Arlo VMC2030 User manual

Essential Spotlight Camera
VMC2030
User Manual
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UMENT ARE FOR POSITION ONLY AND MAY DIFFER
FROM THE ACTUAL PRODUCT.
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Contents
1. Get Started 4
Use the Arlo app for installation and setup.................................................................................... 4
Charge your camera............................................................................................................................ 4
Wall mount your camera.................................................................................................................... 5
Your Camera’s eld of view................................................................................................................ 6
Position your camera to detect motion in specic areas............................................................ 6
Test motion detection ........................................................................................................................ 8
Arm your camera to detect motion.................................................................................................. 8
2. WiFi Setup and Connections 9
WiFi connection options .................................................................................................................... 9
Tips for optimal WiFi performance .................................................................................................. 9
Connect your mobile device to a 2.4 GHz WiFi network during setup.................................... 10
Move your camera’s WiFi connection to a SmartHub or base station .................................... 11
Move your camera’s WiFi connection to a direct router connection ...................................... 12
3. Camera Basics 14
View your camera feeds ................................................................................................................... 15
Foresight.............................................................................................................................................. 15
Record clips from live video............................................................................................................. 16
Take a snapshot from live video ..................................................................................................... 16
Talk and Listen ................................................................................................................................... 16
Turn the camera spotlight on and o............................................................................................ 16
Turn the camera siren on and o ................................................................................................... 17
Customize your camera feed image .............................................................................................. 17
Motion detection activity zones...................................................................................................... 18
View recordings and snapshots...................................................................................................... 19
Download recordings........................................................................................................................ 20
4. Modes, Rules, and Alerts 23
Modes................................................................................................................................................... 23
Select a mode..................................................................................................................................... 23
Mute Notications ............................................................................................................................. 24
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Essential Spotlight Camera
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Rules for modes ................................................................................................................................. 24
Change motion sensitivity ............................................................................................................... 25
Automatically stop recording when motion stops...................................................................... 25
Control whether the spotlight turns on when motion is detected at night .......................... 25
Manage alerts ..................................................................................................................................... 26
Schedule your camera rules............................................................................................................ 26
Set up Arlo Geofencing..................................................................................................................... 27
Geofencing with multiple mobile devices.................................................................................... 29
5. Change Your Settings 32
Two-step verication ........................................................................................................................ 32
Use face or ngerprint authentication .......................................................................................... 33
Customize your prole ..................................................................................................................... 34
Change your Arlo password............................................................................................................. 35
Reset a forgotten password............................................................................................................. 35
Grant access to friends ..................................................................................................................... 36
Change the time zone....................................................................................................................... 38
Camera settings ................................................................................................................................. 38
Customize the camera spotlight settings ..................................................................................... 41
Adjust the icker setting................................................................................................................... 41
View device information................................................................................................................... 42
Remove a device from your account............................................................................................. 42
6. Troubleshooting 43
Troubleshoot Arlo Geofencing........................................................................................................ 43
Can’t see video streams in a browser ............................................................................................ 43
WiFi signal interference .................................................................................................................... 44
Not receiving push notications..................................................................................................... 44
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1. Get Started
Use the Arlo app for installation and setup
You must use the Arlo app to install and set up your camera. The Arlo app
guides you through setup:
1. Create your Arlo account.
You use the same account to manage all your Arlo devices.
2. Connect your camera to WiFi to add it to your Arlo account in the
cloud.
Once you set up your Arlo account, you can access it by using the Arlo app on a smartphone
or tablet, or from a computer using a web browser. If you’re using a computer, enter https://
my.arlo.com/#/login in the address bar of the browser.
Aer installation, you can use the Arlo app to view your camera feed, customize alerts and
notications, create schedules for your cameras, and more.
Charge your camera
A USB charging cable came in the box with your camera. This cable is for indoor use only.
1. Connect the USB charging cable to your
camera.
2. Connect the other end of the USB charging
cable to an AC power adapter (sold
separately) and plug the adapter into an
electrical outlet.
The battery charges automatically.
The camera LED lights solid blue when the camera is fully charged.
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5Get Started
Eseential Spotlight Camera
User Manual
The Camera LED
The LED on the camera lights when the camera is powered on. The LED changes color and
blinks depending on the camera’s charge level and to indicate the status of activities such as
pairing the camera and updating the camera rmware.
• Slow blinking blue. The camera is in the process of pairing to a WiFi network.
• Fast blinking blue. The camera paired with a WiFi network.
• Blinking amber. The camera is out of range, a connection error occurred during pairing, or
the camera battery charge is low (15% or less).
• Alternating blue and amber. The camera failed to pair with the WiFi network, or a
rmware update is in process, or a reset is in process.
Wall mount your camera
Your camera comes with a mount and a screw kit.
1. Place the mount and secure it with screws.
If you’re mounting the camera on drywall, use
the drywall anchors we provide.
2. Attach the camera to the mount.
3. Tilt and swivel to adjust the camera angle.
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Your Camera’s eld of view
The eld of view is the area in which the camera can detect motion. You can set the eld of
view to Full (X degrees), Wide (Y degrees), or Super Wide (Z degrees).
Arlo automatically corrects the image to reduce the sheye effect for each eld of
view setting. The Full setting completely eliminates the sheye effect.
Change the eld of view
You can set the eld of view to Full (110 degrees), Wide (125 degrees), or Super wide (160
degrees).
1. Open the Arlo app.
2. Tap Settings > My Devices.
3. Select the camera.
4. Tap Video Settings > Video Mode.
5. Tap a eld of view to automatically apply it to your camera.
Position your camera to detect motion in
specic areas
You can mount and aim your camera in dierent ways to optimize the camera’s ability to
detect motion in specic areas. The lower two-thirds of the camera’s eld of view is the
motion-sensitive part of the image. Aim the camera so that any motion you wish to detect
appears within this part of the image.
