should I connect to base station?

[ayi7203]

I recently installed the Essential doorbell camera (wired). I see that it works without a base station, but I believe it can connect to a base station. I do have a base station that came with my Arlo Pro 2 cameras. What would be the benefit of connecting the doorbell camera to that base station?

[StephenB]

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@ayi7203 wrote:

I do have a base station that came with my Arlo Pro 2 cameras.

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You need a VMB4xxx or VMB5000 base - the older VMB3xxx bases are not compatible with the doorbells (or the newer cameras).

• https://kb.arlo.com/000062284/Arlo-SmartHub-and-Base-Station-Compatibility

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@ayi7203 wrote:

What would be the benefit of connecting the doorbell camera to that base station?

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1. Getting local storage (to a usb drive with VMB4xxx (or a microsd with the VMB5000).
2. If you want to arm/disarm your Arlo devices together, then a base station can make that easier (though if you want the doorbell on a different schedule, then it's easier to keep it on WiFi).

[ayi7203]

I didn't realize the base station I currently have will not be compatible with the Essential Doorbell. But to consider if getting a newer base station might be worth it so get local storage, I would like to ask this.

Can you somehow access the video saved locally on my Arlo app? (So that I don't have to pay for the subscription...) My research so far suggests I can't access the local videos on my app and there is no way of getting around paying for the subscription to see the saved videos on the cloud. But I wanted to ask.

[StephenB]

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@ayi7203 wrote:

Can you somehow access the video saved locally on my Arlo app? (So that I don't have to pay for the subscription...)

 It is with a VMB4540 or VMB5000 smarthub (but not other models). See this:

• https://kb.arlo.com/000062337/What-is-Direct-Storage-Access-and-how-do-I-use-it

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There are limitations:

• Videos only available in the app (not the browser)
• Videos only available using the primary account (not friend accounts)
• No ability to save manual recordings
• No thumbnails (videos need to be downloaded in the app to see anything)
• Remote access requires router settings changes that some find difficult (and remote access isn't possible at with some ISPs - for example with mobile broadband).