Home Hub + Argus 4 Pro

tedmanr

Over the last few weeks, I have been testing the Argus 4 pro cams with the new Home Hub.
I have been using a variety of Reolink cameras over the years such as 4G, WIFI, POE and battery cams. Normally I have individually saved my recordings to an internal SD card and although the NVR’s are great for lots of people, I have never needed one as my cameras are spread out over multiple sites and sd cards have worked well.
When my parcel arrived, I quickly unpacked to get a good look. The Hub itself was small and would easily sit anywhere that can be connected via network cable. Setup was simple and I had the Hub connected to my android apps and PC software in no time. The Home Hub connects to power and to the router via ethernet.
Built in 2.4ghz and 5ghz WIFI works well, although compared to my existing router the range was slightly less but still no complaints with range. Having a dedicated Wi-Fi from the Home Hub to the cameras can help reduce interference and congestion on existing networks.
Adding a camera to the hub was quick and painless and to my surprise, if you need to remove a camera from the Home Hub, it is quick and then a camera is operating solo in no time. Please note that for any cameras with internal storage recordings, I wasn’t able to access while the camera was connected to the Home Hub. That being said, its not really an issue as its so simple to make the camera solo, access any prior recordings and connect back, so really more an FYI than complaint there.
In the App, the Hub shows as its own device with connected cameras attached, while all other non-connected cams still showing as normal in the App. Settings are easy to access, footage encryption has also been added in case of theft.
Supporting 8 Cameras on the Home Hub, this should be more than enough for the average person. Those needing more can look at the Home Hub Pro, supporting up to 24 cameras. That being said, I am running cameras on the Home Hub and simultaneously individually running other cameras not connected to the Hub, still via the same app, so really no limitation there. This also allows if cameras are connected to range extenders around the property where the Home Hub WIFI may not reach.

Argus 4 Pro.
I have an existing Argus 4 pro standalone camera operating and have been super impressed as a solar/battery cam in its operation and battery run time. Even with all settings and sensitivities at maximum I have never ran the battery flat, even in areas with minimal sunlight coverage.
Colour night vision works well, although without the camera lights or surrounding light, it doesn’t work at night in the area I have been testing it as I need proper IR night vision.
I have added a photo comparison with the camera vs a photo from a Samsung S24 Ultra at the same time in evening light.
Conclusion:
The Home Hub is a fantastic addition to the Reolink range. Its simplicity in setup, discrete appearance makes it suitable for all households regardless of experience. Single point of camera footage backup is great, especially for those who are worried about a particular camera being stolen along with the internal footage. The addition of being able to encrypt recordings is also fantastic, although I haven’t yet put that to the test.
Looking forward to future software updates from Reolink for the Home Hub and how Reolink will further integrate its functionality into its range.

tedmanr