

We are using 4 Ultras & 4 Pros with a Basestation. We live in an old house with thick brick walls and heavy wooden ceilings & floors, which is also very large. 

I simply do not get enough signal strenght from my Basestation to feed all cameras, regardless of where I position the Basestation. I do have a mesh WiFi network (Google), and would have a network port on each of the Google Hubs. 

Can I install a second basestation in my house, connected to a Google Hub, and with that extend the reach of my Arlo network?

Thanks,

Steven

[TomMac · Accepted solution]

Yes, there are no limits to the number of bases on any account.... it is the only true way to expand coverage area

[greggz]

 not really. if the syncromatic field is over 180 degrees you are less likely to enhance variable response range (VRR) in most instances. better to install a telescoping antennae with an f.m. feed and position it in northwesterly ideation arena.

[Ks5134]

I live an old house with plaster walls so I had to purchase a second base station for my back door camera (even tho the house is 1200sf). One thing I found odd was that I have the audio doorbell and chime, the doorbell is at the front door while the chime is closer to the back door. I tried to link the doorbell with one base and the chime with the other and they would not sync together. I probably spent 45 minutes resetting and re-syncing trying to get it to work. I eventually gave up and put both on the same base and it works fine now. Maybe I did something wrong, but I’m a techy person who usually can figure things like this out.

[LandJS]

I'm curious if a wi-fi booster/extender will work with arlo just as you would a router ?

[StevenVanTuijl]

Thanks for all the responses. I actually connected a second base to
My Google WiFi Hub on the second floor. It provided just enough additional range to reliably connect those cameras that didn’t connect before. Not a techy, but using a mesh-like solution like Philips does in it’s Hue products would allow the individual cameras to strengthen the network.

[michaelkenward]

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@LandJS wrote:

I'm curious if a wi-fi booster/extender will work with arlo just as you would a router ?

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Can you explain what you mean by that?

The Arlo hub has to be wired to the router. It cannot do wifi from hub to router.

If you can wire the hub into an extender, or a wireless access point, then that can connect the hub to the router.

[LandJS]

What I'm talking about is, you can use a wi-fi extender with your router to get better range. Since the arlo hub is what talks to the cameras and is even shown as separate wi-fi device, is it possible to use one with the Arlo hub.  I don't fully understand the workings of the hub.  Even though I can control what channels are being used when it is connected to a router meaning there is a connection between them showing they work together, I can disconnect the hub from the router and put it directly into the modem which has no wi-fi of it's own and it still works fine which would suggest the hub works on it's own.

[StephenB]

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@LandJS wrote:

What I'm talking about is, you can use a wi-fi extender with your router to get better range. Since the arlo hub is what talks to the cameras and is even shown as separate wi-fi device, is it possible to use one with the Arlo hub. 

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The wifi in the Arlo base is closed, so third party extenders can't be used to extend their range.  And Arlo doesn't offer a wifi extender for their bases.

Unless that changes, the best you can do is get a second base, and arrange for it to have an suitable ethernet connection.

[LandJS]

That would answer my question, I was thinking it would be possible if one could access the Arlo password being it does show up as an available network but locked.  (maybe if someone can get in and find the password lol) I can buy 6 extenders for the price of another hub and not have to run another ethernet line.  Mine works but I would prefer a better signal at the far ends.

[michaelkenward]

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@LandJS wrote:

I don't fully understand the workings of the hub. 

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Hub has to be wired to Internet.

Use wifi extender to take wifi from router and make it go further.

Plug second hub into wifi extender.

This will let you add more cameras to second hub.

An alternative is to use Powerline plugs to use your main circuit to extend your local network.

First (host) plug connects to router. Connect second hub to remote (guest) plug. This will give you direct wired link back to the router. This can be more reliable, faster and easier to set up and manage than a wifi extender.

[TomMac]

I was thinking it would be possible if one could access the Arlo password being it does show up as an available network but locked. (maybe if someone can get in and find the password lol) 

A couple years ago, I was able to get the pw for the base unit ( arlo hd base ).... but still even tho was unable to access anything.... dead end.

[Sally_999]

ARLO2 creates a NTGR_VMB_########## Wifi network, which, with the ARLO2 Base Station connected to the router via ethernet, with a password, can access my Wifi network.  The NTGR_VMB_######### Wifi is password protected, it shows up as an available network on my iPhone, and without a manual On/Off switch, or a Remove function to remove it, so it is on all the time whether you want it or not.  That means someone with the password can access a home network without the person knowing it!   A manual On/Off switch, or a Remove function should be part of the design, so people who want ARLO to monitor their home automation can have it, but I just want the cameras to do the security job without getting into my home network, so I want it off, or better, the Wifi removed.  

[StephenB]

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@Sally_999 wrote:

 A manual On/Off switch, or a Remove function should be part of the design, so people who want ARLO to monitor their home automation can have it, but I just want the cameras to do the security job without getting into my home network, so I want it off, or better, the Wifi removed.  

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I think you are confused about what that wifi network is for.  That network isn't used for home automation, it is only used to link the cameras to the base.  If you were to turn it off, the cameras would become disconnected, so they couldn't do their security job.

Also, you are assuming that Arlo is bridging their wifi network to your ethernet.  That's an assumption on your part - it is also quite possible that they don't do that, and instead filter all traffic through their application.

[michaelkenward]

Adding to the other response to your message, this bit is incorrect:

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@Sally_999 wrote:

ARLO2 creates a NTGR_VMB_########## Wifi network, which, with the ARLO2 Base Station connected to the router via ethernet, with a password, can access my Wifi network.

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The base station cannot access your wifi network. It stands on its own.

The base station has to connect to your network if it is to function, but it does that with a wired connection to your router.

The only way in which an Arlo hub can connect to your wifi is if you want to extend your Arlo system by plugging a second hub into a wifi extender. 

In reality, the Arlo network is not an available network on your iPhone. People regularly suggest that Arlo should hide the hub's wifi network. That might calm some fears, but the wifi is still there.