Arlo Smart MCP Server for Claude Code 11 tools — connect in under 2 minutes
Claude Code is Anthropic's agentic CLI for terminal-first development. Add Arlo Smart as an MCP server in one command and Claude Code will discover every tool at runtime. ideal for automation pipelines, CI/CD integration, and headless workflows via Vinkius.
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Vinkius Desktop App
The modern way to manage MCP Servers — no config files, no terminal commands. Install Arlo Smart and 2,500+ MCP Servers from a single visual interface.
# Your Vinkius token. get it at cloud.vinkius.com
claude mcp add arlo-smart --transport http "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure
About Arlo Smart MCP Server
Connect to Arlo Smart API and control your Arlo security cameras, review recordings, and manage security modes from any AI agent. Arm and disarm cameras, browse recorded videos, and monitor your home security through natural language commands.
Claude Code registers Arlo Smart as an MCP server in a single terminal command. Once connected, Claude Code discovers all 11 tools at runtime and can call them headlessly. ideal for CI/CD pipelines, cron jobs, and automated workflows where Arlo Smart data drives decisions without human intervention.
What you can do
- Device Discovery — List all Arlo devices including basestations, cameras, doorbells, and floodlights
- Recording Access — Browse and download recorded videos from any camera with presigned URLs
- Recent Activity — Quickly check today's recordings across all cameras
- Security Modes — View and change automation modes (armed, disarmed, custom modes)
- Arm/Disarm — Enable or disable security monitoring on individual devices or basestations
- Recording Management — Delete old recordings to free up cloud storage space
- Metadata Access — Get detailed recording metadata including duration, timestamps, and download links
The Arlo Smart MCP Server exposes 11 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to Claude Code in under two minutes — no API keys to rotate, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.
How to Connect Arlo Smart to Claude Code via MCP
Follow these steps to integrate the Arlo Smart MCP Server with Claude Code.
Install Claude Code
Run npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code if not already installed
Add the MCP Server
Run the command above in your terminal
Verify the connection
Run claude mcp to list connected servers, or type /mcp inside a session
Start using Arlo Smart
Ask Claude: "Using Arlo Smart, show me...". 11 tools are ready
Why Use Claude Code with the Arlo Smart MCP Server
Claude Code provides unique advantages when paired with Arlo Smart through the Model Context Protocol.
Single-command setup: `claude mcp add` registers the server instantly. no config files to edit or applications to restart
Terminal-native workflow means MCP tools integrate seamlessly into shell scripts, CI/CD pipelines, and automated DevOps tasks
Claude Code runs headlessly, enabling unattended batch processing using Arlo Smart tools in cron jobs or deployment scripts
Built by the same team that created the MCP protocol, ensuring first-class compatibility and the fastest adoption of new protocol features
Arlo Smart + Claude Code Use Cases
Practical scenarios where Claude Code combined with the Arlo Smart MCP Server delivers measurable value.
CI/CD integration: embed Arlo Smart tool calls in your deployment pipeline to validate configurations or fetch secrets before shipping
Headless batch processing: schedule Claude Code to query Arlo Smart nightly and generate reports without human intervention
Shell scripting: pipe Arlo Smart outputs into other CLI tools for data transformation, filtering, and aggregation
Infrastructure monitoring: run Claude Code in a cron job to query Arlo Smart status endpoints and alert on anomalies
Arlo Smart MCP Tools for Claude Code (11)
These 11 tools become available when you connect Arlo Smart to Claude Code via MCP:
arm_arlo_device
This enables motion detection and recording for the device. USE WHEN: - User wants to enable security monitoring - User asks to "arm the cameras" or "turn on security" - User wants to enable motion detection and recording - User is leaving home and wants security enabled PARAMETERS: - deviceId (REQUIRED): Arlo device ID to arm EXAMPLES: - "Arm the front door camera" → call with deviceId="FRONT_DOOR_ID" - "Enable security on the backyard camera" → call with deviceId="BACKYARD_ID" - "Arm the basestation" → call with deviceId="BASESTATION_ID" Arm an Arlo device (enable security monitoring)
delete_arlo_recordings
This action is permanent and cannot be undone. USE WHEN: - User wants to free up cloud storage space - User wants to remove old or unwanted recordings - User asks to "delete recordings from [date]" - User is managing their Arlo cloud storage PARAMETERS: - recordings (REQUIRED): JSON array of recording objects to delete (from get_arlo_recordings response) EXAMPLES: - "Delete these recordings" → call with recordings=[{...}] Delete Arlo recordings from the library
