- Last week, I unboxed an Ooma Home Security Kit
in the studio.
And now, I've set it up
and started testing this unusual security system.
Today, I'll go over the setup process I went through,
the roadblocks and quirks,
and a few corrections I have for my last video.
It turns out, Ooma isn't telling you everything upfront.
If you didn't see the unboxing video, here's a quick recap.
The brand Ooma specializes
in home and internet phone services like VoIP,
but they also dabble in the home security world.
So I got a small kit with a Telo Base Station,
two door and window sensors,
and one motion sensor.
Okay. Now, we're up to speed.
Setting up Ooma starts within the app.
Just be sure you download the Ooma Home Security app first.
The brand has other programs out there
for its VoIP services,
which won't work with your smart home gear.
So look for that little green icon
in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
Once the app's downloaded,
you can sign in with an existing Ooma account
or activate your new one.
For me, I was new to the whole Ooma experience,
so I activated my Base Station
with the seven-digit code under the Telo.
After the app accepts that code,
Ooma will ask you for some basic information,
like your name and address.
But then it asked me for some unusual data,
like my phone carrier and credit card information.
I could see the phone carrier kind of making sense
considering Ooma's relationship to phone service.
They use your cell phone data and location
to help you arm and disarm your system with geofencing.
It's a pretty common feature
in security systems and GPS trackers,
but this was a really involved, weird way of doing it.
But, what about the credit card information?
That definitely struck me as odd
and I'll get to that more in a sec.
The Ooma app has really minimal instructions
for setting up any of the gear.
You're pretty much on your own
even with the simple sensors.
Thankfully, the printed manuals
that come with all of your equipment are pretty thorough.
But it is just weird for a DIY security system
not to rely on its app for installation.
That's the whole point of DIY systems.
So when it came to setting up the Base Station,
I kind of just closed my eyes
and took an educated guess for setting it up.
The Base Station comes with a power cable
and an ethernet cable.
Once your Telo has been activated in the app,
it's time to hook it up.
The power cable makes sense.
There's a little spot on the back of it for the power cord,
but then there are two ports,
one labeled internet and phone.
You can use the ethernet cable on either of those.
If you choose the internet,
plug the other end into your router.
And if you choose the phone port,
plug it into a phone jack.
Once the Base Station receives power,
the Ooma logo will glow on the device.
It took about 15 minutes to get it online
and connected to my app.
Then, it was time to add the sensors.
Once my Telo Station was up and running,
I started with the door and window sensors.
Also called contact sensors,
these are made of a sensor and a magnet.
They go on doors, windows, cabinets,
or anything that opens and closes.
They're available in just about every home security system,
DIY or otherwise.
To get started, select Add Devices
in the main menu of the app.
Then, find the Door and Window Sensor
at the top of the list.
When I tried doing this, I ran into the paywall.
More on that in a second.
In the box, you'll find the main sensor, the magnet,
and then three brackets
that adjust to different surface depths.
I hadn't seen this in other systems before
and thought it was a pretty nice touch.
Next, add the included batteries in the kit to the sensor
and press the small button on the back.
This will put it into pairing mode.
The front light will blink red
and the Base Station will tell you once the sensor's paired.
You'll know that your sensor works
when the Telo Base Station sounds
after you separate those two main pieces.
Now, it's time to attach your sensors
to a surface, door, window, or otherwise.
The Ooma Kit comes with a bunch of options
to make these sensors fit as many homes as possible.
First, there are those brackets
that clip onto the back of your magnet.
Then, there are options for drilling into drywall
or simple adhesives to keep your sensors in place.
Personally, I recommend going
with those little stickies first.
It took me a couple of attempts to find the right position
and spot for my contact sensors.
So, thankfully, there are multiple adhesive strips
in case you need a second try.
If you want to anchor these sensors in place,
try the stickies first and then mark their position.
This will put fewer holes in your wall
and ensure that your sensors
are good to go on the first try.
(gentle upbeat music)
Next step was the motion sensor,
and this was the easiest part of my whole Ooma journey.
While this device is pretty big for a motion sensor,
it comes with a little stand
that makes setting it up super fast.
Adding the motion sensor in the app
was nearly identical to the contact sensors,
and I ran into the paywall there too.
To add it, select Add a new device,
then choose the Motion Sensor.
Then, add the included battery to the device.
The stand slides right off
and you'll find the spot for the battery right on the back.
Just like the window sensors,
you can mount it to the wall with drywall screws and anchors
or use the stickies included and put it to the wall.
Personally, I use the stand.
So I just set it on the bookshelf
below my SimpliSafe sensors.
It might be cool to see how these two devices
compare in my tests.
And that was it.
My Ooma system was installed and ready to go.
But, this wasn't a 100% buttery smooth installation
the whole way through.
Remember that credit card issue
and all of those paywalls I mentioned earlier?
That was the biggest issue I encountered with Ooma
while setting up and learning about the system.
So I'm gonna get into the messy parts
about the whole Ooma experience.
(gentle upbeat music)
So let me start with a correction,
and it's a big one.
In the unboxing video,
I was under the impression
that Ooma had a free self-monitoring option.
I mentioned it several times in the video
and I was really excited
to see how a self-monitored system worked
from something like Ooma.
And after all, it's on Ooma's website.
It turns out that this is incorrect
or at least what you get for free isn't clearly stated.
That is why I encountered the credit card form.
It turns out that the sensors are behind that paywall, too.
After I'd set up my Telo Base Station,
I started on the sensors.
That's when I hit the paywall.
I couldn't add anything without signing up
for at least the $5.99 a month plan.
I was still able to use the Telo Station
and link my phone to the Ooma app for free,
but I wasn't able to add any sensors
or any other accessories besides my phone
and the Base Station.
With those two components,
it's really just a phone tracker.
Thankfully, I managed to find a 30-day free trial
and skipped adding my credit card info.
So I'm going to try
and see how far I can get with my 30-day trial
without adding any financial information.
So far, all of this feels like a big red flag.
From what I've seen already,
it seems that Ooma has a bit of a disconnect
between their messaging online,
within the app, and for their existing customers.
Top that all off
with a mostly unhelpful app experience while installing.
And I gotta say, I am not feeling this system so far,
but it's up running and I've got a 30-day trial
to use it in my home and test it.
For the next month,
I'll keep this Ooma system at home
and test out its app and the sensors I've installed,
so stick around for updates
and ask any questions you might have
or hit me with some ideas for testing.
I'll be sure to add them in my review.
Our full review on Ooma will be out in May.
So be sure to like and subscribe,
so you can catch that video when it comes out.
Hey, if you are one of the 10 people who made it this far,
thanks for watching.
And if you want more safety,
head over to safewise.com and you can find reviews
and our lineups of best home security systems,
best wireless cameras, and more.
Stay safe!