The 76-inch power cord plugs into a mini-USB port on the back and into a comparatively small USB/AC converter brick. I then inserted a battery pack into each camera (they come fully charged out of the box) and made sure the cameras were within three feet of the base station. Some cameras use white light and while it’s effective in capturing good footage, I find the harsh light to be quite distracting and an obvious giveaway to intruders.

If you want a camera that works with HomeKit and offers similar performance, check out our EufyCam 2 security camera review. Video Settings is where you go to enable night vision, create activity zones, and choose a power mode (Best Video, Optimized, Best Battery Life).

Specify which areas you want to monitor by drawing one or more motion zones in the settings of your camera.

It’s super loud and if you have anyone in the house who is sensitive to sound, I would be cautious about using it too much. Like the Arlo Pro 2, the Blink XT is another wireless indoor/outdoor camera that can be placed pretty much anywhere. A magnet embedded in the rear of the enclosure allows you to attach the camera to the round metal mounts or any metal surface, or you can just place it on any flat area.

When we tested Arlo Pro and Pro 2 side-by-side, we found that the Arlo Pro 2 caught more footage on the sides of the screen due to its wider angle.

Barring any internet issues, I don’t think it would take anyone more than 20 minutes to get everything up and rolling. Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year. For example, if someone runs on your porch, grabs a package, and runs away, every second of footage will be precious in detecting exactly who the perpetrator was. If you are located in a remote area with less reliable Wi-Fi connection, consider the Arlo Go 2 camera which has options for both Wi-Fi and LTE connection.

Therefore, unlike many other cameras, the Arlo system can be turned on or off throughout the night from one day's evening to the next day's morning. The set includes two rechargeable outdoor security cameras and a base station you connect to your Wi-Fi router. If you receive a notification at the time an event is taking place, you can use the camera’s two-way talk to try to scare off a person. The optional (extra charge) continuous video recording (CVR) is accessed not from the Library, but from an icon on the Home page. As well as telling your camera when you’d like it to record, with timers or geolocation, you can also tailor the alerts you receive.