My Frustrating Reolink Experience!!!

SibeDad

I chose Reolink due to good product reviews and the fact they had a PC Client, as I do not have a Smart Device to be able to use an App.

I first ordered a Reolink Argus Track from Amazon.ca, in early October 2024. The camera was easy to set up to the Reolink Client, however it would not connect to my Wi-Fi? After contacting support I discovered it was not Wi-Fi 6 compatible. This was not mentioned in the product description. I returned it to Amazon.ca and was refunded in full.

I researched Reolink Wi-Fi 6 cameras and was pleased to find a new model, the Altas PT Ultra with solar panel, which was also a battery powered solar camera. Amazon.ca did not yet have this camera listed, so I placed an order directly from Reolink Canada...my first mistake!

Reolink contacted me through Amazon.ca, regarding my return of the Argus Track, offering a return and refund. When I explained that I had already returned, been refunded, and had ordered the Altas directly from Reolink, they offered me a partial refund on my Altas purchase, to make up for the inconvenience...I was pleasantly surprised and thought, "great, I am dealing with a company that stands behind it's product!"...my second mistake!

Immediately upon arrival of the Altas PT Ultra my frustrations began. This camera, unlike the Argus and other Reolink cameras, required a Smart device to initialize, to be able to connect to the Reolink Client. I do not have a Smart device, my first reason for choosing Reolink! I had to bother a friend to borrow his iPhone to install the App and initialize the Altas.

Once initialized and connected to the Reolink Client, my frustrations continued. The Altas would not consistently connect the the Client. I would have to open and close the Client several times, or even delete and reinstall the camera to get a connection. I contacted Reolink Support in hope of a resolution, this was on October 22nd. I should have pack the camera up and requested a refund, I did not...my third mistake!

What followed was back and forth e-mails, between several different "support/customer service" personnel, each asking the same questions over and over again, and me patiently providing the same responses! Each time Reolink thanking me for my patience and apologizing. I had patience as I had confidence that this being a new product, they would eventually be able to resolve the connection issue.

In the meantime, I ordered another Reolink camera, E1 Outdoor Pro, from Amazon.ca to cover another area on my property. This camera being a wired, not battery, camera worked and connected flawlessly with the Client.

After going back and forth regarding the Altas PT Ultra connection issue with Reolink, on December 3rd, Support passed me off to the "after sales team" to contact me for a resolution. The Reolink Warranty Team offered to replace the Altas PT Ultra with the same model. So I packed up the original Altas and shipped it back to Reolink, at their request, and at a cost of $37.66, a cost I assumed Reolink would cover...my fourth mistake, they have not!

The replacement Altas camera arrived on December 13th, and after again borrowing my friends iPhone to initialize, the connection issue to the Reolink Client was no different! I requested a refund and stated I would use the refund to purchase another Reolink wired, not battery, camera, as it seemed to me the fact the Altas was a battery camera was the issue.

Confident of the refund from Reolink I ordered a Reolink Track Mix Wi-Fi camera, a wired camera of equal value and features to the Altas, from Amazon.ca, which arrived the very next day...my fifth mistake!

Reolink's response to my refund request:
"We sincerely apologize, but we are unable to process a refund for orders placed over 30 days ago. However, we can assist you by exchanging your product for the E1 Outdoor Pro and covering the shipping costs for the exchange."
My level of frustration was mounting! It was because of my patience and confidence that Reolink would resolve the connection issue that my refund request was past the 30 day policy! In turn they were offering a replacement camera of lessor value and features!

I explained that I had already purchased a replacement camera, to which Reolink replied:
"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you. However, according to our after-sales policy, we are unable to process refunds for orders that exceed 30 days. In this case, we can only assist you with an exchange."
Reolink then offered to replace the Altas with another Track Mix Wi-Fi, not the one I had already purchased and received from Amazon.ca, meaning that camera would have to be returned to Amazon.ca!

Reolink's "assist you with an exchange" was a $30.00 refund to supposedly cover shipping costs. The cost to return the Altas and solar panel came to $50.24! The replacement Track Mix is scheduled for arrival today!

So, after two months of frustration dealing with Reolink, I am out of pocket some $57.90, for return of their faulty product, and the hours of time spent going back and forth!

When my current Reolink cameras fail...and I am confident they will, you can rest assured they will not be replaced by another Reolink product. Buyer Beware!

Crimp On

WiFi6 is backward compatible with WiFi5. I regularly connect devices which support WiFi6 to my primary WiFi system which supports only WiFi5. And I have a test WiFi router which supports WiFi6 and regularly connect WiFi5 devices to it. If the Argus camera did not connect to the WiFi system, the reason is not likely to be related to WiFi6.