How to Fix Arlo Security Cameras

John Carlsen

Senior Staff Writer, Security & Smart Dwelling

Arlo'southward security cameras are some of the best in the business concern, and setting them upwards is a breeze. Here are vii easy steps to aid y'all gear up your new Arlo camera like a pro.

  • Camera Condom: Help Prevent Your Cameras from Being Hacked

i. Download the Arlo app

The Arlo app walks yous through the setup process and allows y'all to conform photographic photographic camera settings. Y'all tin't install a photographic camera without the app. Once y'all download the app, create an business relationship and commencement adding your first camera by choosing your model from the list.

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2. Turn on your Arlo camera

Wire-complimentary models: Insert and accuse battery

Inserting battery in Arlo Pro 4

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When y'all beginning the setup process on a wire-gratuitous Arlo camera, follow the instructions for installing the battery in the photographic camera housing. The battery has grooves on the bottom to prevent yous from installing it upside down.

Later inserting the battery, close up the camera'due south case and bank check the LED on the front. If the low-cal is an amber color, connect it to the included charging cable. If information applied science'due south flashing blue, you lot tin skip charging and motility on to the next stride.

Wired models: Notice an outlet

Wired Arlo cameras need to be within vi feet of an outlet. Y'all can purchase optional ability cables for wireless models in lengths of eight and 25 feet. Arlo likewise sells solar panel chargers that piece of work with its outdoor cameras.

iii. Connect your Arlo camera to Wi-Fi

Arlo App Wi-Fi Disclaimer

Image: John Carlsen, SafeWise

Once your camera has power, follow the Arlo app'due south instructions for connecting information technology to your Wi-Fi network. Enter the proper noun and password for your wireless network, and the app volition create a QR lawmaking for the camera to scan. Look for the camera to chime afterwards scanning the lawmaking. Exist aware that Arlo cameras practice non work with five GHz Wi-Fi networks. Instead, you'll need a ii.four GHz network.

4. Place your Arlo camera

Choose your mountain

Install your Arlo camera around six to 7 anxiety above the basis. This is the best vantage point for capturing video footage and motion detection without existence too hard to reach.

Shelf

The Arlo Essential Indoor and the Arlo Q (its predecessor) are the simply Arlo cameras with built-in stands that slice of piece of work well when placing the cameras on a shelf. While about other Arlo cameras can rest on a shelf, yous won't have many choices for pointing them towards the action without a mountain.

Magnetic mount

Arlo Pro 4 with magnetic mount

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You tin use a magnetic mountain with any Arlo Ultra or Arlo Pro camera. This mount attaches to the wall with a unmarried screw, a drywall anchor, and a plastic stopper that clips into the dorsum.

Outdoor mount

Employ i of Arlo's outdoor mounts for better security if y'all're placing a photographic camera outdoors. These mounts employ a spiral to secure the camera in identify. They're non easy to accept off the wall compared to magnetic mounts. Arlo also recommends using these mounts if yous need to place a camera higher than 6.v feet.

5. Adapt your Arlo camera'south view

Although well-nigh Arlo cameras accept a wide field of view to capture tons of activity, y'all can accommodate the camera for a meliorate view, allowing for more than authentic motion detection, notifications, and recording.

Camera positioning

Arlo App Camera Positioning

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Using Arlo'southward Photographic photographic camera Positioning setting, yous tin can can accommodate the camera's view in almost existent-time with very piddling lag. This setting tells the camera to send video apace (commonly at a lower quality) so you lot don't demand to wait equally long for the alive view to take hold of upwards with your adjustments.

  1. Navigate to the Settings carte in the Arlo app.
  2. Select My Devices and cull the camera you lot desire to adjust.
  3. Select Device Utilities and and and so Camera Positioning.
  4. Adjust the camera while looking at the Arlo app to ensure it sees all the areas you lot desire.

Field of view

Arlo app video mode

Prototype: John Carlsen, SafeWise

Like the Arlo Pro four, some Arlo cameras permit you alter the field of view or how wide an expanse in front of the camera is. Generally, you lot lot want a wider view outdoors, where in that location aren't walls blocking your view. In dissimilarity, cull a narrower view indoors, where information technology'due south unnecessary to record wider than your walls allow, which saves video bandwidth.

  1. Navigate to the Settings menu in the Arlo app.
  2. Select My Devices and choose the photographic photographic camera yous want to adjust.
  3. Cull Video Settings and and and so Video Mode.
  4. Find a fashion that fits your camera'due south environs.

Motility zones

Movement zones tell Arlo security cameras what to ignore when deciding to record. Arlo employs motion zones in 2 means: passive and adjustable.

Passive motion zones

The motion sensor on many Arlo cameras has two zones past default. The lesser zone takes up ii-thirds of the video and is more sensitive, while the smaller meridian zone is less sensitive overall. Yous tin can run across the elevation zone every bit a greyed-out area in the photographic camera positioning menu.