disarm_arlo_device
This disables motion detection and recording for the device. USE WHEN: - User wants to disable security monitoring - User asks to "disarm the cameras" or "turn off security" - User wants to disable motion detection temporarily - User is home and wants to disable security PARAMETERS: - deviceId (REQUIRED): Arlo device ID to disarm EXAMPLES: - "Disarm the front door camera" → call with deviceId="FRONT_DOOR_ID" - "Disable security on the backyard camera" → call with deviceId="BACKYARD_ID" - "Disarm the basestation" → call with deviceId="BASESTATION_ID" Disarm an Arlo device (disable security monitoring)
get_arlo_device_modes
Shows whether the device is armed, disarmed, or in a custom mode. Get the current automation modes for an Arlo device
get_arlo_recording_metadata
Get detailed metadata for an Arlo recording
get_arlo_recordings
Returns presigned URLs for downloading video files along with metadata like duration, device ID, and creation date. USE WHEN: - User wants to download or view Arlo recordings - User needs to check what was recorded on specific dates - User is reviewing security footage - User asks "show me recordings from [date range]" PARAMETERS: - dateFrom (REQUIRED): Start date in YYYYMMDD format (e.g. 20260407) - dateTo (REQUIRED): End date in YYYYMMDD format - deviceId (OPTIONAL): Filter by specific device ID EXAMPLES: - "Get recordings from April 7 2026" → call with dateFrom="20260407", dateTo="20260407" - "Show recordings from last week" → call with dateFrom="20260331", dateTo="20260406" - "Get recordings for camera XYZ on April 5" → call with dateFrom="20260405", dateTo="20260405", deviceId="XYZ" Get Arlo camera recordings for a date range
get_recent_arlo_recordings
Useful for quickly checking recent security activity. Get recent Arlo recordings from the last 24 hours
list_arlo_basestations
Basestations are the central hubs that connect wireless Arlo cameras to your network. List Arlo basestation/hub devices only
list_arlo_cameras
List Arlo camera devices only
list_arlo_devices
Each device includes deviceId, deviceName, deviceType, state, and connection status. USE WHEN: - User wants to see all their Arlo security devices - User needs to find device IDs for other commands - User is exploring their Arlo security setup - User asks "what Arlo devices do I have" EXAMPLES: - "List all my Arlo devices" → call with no params - "Show my Arlo security devices" → call with no params - "What Arlo cameras and basestations do I have?" → call with no params List all Arlo devices (basestations and cameras)
set_arlo_device_mode
Common modes: mode0 (disarmed), mode1 (armed), mode2 (armed with all motion). You can also use custom mode IDs created in the Arlo app. USE WHEN: - User wants to arm or disarm their Arlo security system - User wants to switch between different security modes - User asks to "arm the cameras" or "disarm the system" - User wants to enable/disable motion detection PARAMETERS: - deviceId (REQUIRED): Arlo device ID - mode (REQUIRED): Mode identifier (mode0=disarmed, mode1=armed, mode2=armed all motion, or custom mode ID) EXAMPLES: - "Arm the front door camera" → call with deviceId="FRONT_DOOR_ID", mode="mode1" - "Disarm all cameras" → call with deviceId="BASESTATION_ID", mode="mode0" - "Set to home mode" → call with deviceId, mode="mode_custom_home" Set the automation mode for an Arlo device
Example Prompts for Arlo Smart in Claude Code
Ready-to-use prompts you can give your Claude Code agent to start working with Arlo Smart immediately.
"List all my Arlo devices and show me which cameras I have."
"Show me today's recordings from all my Arlo cameras."
"Arm all my Arlo cameras for when I leave the house."
Troubleshooting Arlo Smart MCP Server with Claude Code
Common issues when connecting Arlo Smart to Claude Code through the Vinkius, and how to resolve them.
Command not found: claude
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-codeConnection timeout
Arlo Smart + Claude Code FAQ
Common questions about integrating Arlo Smart MCP Server with Claude Code.
How do I add an MCP server to Claude Code?
claude mcp add --transport http "" in your terminal. Claude Code registers the server and discovers all tools immediately.Can Claude Code run MCP tools in headless mode?
How do I list all connected MCP servers?
claude mcp in your terminal to see all registered servers and their status, or type /mcp inside an active Claude Code session.Connect Arlo Smart with your favorite client
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Connect Arlo Smart to Claude Code
Get your token, paste the configuration, and start using 11 tools in under 2 minutes. No API key management needed.