Great additions to existing security system.
For years, we’ve tried to ensure that our house is as secure as it can be. We’ve installed a variety of security cameras and found that the most stable and flexible system is the Arlo. We have several Arlo cameras across our property including their wired doorbell and Floodlight Camera. While the system is sometimes slow to connect live video feeds, it’s been consistently good with recording motion events and strong, secure hardware. So, when I was given the chance to add a second doorbell and the accompanying Chime 2 I jumped at the opportunity.
ARLO CHIME 2
The Chime 2 is an accessory that you can add to an existing Arlo system with a doorbell. This device provides a notification system and it’s intended to broaden the reach of your standard doorbell sound. The Arlo Wired Doorbell connects to your existing home doorbell chime. The idea is that when someone presses the Arlo Doorbell button, you will be notified not only on your phone but also audibly by your home’s chime. The Chime 2 gives you the option to add a second chime alert somewhere else in your home that may be the standard chime doesn’t reach. In our case, the doorbell chime is approximately 50 years old and it’s a little slow to react sometimes. So, we placed Chime 2 in our living room. This room is located at the back of our house and by placing the Chime 2 there, we are able to hear it in our master bedroom as well.
The Chime 2 plugs directly into a wall outlet for a wire-free installation. It works with Arlo Doorbells, floodlights, and cameras (excluding Go). To get started with it, you first need to download the Arlo app if you haven’t already and then follow the directions that are provided. This is probably one of the easier Arlo devices to add to the system. Before you plug it into the wall, you will go to the app and select Add New Device. You will be provided a list of Arlo devices to choose from and you will want to select Doorbells & Chimes. The app will then ask you to scan the QR Code on Chime 2. Once you do, you can plug it into the wall and the app will detect it as soon as it powers up.
The app will ensure the Chime 2 is connected to your network and that the Chime 2 is programmed accordingly. You will be given the option to pair the Chime 2 with certain Arlo devices on your network. We selected our Wired Doorbell since it’s connected to our front door. Within just a few seconds the Chime 2 was connected and working with our Doorbell. This is a very easy accessory to set up and it even has a built-in siren if you want to use it as a deterrent against unwanted intruders. The only thing included in the box with the Chime 2 is a quick start guide and the only thing the guide tells you to do is to download the app and follow its directions. I really love the ease of use and practicality that this accessory brings to the Arlo system.
ARLO ESSENTIAL WIRELESS VIDEO DOORBELL
This is very similar to the Wired Video Doorbell that we reviewed last year. The hardware is practically the same with the exception of the wired components. What’s interesting with the Wireless Doorbell is that you have the option to connect it to a wired mechanism in your home, but you don’t have to. The doorbell comes with a wire extension in the box. In addition to the wire extension, the doorbell also comes with a wall-mount screw kit, a charging cable, a rechargeable battery, a flat mounting plate, an angled mounting plate, a security latch pin, and a quick start guide. The camera is designed to give the user HD video with HDR and a wide view with a 180º viewing angle. The doorbell connects directly to WiFi and it even works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The Arlo Smart Hub is compatible with Apple HomeKit and even though you don’t need a hub for the doorbell, you end up having more flexibility with your options when you connect it to a hub. At least, that’s what we’ve found. With Arlo Secure, you have the option to receive smart alerts with object detection and you have a video history, too.
The first step in the installation process for the doorbell is to charge the battery. The instructions suggest making sure the battery is charged to 100% before setting up the doorbell in the app. Once it’s charged, you place it in the back of the doorbell to power it on. You will want to wait to replace the backplate until you have it mounted, but the set-up with the app can happen before that step. In fact, the app walks you through the set-up process and that is the instruction it gives you. Connection to the app is pretty simple. A QR code is displayed on the screen of your phone and the camera on the doorbell scans it. That’s how the system and the doorbell talk to each other and connect. This connection process takes roughly 5 minutes depending on your WiFi connection. Once it’s done, you can mount the doorbell.
We decided that the wireless doorbell should be on our back patio. We have a sliding glass door out there and on more than one occasion, one of us has locked the other outside by mistake. So, this doorbell was intended to have two purposes. First, we wanted a way to contact someone inside in the event that we get locked out and the second is in case we have an uninvited guest outside, we can capture them on video. We were able to mount the doorbell with little problem and because we have a mesh WiFi system in our house with a satellite in our living room, we didn’t have any connection problems either.
CONCLUSION
The Arlo system is indeed a worthy investment for any home. It’s very easy to start with a basic element, like the Wireless Doorbell, and then work your way up to multiple devices like the wireless cameras and the Chime 2. We’ve had very few issues with the system as a whole and feel it’s a great option for home or small business security. The Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell and the Chime 2 are great additions to our existing system.
For more information, visit www.arlo.com, Facebook, and Twitter.