Being able to monitor your home from anywhere gives you peace of mind when you’re away. The Netvue Vigil 2 Outdoor Security Camera is designed to give you clear, crisp views both day and night, along with providing alerts if motion’s detected. I had the opportunity to test this camera out for myself to see just how well it helps improve home security.
Overview of Features
The Netvue Vigil 2 Outdoor Security Camera makes it quick and affordable to keep an eye on your front door, yard, or anywhere else around the outside of your home. Weather isn’t an issue, as it’s IP66 weatherproof rated.
The instructions do state temperatures below 14°F could cause problems, but the product description on Amazon states -4°F. However, the temperature dropped to around 20°F during my tests and I didn’t notice any issues at all, even with a brief icing event.
Some of the main features to better monitor around your home include:
- 80-degree field of view
- Easy to adjust to the right angle
- Two-way audio
- Immediate motion alerts
- Human detection (requires subscription)
- Create custom motion alert area
- Cloud and SD recording storage options
- Live video at any time
- 8X digital zoom
- Detailed night vision with infrared LEDs
- 1080P glass lens
- Quick installation
It’s important to note that this camera is Wi-Fi enabled but wired. You’ll need to connect it to a power source to operate. This also means you won’t have to worry about the battery dying when you need it most.
In the Box
Almost everything you need for the Netvue Vigil 2 Outdoor Security Camera is included in the box. If you want to store images and videos locally, you’ll need to buy a microSD card (up to 128 GB). You will need a screwdriver to open the camera to install the card. You’ll also need a drill to install the camera.
The screws and anchors are included. I loved that a template was included to make installation much easier. If you’re connecting directly to an Ethernet cable for a more reliable connection, there’s a weatherproof tube to prevent water from getting to the connector.
The instruction manual is clear and walks you through every part of the installation process.
The camera itself has three components connected to it – an Ethernet port, power port, and reset button.
Installing
Before you try installing the camera outside, you have to connect it to your network and the Netvue app. I highly recommend doing this indoors, as the closer you are to your router, the easier the setup process is. I tried doing this outside but never could get everything to connect. Once I completed the process inside, the camera worked fine where I wanted to place it outside.
Start by removing the panel under the camera if you want to install an SD card. You actually don’t have to install a card if you don’t want to. In fact, monitoring and alerts work even with a card or cloud storage subscription. You just won’t be able to view any history or video footage beyond live footage.
Start by scanning the QR code inside the instruction manual to download the Netvue app, which is compatible with Android and iOS. Once the app’s installed, all you have to do is follow the guided prompts to complete the installation. It took less than five minutes to do everything. Please note that the Netvue Vigil 2 only works on a 2.4 GHz network.
Make sure the camera is working correctly through the app before you drill any holes to put up the camera.
The only limitations to putting up the camera itself is you can only place it as far as the power adapter reaches. The cord is long, which makes it easy to run through a wall to plug inside, or your can plug it outside. (I opted for outside, but I have a weatherproof box covering the outlet and the adapter).
Make sure the power cable and Ethernet cable (if you’re using one) can reach before you drill any holes. Then, use the provided template to drill the holes. The camera slides off the base to give you more room to screw the base to your wall or wherever you’re attaching it.
Using the Camera
Using the Netvue Vigil 2 Outdoor Security Camera couldn’t be easier. Simply open the Netvue app, and you’ll see the current view for your installed camera. If you have multiple cameras, you can name them and monitor everything from within one app.
There are only four main settings menus within the app:
- Share Device – Share access with other users
- Motion Detection – Set up motion detection options, such as sensitivity and area
- Netvue Protect – Configure Netvue Protect settings if you have a subscription
- General – Configure various settings, such as night vision, time zone, format SD card, activate sleep mode, and more.
By selecting your camera’s current image, you’ll see a live view of your area. You can also view history (if you have an SD card or cloud storage enabled). Use your fingers to zoom in at any time.
When you get an alert, you’ll see a red dot on the alert icon on your camera. Tap this to see current alerts. You’ll have images and motion videos (requires subscription). You can keep any images to download to your phone.
Both day and night footage is clear. However, some alert images severely blurred the subject, even though the background was clear. This may have been a Wi-Fi issue, though. Otherwise, I didn’t have any issues with the images and videos.
I love that you can customize the motion detection area, though. I did have trouble getting my settings to stay. In fact, I wasn’t even receiving alerts until the next day. When I opened the app, my motion alerts were turned off completely. Make sure your settings don’t revert back to defaults.
With a subscription, you can get human detection ($2.99/month) to just be alerted when a human is detected. You can also subscribe to continuous monitoring with 24/7 footage stored for 10 days for $5.99/month and event recording monitor for $1.99/month.
Final Thoughts
Is the Netvue Vigil 2 ideal for keeping an eye on your home? Definitely. For just $35.99, the price is perfect. It’s a reliable camera that’s incredibly simple to install and configure.
I love that you don’t need a cloud subscription, but the pricing on that is even surprisingly affordable. You can try out the Netvue Vigil 2 Outdoor Security Camera for yourself and make your home a little more secure.
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Crystal Crowder has spent over 15 years working in the tech industry, first as an IT technician and then as a writer. She works to help teach others how to get the most from their devices, systems, and apps. She stays on top of the latest trends and is always finding solutions to common tech problems.