Indoors, it’s relatively easy to install security cameras like those from Arlo. You have loads of flat surfaces to place these cameras on, like tables and ledges.
You can also mount them on the ceiling or the wall with the right mounting equipment and screws. These cameras have a magnet-based mount that you can connect to anywhere. You can do it yourself or have a professional mount them. However, that’s inside your home.
What about outside? How should you go about installing your Arlo Pro in your front yard or backyard? So here’s the million-dollar question: How to install Arlo pro outside? Here’s what you need to do.
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Install Arlo Pro Outside or Outdoors
Although the Arlo Pro series (Pro to Pro 3) are a home security dream, you need to take careful consideration when installing, attaching, or mounting them outside of your home, like within your yard or around the immediate perimeter of your property.
Regarding thievery concerns, almost anything can be stolen but if you’re too concerned about someone plucking your camera away from its mount, you can always use the screw mount. This mount solidly keeps the camera from falling out by bolting down the camera into place wherever you wish to place it outdoors.
In your yard, it’s better to use the screw mount instead of the easily detachable magnetic mount. Otherwise, you can make the magnetic ball mount work by placing it out of reach, like an overhead view of your property over at the edge of your roof, near the gutter.
You might need to attach a short tether for good measure to keep the mounted Pro camera from falling accidentally from its perch.
Considerations When Installing an Arlo Pro Camera Outside
You have two options when it comes to Arlo Pro Camera placement outdoors or outside your home: Put it up on a perch that people normally can’t reach like near your roof or gutter and make it hidden like inside a birdhouse or inside the bushes.
Before going ahead with the outdoor camera installation, there are several factors you need to consider first.
Theft Prevention: Your camera installation should have a mount that prevents easy snatching or theft, as in the case of bolt-on or screw mounts.
Versatile Positioning: Your camera placement should be placed somewhere that can be easily repositioned in order to minimize blind spots.
Flexible Viewing Angle: Your camera should be installed somewhere that gives it more leeway for camera turns or zooms, thus giving you a maximum field of view with the fewest blind spots.
Wall Damage Reduction: Sometimes, drilling your wall or roof is unavoidable, but if you can mount your camera somewhere without damaging your existing wall structure, the better off you’ll be.
Bird’s Eye View for Surveillance: Those out-of-reach cameras give you the advantage of a higher plane perspective like that of a bird, allowing you to see above your home.
To err on the side of caution, it’s best that you don’t use the magnetic ball mount for anything other than indoor camera installations. Instead, you should use the screw mount or invest in outdoorsy Arlo mounts to suit your specific yard, garden, land, or territorial circumstances.
Different Mounts You Can Use with the Arlo Pro Series
The Arlo Pro series is a wireless type of camera that’s designed in such a way to allow for placement variety all-around your home, whether it’s indoors or outdoors.
Arlo Magnetic Ball Mount
This mount is handy for the simple fact that it’s easily detachable. This is why it’s such a popular mount for indoor cameras.
You can remove or adjust the cameras from it easily then put them back on the mount without worrying about it being mounted wrong to the point that it falls over.
It’s not as effective outdoors in the light of potential pickpockets taking away your Arlo easily.
Arlo Screw Mount
The Arlo Screw Mount enables you to mount your Arlo outdoors but with wall or roof damage involved. However, you can’t just beat its durability and solid construction. It’s a user-friendly standard (if rigid) mount you can screw onto your patio, garage, yard, walls, or roof in order to attach your Arlo Pro-Series cam unto them, letting them hang over the outside of your house like bank surveillance cameras.
Arlo Quad Pod Mount
If you wish to avoid wall damage, then use the Arlo Quad Pod Mount instead of the Arlo Magnetic Ball Mount as your mount.
This flexible mounting solution for your Arlo Pro uses a silicone arm that you can stick to anywhere in a seamless manner without screwing screws into walls by drilling holes through them.
The perforated and rough bottom side of this pod can make the mount attach firmly to any surface.
Arlo Gutter Mount
Another great option for an Arlo Pro outdoor mount is the Arlo Gutter Mount that you can literally attach solidly and dependably on any gutters you have in your humble abode.
This also allows you to mount your Arlo Pro Series camera away from the prying hands of would-be camera thieves.
It provides a 180° tilt and 360° swivel to enable your camera to have the perfect adjustable bird’s eye view of your front or back yard.
Arlo Gooseneck Mount
This flexible, adjustable gooseneck or gooseneck mount enables your camera to position itself in every which way.
It has versatile camera positioning flexibility and adjustability thanks to its silicone cover for the Arlo Pro camera that attaches it to a flexible rubber stick that can attach to fences, doorknobs, branches, railings, and so forth.
It allows the camera to hangover normally inaccessible places that required you to drill holes.
The Final Judgment
Make sure that your Arlo Pro camera remains a home security dream instead of a home security nightmare when installing them outdoors. You can hide it better, put it in high places, or simply use the screw mount to make it harder for anyone to snatch it away from you.
These ultra-portable and wireless cameras do have the natural downside of being easily stolen if you were to use the magnetic ball mount on them outdoors then place them in places that are easily reached.
Sure, you’d get footage of the robber or thief since the video is uploaded in the cloud, but it’s better to play it safe and keep the camera out of other people’s reach.
References:
- “Mounting outside“, Arlo.com, December 12, 2016
- “Arlo Pro Mounts: The Best Mounting Options for Your Needs“, Wasserstein-Home.com Blogs, June 11, 2019