By positioning the photographic camera with the top 3rd covering the street, you tin can prevent passing vehicles from setting off the sensor equally often. This setting works without an Arlo Secure cloud subscription and doesn't crave a continuous ability supply.

Adaptable move zones

Arlo app activity zones

Prototype: John Carlsen, SafeWise

If yous pay for an Arlo Secure Program and connect your photographic camera to a power outlet, y'all tin can create custom motion zones that record activity in those areas.

  1. Go to the Settings menu in the Arlo app.
    1. Consider logging in on a web browser instead, since adjusting the zones can be harder on a minor smartphone screen.
  2. Select My Devices and choose the photographic camera you want to arrange.
  3. Choose Activeness Zones.
  4. Hit the plus sign + to add a zone.
  5. Conform the zone to encompass an expanse (similar a window or stairway).
  6. Proper noun the zone for fourth dimension to come up reference.

six. Test your Arlo photographic camera's movement detection

Arlo cameras rely exclusively on movement detection to know when to start recording a video clip. Yous lot can test the motion detection's effectiveness and conform its sensitivity using the Arlo app:

  1. Navigate to the Settings carte du jour in the Arlo app.
  2. Select My Devices and cull the camera you're testing.
  3. Select Device Utilities so Motion Detection Test.
  4. This mode tells the camera's LED light to glimmer bister when at that identify'south motion.
  5. Move effectually the area you want the camera to monitor to encounter if it catches all your activity.
  6. Adjust the move sensitivity slider if the photographic camera is besides sensitive or not sensitive enough.
    • The sensitivity setting isn't universal—accommodate your arming modes to match every bit needed.

7. Arm your Arlo

Arming an Arlo camera tells it to get-go sending notifications and recording video clips (if y'all lot have an Arlo Secure subscription or set upward local storage). It's as well an excellent mode to protect your privacy. We recommend arming your camera whenever y'all exit the firm or go to bed.

Arlo offers v arming modes:

My Arlo Arming Modes

Epitome: John Carlsen, SafeWise

  • Disarmed: no recording or notifications
  • Armed: you lot manually arm using the app
  • Schedule: gear up specific times for the camera to record—especially helpful at night
  • Geofencing: camera arms and disarms based on your location
  • Custom fashion: yous can adjust how the photographic camera reacts when armed

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FAQ

Newer Arlo security cameras similar Arlo Essential, Arlo Pro 4, and Arlo Pro three Floodlight don't require a base of operations station. All the aforementioned, you demand a base station on 4K models similar Arlo Ultra 2 and older models similar Arlo Pro 3 and Arlo Pro 2. Y'all tin use a base station with whatsoever Arlo cam to add local video storage.

Yes, you tin can use Arlo cameras without a subscription. These features are gratis:

  • Viewing live video (but no deject storage)
  • Two-fashion sound
  • Notifications (merely no smart notifications)
  • Local storage (if using a base of operations of operations station)

You tin can add other users through the Arlo app:

  1. From the Settings menu: choose Grant Admission and tap the Add together option.
  2. Enter the proper noun and email accost of the person you want to add to your Arlo camera.
  3. The new user volition receive an email to verify their account admission in the Arlo app.
    • You tin can adjust permissions to adapt each user's needs and responsibilities.
    • If you have multiple cameras, you can limit access to specific cameras.

Arlo cameras neglect to connect for diverse reasons:

  • The camera is also far from your wireless router.
  • The camera isn't on the same network every bit your mobile device during setup.
  • The camera is incompatible with your 5 GHz wireless network. Brand sure yous lot're using a 2.iv GHz wireless network.
  • The camera doesn't take your network'due south electric current login credentials. Check that you used the correct network proper noun and countersign.
  • The camera didn't browse the QR lawmaking correctly when setting upwardly Wi-Fi. Re-scan the code and listen for an audible chime.
  • The photographic camera timed out earlier connecting to your network. Printing the sync push button to starting time the sync procedure again.

What y'all can can't do without internet

  • View live video
  • Apply two-way audio
  • Adapt photographic camera settings
  • Save videos to cloud storage

What you tin do without internet

  • Record videos using local storage (if yous set it upward using a base station).
  • View footage on when your phone'south on the same network. Merely you need to plough on Directly Storage Admission in the Arlo app offset.

Yes, yous must utilize an Ethernet cable to connect your Arlo base station to your router. At that place should be one in the box.

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John Carlsen

Written past

John Carlsen

John is a technology journalist specializing in smart domicile devices, security cameras, and home security systems. He has over nine years of feel researching, testing, and reviewing the latest tech—he was the Smart Home Editor for Meridian Ten Reviews and wrote for ASecureLife before joining SafeWise as a Staff Writer in 2020. John holds a Bachelor'south degree in Communications, Journalism emphasis from Utah Valley Academy. In his spare fourth dimension, he enjoys hiking, photography, cooking, and starting countless DIY projects he has yet to complete.

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