Netgear Arlo Q Smarthome Camera Review
Works quickly right out of the box. An easy step-by-step iPhone app quickly setup the Arlo Q Smarthome security camera with night vision. I have completed multiple home security cameras setups before and this was near the easiest yet.
Netgear Arlo Q Security Camera Unboxing
Disclosure: Netgear sent me the Arlo Q Smarthome security camera at no cost to review. I am a Netgear Ambassador. I have not been compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Arlo Q iPhone App Screens
Downloading of the Arlo camera app for the iPhone is free. Once downloaded, it asked if I had an account already. Last year, Netgear sent me an Arlo Smarthome series of cameras. To see if things changed, I created a new account.
Netgear asked for my email address, password and a password hint in case I forget mine in the future. Then it asked about what type of camera setup I have to complete.
I tapped on the Arlo Q icon and it gave me instructions to hold down the setup button on the camera so the light would change color and start blinking. I selected the WiFi hotspot inside of my home and typed in the security code.
The Netgear app generated a QR code to complete setup and the camera recognized it and made a tone. My camera converted the QR code into data it then used to successfully connect to my secured network. The last Smarthome camera I setup required an audio cable to be plugged into my iPhone and then into it to verify I was the owner setting it up, which was not ideal.
Moments later the Netgear app recognized the connected Arlo Q camera and alerted me that my account had not yet been confirmed. I confirmed my account and then the app told me that there was a firmware update ready for the camera.
Updating the firmware took about 45 seconds. The solid blue light changed to Amber and started blinking. It meant that the software download successfully and was rebooting.
Once it was ready again, the light changed back to solid blue and showed up in the app automatically. I tapped on the image and it showed me a live view of what was happening in my room.
Arlo Q Smarthome Camera Setup
Having a blue light constantly on could be problematic for other people that come into the room or for long term guests. Thankfully, the settings panel had an option to turn the light off.
My last Smarthome security camera did a great job of recording high quality video, but it constantly recorded video every ten minutes because I have a spinning ceiling fan. The Arlo Q has an option in the settings to fix that problem.
Further down in the settings panel is an option to map out the ceiling fan. It takes a snapshot of the room and then you crop out what you want the camera to monitor with motion detection. (Canary link to review) needs to add a crop option.
For now, Netgear offers a full seven days of free online cloud recording time. Canary did offer a few days of recording time but that changed after a few months. A week of recording time is huge and should stay relatively empty now that the fan is out of the picture.
The app offers a few other cool features to control the Arlo Q camera. The camera comes with a small speaker on the side and a microphone along with a night vision light emitter.
I tapped on the microphone icon in the middle of the screen and a green circle appeared. This meant that the camera was ready to receive my direct communication. It will ask users to approve access to the iPhone microphone before the button turns green.
During testing, the camera performed all of its functions correctly the first time. I like how seemingly complex tech products, like a smarthome camera, worked out of the box with an easy app. No other hardware or software was needed to complete this project.
Netgear Arlo Q Security Camera
The Arlo Q is easy enough to get people who may be on the fence about adding Smarthome technology to finally set something up in their residences. Netgear also offers a more complex wireless multi-camera option from Arlo when you are ready to upgrade.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Find the Arlo Q from Netgear for $219.
Pros:
– Free Arlo iPhone and Android apps
– Free cloud storage for seven days of video
– Night vision
– 2 way audio
– Status light removal
– Motion detection scene mapping
Cons:
– Wired power
– Three to four second delay on scene video via same WiFi connection
– 2 way audio works best up close