Using Arlo for community safety / Crime Deterent

[jakeweiss]

we are neighborhood not-for-profit community group exploring the use of this wireless system for neighborhood wide coverage to deter crime and theft in the area. we would need to purchase the units in volume, and see if there is the ability for multiple user viewing, and a better way to structure the data recording. I made  a couple attempts to reach management through NetGear but I keep getting pushed to tech support. They tell me this is the only way to reach out and communicate. 

[jguerdat]

There may be various issues that will help or hurt your configuration based on your needs.  First off, there are no volume discount plans that I know of unless you can get a store to do that for you.  Then there's the issuesabout the plan(s) you'll need since only 5 cameras per account are free and there's an upper limit on the number of cameras even with the paid versions (https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Knowledge-Base/What-are-the-available-Arlo-subscription-plans-...  There are ways to work around this by using multiple email addresses for the individual setups so it appears that all cameras are in one plan (you allow access to another account to it shows up in that account as if it was yours). It's a bit convoluted since these systems are designed and sold as smaller standalone setups.  Storage is server-based with no exceptions possible.

To summarize, cost will be an issue without volume discounts as well as the extended plans potentially needed to allow relatively easy access to the cameras. The setup could be a bit convoluted for all cameras to be seen in one (or a few) account.  And video storage is only on the Arlo servers.

[TomMac]

IMO, tho the Arlo system is good , for a high usage system like you're thinking the batteries are a weak spot.

You might be better served with a wired, local record system powered by ac