Arlo Essential Wire-Free Spotlight Cameras, Wired Doorbell, and a Pro Smart Hub

[JemBobs]

Hello,

Looking at getting 8 Arlo Essential Wire-Free Spotlight Cameras (VMC2030), a Wired Doorbell (AVD1001), and a Pro Smart Hub (VMB4540), but I have a couple of questions before I make the plunge. We have a 500 sq meter (5300 sq ft) home with brick walls.

Would the Smart Hub have enough range to reach all of the cameras?

If not, would the Smart Hub be able to reach them via our wireless mesh network?

If I need two Smart Hubs, how do they work together?

[Gary_BKK]

My advice would be to reconsider the Spotlight cameras.  I bought 3 and have had nothing but problems with them, have never gotten them working for more than an hour or so, and Arlo support has been terrible at resolving the issue or allowing any refund or warranty replacement.  There are many, many other people who have reported the same or similar problems. I have no experience with the doorbell or hub, so can't speak to the quality of those.  I ended up getting 7 Eufy 4K cameras (3C and S3 models) and the Eufy hub and have been very happy with that solution.

[willtoreto]

Thanks

[StephenB]

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@JemBobs wrote:

Would the Smart Hub have enough range to reach all of the cameras?

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It might not.  You can get some idea by measuring your wifi speed at the camera locations using your phone.  For instance using the Ookla app (speedtest.net).  Turn off the mobile data on the phone, and also turn off the mesh elements.  (This is assuming the base would be placed near the router).  You'd want at least 1 mbps uplink speed for the Essential cameras.  The 2K cameras (Pro 3, Pro 4, Pro 5s) would require at least 2 mbps, the Ultras would require at least 2 mbps.

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@JemBobs wrote:

If not, would the Smart Hub be able to reach them via our wireless mesh network?

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No.  The cameras are connecting directly to a closed wifi network created by the smarthub.

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@JemBobs wrote:

If I need two Smart Hubs, how do they work together?

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They don't.  You'd connect some cameras to one hub, the rest to the other.

Note that the Essentials (like the Pro 4, Pro 5s cameras) don't need a smarthub, you can connect them directly to your mesh. You will need a subscription for cloud recording either way.  You would lose the local recording feature, which IMO is better used as a backup to cloud storage instead of as an alternative to the subscription.

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@JemBobs wrote:

Looking at getting 8 Arlo Essential Wire-Free Spotlight Cameras (VMC2030)

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One disadvantage of the VMC2030 is that the battery cannot be removed.  One consequence is that it is impossible to reboot the camera when something goes wrong - you'd need to try the factory reset and then re-add it to your account.

[JRBDFW]

I have 2 Arlo 1st generation cameras and a wired Video Doorbell. Cameras over garage and in the back porch. Home is 2500 square foot with the pro smart hub in front bedroom. Everything connects to the hub with no issues. The doorbell we have to record locally, the cameras we still get free cloud recording.