If you want to monitor motion closer to the
camera, such as visitors to your front door,
mount the camera at least 6.5 feet (1.9
meters) high*and aim it so that visitors
appear in the lower two-thirds of the image.
This angle works well to avoid motion alerts for
movement in the top third of the image, such as
vehicles driving by.
*At 6.5 feet (2 meters) or higher, we recommend using the Arlo Outdoor Mount.
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To monitor motion occurring farther away,
such as children playing on a lawn, aim the
camera higher to frame the area within the
lower two-thirds of the image.
It’s best to position the camera so that motion
is moving from side-to-side across its eld
of view rather than directly toward or away
from the camera. Also, though the camera can
detect motion up to 25 feet (7.6 meters) away,
the best area for motion detection is 5 to 20
feet (1.5 to 6 meters) from the camera position.
Use camera positioning to aim your camera
Camera positioning is available only when the camera is not streaming, recording motion, or
using the Motion Detection test. During camera positioning, the camera streams video as fast
as possible, without buering. You can aim your camera while watching on your smartphone
and making near real-time adjustments to the camera position. This means that you might
see lower-quality video while you are positioning your camera.
To position your camera:
1. Open the Arlo app.
2. Tap Settings > My Devices.
3. Select the camera.
4. Tap Device Utilities > Camera Positioning.
The camera starts streaming video. The signal strength bar indicates the WiFi signal that
your camera is receiving at its current location.
Test motion detection
You can use the motion detection test to nd the right motion sensitivity setting for each
camera.
1. Open the Arlo app.
2. Tap Settings > My Devices.
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8Get Started
Eseential Spotlight Camera
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3. Select the camera.
4. Tap Device Utilities > Motion Detection Test.
5. Move in front of the camera.
During this test, the camera LED blinks amber when motion is detected.
6. Move the slider to adjust the motion sensitivity level as needed.
7. Edit the rule for your camera to enter the motion sensitivity level that you want to use. See
Change motion sensitivity on page 23.
Arm your camera to detect motion
You control when your camera detects motion and the rules it uses to record and alert you
by selecting a mode. The Arlo app comes with four modes: Armed, Disarmed, Schedule,
and Geofencing. You can customize each mode and you can also create custom modes. For
information about how to do this, see Chapter 5. Modes, Rules, and Alerts on page 21.
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2. WiFi Setup and Connections
When you install and set up your camera, the Arlo app guides you through the process of
connecting the camera to your router’s 2.4 GHz WiFi network or to an optional Arlo SmartHub
or base station.
WiFi connection options
When you install your camera you can connect it directly to your router’s 2.4 GHz WiFi band, or
you can connect the camera with WiFi to an Arlo SmartHub VMB5000 or VMB4540, or an Arlo
base station VMB4500 or VMB4000.
An Arlo SmartHub or base station isn’t included in the package with your camera. They are
sold separately. Using your camera with a SmartHub or base station gives you access to these
additional features:
• Use local storage on an SD card in a VMB5000 SmartHub or on a USB storage device
connected to the SmartHub VMB4540 or base station VMB4500 or VMB4000.
• Use remote access for SmartHubs VMB5000 and VMB4540.
Aer you install and set up your camera, you can move its WiFi connection from your router
to a SmartHub or base station. You can also move your camera’s WiFi connection from a
SmartHub or base station and connect it directly to your router’s 2.4 GHz WiFi band. To do
this, you must remove the device from your account and reinstall through the Arlo app,
selecting the appropriate option to move back and forth.
Tips for optimal WiFi performance
The distance between WiFi devices can aect the WiFi signal:
• Maximum recommended distance. We recommend that you place your WiFi router within
300 feet (90 meters) from the camera. The maximum line-of-sight range of 300 feet is
reduced by each wall, ceiling, or other major obstruction between the camera and the
router.
• Minimum recommended distance. To reduce WiFi interference, allow at least 6½ feet (2
meters) between your camera and any Arlo cameras that you install.
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10WiFi Setup and Connections
Essential Spotlight Camera
User Manual
These materials can reduce WiFi signal strength if they are located between WiFi devices:
• Unusually thick walls and ceilings
• Brick
• Concrete
• Stone
• Ceramic
• Glass, especially mirrors
• Metal
• Large quantities of water, such as the water in a sh tank or water heater
Connect your mobile device to a 2.4 GHz WiFi
network during setup
If you’re connecting your camera directly to your router’s WiFi network, it’s important to
understand that your mobile device must connect to the same WiFi network as the camera
during setup.
Your camera can only connect to a 2.4 GHz WiFi network. Many routers broadcast WiFi
networks in both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, so your phone might connect to the 5 GHz WiFi
band. During setup, connect your phone to your 2.4 GHz WiFi network, then connect your
camera to that same 2.4 GHz WiFi network.
Find your 2.4 GHz WiFi network name and password
Your phone might connect to your 5 GHz WiFi network most of the time. If you’re not sure
about how to nd the 2.4 GHz WiFi network:
• Look on your WiFi router label.
Many routers have a label that shows the WiFi network name, which is also called an SSID.
Your 2.4 GHz network name might have a 2, 2.4, or 2G at the end. Your 5 GHz network
name might have a 5 or 5G at the end. If you changed your WiFi settings, then check the
place where you saved your custom settings.
• If your WiFi network name or SSID doesn’t indicate whether it’s 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz, ask your
Internet service provider (ISP) or the person who set up your WiFi router.
• If you have a mesh WiFi network, it uses only one WiFi network name for both WiFi bands.
The camera nds and connects to the 2.4 GHz WiFi band. As long as you connect your
phone to the same mesh network, Arlo can discover the camera.
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